Shifting the limits of domain-specificity: Correlational and causal approaches to the P600-as-P3 hypothesis (B08*)

• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages ; Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 317633480

Project B08 explores the extent to which language processing aspects are shared with, and/or limited by, other cognitive domains. The P600 and P3 ERP components may both indicate phasic norepinephrine release from the locus coeruleus in response to salient and motivationally significant stimuli. Through noninvasive manipulation of norepinephrine, the project aims to provide causal evidence that might challenge prevailing theories that assume the P600 to be specific to linguistic processes. This approach will reveal biological foundations of domain-general mechanisms that limit variability in language processing.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1287: Limits of Variability in Language: Cognitive, Computational, and Grammatical Aspects
• Applicant Institution: Universität Potsdam
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Milena Rabovsky; Professorin Dr. Isabell Wartenburger; Professor Dr. Mathias Weymar