Neural and behavioural mechanisms of adult word learning using ERP amplitudes to familiar and novel words

This literature review examines cognitive and neuroscientific theories of language and memory, alongside ERP research on familiar and novel word processing, to support the study’s aim and methodology. While word-learning research has traditionally focused on early childhood, adults also acquire substantial vocabulary, ranging from approximately 40,000 to over 150,000 words, the majority of which are acquired beyond early childhood (Aitchison 2012, Beck & McKeown 1991, Pinker 1995). The present review focuses on adult language memory, drawing on key theoretical frameworks and empirical studies, particularly Tie and Umar (2010) and Schneegass et al (2019), to establish the relevance of neural and behavioural differences in processing familiar and novel words.