A Comparison of the Processing of Counterfactual Semantics Between Li-Han Diglossic Children and Monolingual Children

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2026.05.004

Abstract

Abstract: Existing research has predominantly focused on cross-linguistic comparisons of counterfactual semantics, yet the impact of diglossic experience on the cognitive processing of counterfactual semantics remains unclear. A combination of behavioral experiments and eye-tracking technology was adopted to explore the differences in the processing of counterfactual semantics between diglossic children and monolingual children. In the behavioral experiment, a semantic judgment task was administered, and the results revealed that diglossic children exhibited significantly shorter reaction times than monolingual children. In the eye-tracking experiment, a semantic violation paradigm was adopted, and the findings indicated that diglossic children initiated the processing of counterfactual semantics at an earlier stage compared to monolingual children. Collectively, these results demonstrate that diglossic switching experience facilitates the processing of counterfactual semantics, with diglossic children exhibiting a bilingual advantage effect in sentence processing that manifests specifically during the early stages of cognitive processing.

Key words: diglossic children, counterfactual semantics, bilingual advantage effect, eye movement

摘要： 现有研究多聚焦违实语义的跨语言对比，而双言经验对违实语义加工进程的影响仍不明确。采用行为实验与眼动追踪技术相结合的方法，探讨双言儿童与单言儿童的违实语义的加工差异。行为实验采用语义判断任务，结果发现，双言儿童反应时显著短于单言儿童；眼动实验采用语义违例范式，结果发现，双言儿童处理违实语义的加工进程早于单言儿童。研究结果验证了双言转换经验有助于违实语义的加工，双言儿童在句子加工中体现了双语优势效应，并且该效应体现在加工进程的早期阶段。

关键词: 双言儿童, 违实语义, 双语优势效应, 眼动

CLC Number:

B842

ZHANG Xiao, XIAO Shaobei. A Comparison of the Processing of Counterfactual Semantics Between Li-Han Diglossic Children and Monolingual Children[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2026, 24(5): 600-607.

张效, 肖少北. 黎−汉双言儿童与单言儿童违实语义加工的比较[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2026, 24(5): 600-607.

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