Differences of Japanese kanji and kana during the memory processing

This paper investigates the differences between encoding and retrieval of Japanese kanji and kana during the memory processing, by comparing the event-related potentials (ERPs) components which are elicited by Japanese kanji and kana during Chinese Japanese learners´ memorizing and recollecting them. At the study step, significant differences are found in considering the amplitude and latency of the ERPs components elicited by kanji and kana condition, and the scalp distributions are different, too. It shows the different aspects to memory storage after kanji and kana are encoded. At the test step, the old kanji elicits lower amplitude and shorter duration of FN400 and higher amplitude and shorter duration of LPC than the old kana does. It shows that the old kanji has a better FN400 familiarizing effect and better recollection. The results show that, when Chinese Japanese learners study Japanese, they should pay the most attention to the learning of kana.