Eye-Tracking experiment on the processing of idiomatic expressions

It is an eye-tracking experiment. In this experiment we tested online processing mechnisms for idiomatic expressions in native adults, first language learners (ten and thirteen years of age) and second language learners.

Participants listened to idiom fragments missing the final word. At the same time participants viewed words displayed on the screen that were either (i) correct idiomatic completions, (ii) words semantically related to the correct idiomatic completion or (iii) unrelated words. We measured the amount and time-course of fixations to displayed words while listening to idiom fragments.