semantic representation of language

Question 1

the chinese room problem

Answer 1

can translate to other symbols > still arbitrary and don’t understand meaning
when given pictorial stimuli - makes sense

Question 2

theories of how language meaning is mentally represented

Answer 2

amodal symbol system/hypothesis

embodied cognition/perception symbol theory

Question 3

amodal symbol system

Answer 3

experience transduced into abstract symbols

- predicts language is processed in a central processing unit

Question 4

problem with amodal symbol system

Answer 4

• symbols not different from eachother
• symbol grounding problem
• no rule saying what symbol should be used for what object

Question 5

symbol grounding problem

Answer 5

symbols not grounded in anything = no meaning

no constraint to force it to refer to a particular things

Question 6

embodied cognition theory

Answer 6

mental representations are different experiences with object
different senses represented in different brain areas
lots of peripheral system supporting it
predicts language interacts with perception and action

Question 7

benefit of embodied cognition theory

Answer 7

address symbol grounding problem

- physical constraint - if image in mind and real life = similar > match

Question 8

reading vs sensory perception study

Answer 8

sentence - picture verification task
(Ps presented sentences then pics, asked if pic in sentence)
2 sentences (john put pen in cup/drawer)
2 pen orientations (vertical/horizontal)
faster response when match
- preactivation of particular neuron - priming

supports embodied
amodal would predict would make no difference

Question 9

visual-shape paradigm

Answer 9

egg in a box = raw
egg in a pan = cooked
faster when match

Question 10

visual - colour paradigm

Answer 10

steak in butchers = red
steak on plate = brown
faster when match

Question 11

spatial location paradigm

Answer 11

faster when hat above cowboy above boots

than random

Question 12

reading vs body movements study

Answer 12

Ps read sentence describing action then must perform action
sentences = open/close drawer
action = yes above or yes below

faster response when match
- preactivation of particular neuron - priming

supports embodied
amodal would predict would make no difference

Question 13

reading vs body movements - BRAIN

Answer 13

part of brain activated when read action words = part of motor cortex corresponding to it (fMRI)

distributed in brain - supporting embodied

Question 14

TMS - reading vs body movement BRAIN

Answer 14

single pulse TMS administered and measure muscles using MEP
stimulation to different areas of motor cortex = different depending on action word read

after reading about hand/foot - MEP smaller in that area
as engages hand/foot system - interfering with MEP

Question 15

reading and multimodal experience

Answer 15

read short narratives
coded change in information
found different changes involve different brain areas

Question 16

character involves

Answer 16

temporal and parietal-temporal junction

Question 17

goal involved

Answer 17

parietal and frontal

Question 18

object involves

Answer 18

dorsolateral prefrontal and occipital temporal

Question 19

time involved

Answer 19

midfrontal and prefrontal

Question 20

Parkinson’s processing action words

Answer 20

literal and metaphoric verbs parkinsons patient slower to process then control verb
idiomatic parkinsons no difference to control verb (normal people faster)

impairment in understanding action words and in making actions
supporting embodied as brain must stimulate these areas in understanding

Question 21

future research

Answer 21

• is all meaning represented in embodied? (numbers?)
• abstract concepts? no physical entity (amodal required?)
• how flexible is mental stimulation?

Question 22

Embodied theories have difficulties in explaining abstract language representations because:

Answer 22

not directly mapped to 5 senses

no physical entity