Comprehending anaphoric presuppositions involves memory retrieval too

Abstract

We investigate the memory retrieval mechanism that underlies the real-time comprehension of anaphoric presupposition triggers. Using the Drift Diffusion Model, we offer a new experimental argument for the anaphoric view of presuppositions with evidence from the memory retrieval processes associated with the trigger too. We show that the memory representation of the antecedent content that satisfies the presupposition is retrieved via a direct access mechanism, suggesting that anaphoric triggers such as too share the same processing signature of many anaphoric expressions, such as pronouns and VP ellipses.