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The experiment will use two stimuli sets, counterbalanced between the two experimental sessions. Each set will include 84 Russian sentences: 28 stimuli sentences and 56 fillers. The stimuli are sentences with a nonfinite (participial) clause attached to one of the two nouns in the genitive noun phrase. The participle can syntactically depend on one of the two nouns in the noun phrase and can be semantically related to one of the two nouns. The experiment will have a 2x2 design, manipulating the attachment site (head noun / dependent noun) and the semantic match between the participial clause and the noun (match / mismatch), e.g.: (1) *Римма одевала малышку* (Acc, fem) *писательницы* (Gen, fem), *лепечущую* (Acc, fem) *непонятные слова*. Rimma dressed the child (Acc, fem) of the writer (Gen, fem), who was babbling (Acc, fem) incomprehensible words. (2) *Римма одевала малышку* (Acc, fem) *писательницы* (Gen, fem), *опубликовавшей* (Gen, fem) *интересный роман*. Rimma dressed the child (Acc, fem) of the writer (Gen, fem), who published (Gen, fem) an interesting novel. (3) *Римма одевала малышку* (Acc, fem) *писательницы* (Gen, fem), *опубликовавшую* (Acc, fem) *интересный роман*. Rimma dressed the child (Acc, fem) of the writer (Gen, fem), who published (Acc, fem) an interesting novel. (4) *Римма одевала малышку* (Acc, fem) *писательницы* (Gen, fem), *лепечущей* (Gen, fem) *непонятные слова*. Rimma dressed the child (Acc, fem) of the writer (Gen, fem), who was babbling (Gen, fem) incomprehensible words. In sentences (1) and (2), participles are semantically related to and syntactically depend on the same noun in the noun phrase (semantically plausible sentences). While in sentences (3) and (4) participles are semantically related to a noun that they do not depend on syntactically (semantically implausible sentences). After each sentence, we will ask participants to answer a comprehension question with two response options, e.g. “*Who was babbling incomprehensible words? — The child */* The writer*”. If participants choose a semantically appropriate but syntactically wrong answer in sentences (3) and (4), it means that they are relying on the good-enough processing strategy. We assume that a larger proportion of incorrect answers in sentences (3) and (4) compared to (1) and (2), shows greater reliance on good-enough, rather than algorithmic, processing strategy. In sentences (1) and (3), participles are syntactically attached to the first noun in the noun phrase, i.e. exhibit high attachment. While in sentences (2) and (4) participles are syntactically attached to the second noun, i.e. exhibit low attachment. We expect that a larger proportion of incorrect answers in sentences (2) and (4) compared to (1) and (3) is a sign of a high-attachment preference. And vice versa, a larger proportion of incorrect answers in sentences (1) and (3) compared to (2) and (4) is an argument for a low-attachment preference. The grammatical gender of the nouns comprising the sentence was counterbalanced within the stimuli set: in one half of the stimuli sentences, both nouns in the genitive noun phrase are in masculine while in the other half — in feminine. Semantic plausibility of participles was estimated in the norming study prior to the experiment. We selected participles that were rated as highly plausible with one of the two nouns and implausible with the other noun. The two stimuli sets are matched on sentence length in words and syllables, length in syllables of the critical nouns, gender of the critical nouns, case of the critical noun 1. The order of stimuli presentation within each session is randomized. Stimuli are presented in the E-Prime software. Visual noise are idioms and set expressions that appear in different parts of the screen simultaneously with words of the sentences appearing at the center of the screen. Overall, we prepared 400 two-to-five-words idioms and set expressions. Each experimental sentence is accompanied with four or five random items of visual noise, so each visual noise item is presented once. Visual noise accompanies experimental sentences, but not comprehension questions. Auditory noise is a three-talker babble of voices, created via combination of three radio recordings. Auditory noise accompanies both experimental sentences and comprehension questions.
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