Date of Award
2008
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Psychology
Supervisor
Ken McRae
Second Advisor
Mary Hare
Third Advisor
Jeff Elman
Abstract
Knowledge of real-world events influences how people understand language. The present study examined whether conceptually-based expectations are generated rapidly from event knowledge. Specifically, instruments combined with specific actions to influence expectancies for ensuing patients, in contrast to Rayner, Warren, Juhasz, and Liversedge (2004). Instrument-verb-patient triplets were created from norms designed to directly tap event knowledge (Experiment 1). In self-paced reading (Experiment 2), participants read patient nouns such as paper faster when they were typical of the instrument-action pair (Susan used the scissors vs. the saw to cut). Experiment 3 showed that these results are not due to direct relations between instruments and patients. This research demonstrates that conceptual event-based expectations are computed rapidly and dynamically during on-line language comprehension. The results are discussed in terms of event spaces and verb sense, suggesting that instruments can alter the sense of a verb and thus expectations for ensuing patients.
Recommended Citation
Matsuki, Kazunaga, "DYNAMIC COMBINATION OF CONCEPTS DURING ON-LINE LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION" (2008). Digitized Theses. 4203.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4203