L2 exposure intensity modulates the time course of verbal humor comprehension: An ERP study

Abstract Understanding verbal humor in a second language (L2) is a hallmark of advanced communicative competence, yet its time course remains unclear. This study investigates the role of L2 exposure intensity in humor comprehension. Forty-two English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners (Intense vs. Limited Exposure) read jokes in which identical punchlines followed humorous or coherent setups and judged funniness. Behavioral results showed that responses were slower to humorous than to coherent endings, and accuracy was higher in the Intense Exposure group than in the Limited Exposure group. ERPs showed a larger N400 to humorous endings compared to coherent endings. A P600 effect to humorous endings was observed in the Intense Exposure group but not in the Limited Exposure group, suggesting greater engagement of reinterpretation under Intense Exposure. These findings support a conditioned two-stage model of L2 humor in which early detection is broadly preserved, whereas later reinterpretation depends on L2 exposure intensity.