Word and pseudoword superiority effects in a shallow orthography language: the role of hemispheric lateralization

The Word Superiority effect (WSE) (Richer, 1969; Wheeler, 1970) has made it possible to demonstrate the automatic activation of lexical-orthographic entries in reading. The present study tested the effect in Italian (a shallow orthography language) and in a lateralized visual-field condition, allowing for testing assumptions on inter-hemispheric differences in reading. The results showed a superiority of pseudowords (Pseudoword Superiority effect - PSE) over illegal strings with no evidence of a clear superiority of words over pseudowords, for both left- and right-visual-field presentations. This suggests that in Italian, the sub-lexical route could play a major role in reading and that this route relies on a visual-perceptual orthographic coding, concerning familiarity of letter combinations, which is also available to the right hemisphere.