Decoding Arabic Sentence Reading: Analyzing the Impact of Root Manipulation on Parafoveal Processing in Nonnative, Heritage Speakers (2024)

Undergraduate: Ann Marie Sawires

Faculty Advisor: Peter Gordon
Department: Psychology and Neuroscience

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This thesis explored the relationship between language proficiency and Arabic reading. Drawing upon existing literature on preview benefits, Arabic reading with native populations, and language proficiency, it identified gaps in current literature in understanding how varying levels of language proficiency might impact preview benefits among individuals, particularly in the Arabic language. To bridge any gaps in the literature, this study investigated whether language proficiency influenced how individuals relied on morphological cues during reading. Specifically, this study involved participants who were Arabic learners or heritage speakers, all with differing proficiency levels. Using the invisible boundary paradigm and eye tracking equipment, participants read Arabic sentences containing manipulated target words, particularly affecting either the first or last letter of the root. This manipulation was to discern the readers' dependency on visual or morphological cues. Findings from the study suggested a correlation between proficiency scores, comfortability, and reading times, with comfortability being a stronger predictor. However, analysis of eye movement and gaze duration data revealed inconclusive patterns. This highlighted the limitations in the study's methodology for nonnative and heritage Arabic speakers. This underscored the need for further research with refined methodologies appropriate for the targeted demographic pool.

Link to Abstract