The Conceptual System

Question 1

What does “meaning” mean?

Answer 1

Conceptual knowledge/understanding of the world

Question 2

What parts of the brain are activated in language comprehension?

Answer 2

Sensory and motor representations

Question 3

What is meaning grounded in?

Answer 3

Supports the grounded cognition theories that meaning is grounded in our experiences

Question 4

What part of the brain is activated by sound perception?

Answer 4

Processing sound related words activates the left posterior STG which is also activated by actual sound perception

Question 5

What is semantic dementia?

Answer 5

Semantic Dementia is associated with anterior temporal atrophy
- Selective Semantic Deficits
- Other functions are normal: memory, visuospatial, syntactic

Question 6

What is the hub and spoke model?

Answer 6

• Our conceptual system may not be organised entirely by sensory and motor experiences
• It seems to include abstract representations to “index” and “catalogue” sensory-motor experiences hierarchically
• While distributed sensory-motor systems are the “spokes” they may be coordinated by an amodal central semantic hub in the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL)

Question 7

Where are concrete concepts grounded?

Answer 7

They’re grounded in sensory-motor experiences, possibly organised by an amodel hub
- What about abstract concepts like trust or truth? We can’t see, hear or touch them so what experiences are they grounded in?

Question 8

Where might abstract concepts be grounded?

Answer 8

They may be grounded in concrete metaphors or emotions
- Time is an abstract concepts, but people often describe it as “like an arrow”, “moving forward”. Could time be grounded in the experience of moving forward?
- Size e.g., “the biggest moment of my life”
- Emotional experiences