Language and Cognitive Processes

Language and Cognitive Processes (LCP) provides an international forum for the publication of theoretical and experimental research into the mental processes and representations involved in language use. The psychological study of language has been a central research interest over the past three decades, and LCP provides a focus for this enterprise.

The journal emphasises the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of language. Apart from research in experimental and developmental psychology, LCP publishes work derived from linguistics, philosophy, cognitive neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience and computational modelling. Contributions are accepted in the form of experimental and observational studies, theoretical discussions, short notes and replies, and review articles.

While maintaining this core aim, the journal is increasingly committed to fostering the relationship between cognitive theoretical accounts of language and its neural bases. From 2014 the journal’s name will change to Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, reflecting our intention both to continue our original remit to publish cognitive studies of language and to publish theoretical and empirical accounts of language function which integrate cognitive theoretical accounts of language with its neurobiological foundations.

The study of language function from a cognitive neuroscience perspective has attracted increasing research interest over the past two decades, and the development of cognitive neuroscience methodologies has significantly broadened the empirical scope of experimental language studies. Both hemodynamic imaging and electrophysiological approaches provide new perspectives on the representation and processing of language, and place important constraints on the development of theoretical accounts of language function. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience considers all types of articles, including reviews, whose submission is encouraged. Submissions should exemplify the subject in its most straightforward sense: integrating excellent cognitive science and excellent neuroscience to answer key questions about the nature of language and cognition.

All research papers must clearly explain the theoretical background, hypotheses to be tested and the theoretical interpretation of the results. These points should be reflected in the abstract and in the main paper. We are unlikely to review papers where the theoretical issues are not clearly laid out.

Articles in Language, Cognition and Neuroscience are published online immediately after acceptance and final correction.