Understanding words in sentences Flashcards
Context speeds up recognition. Is it a top-down influence?
The interactive view is that semantic context can affect word processing PRIOR TO recognition.
The autonomous view is that there is NO context effect until AFTER recognition. However it does concede that context has post-lexical effects.
Would interactionists think that context has an initial effect on activation?
Yes! They would say that context can increase activation BEFORE the sensory onset of the word (e.g. that ‘I walked the’ would increase activation of ‘dog’ before it is said bc it is contextually relevant).
Is this interactionist view founded?
Nope. Priming research shows that activation happens in parallel, before the rapid selection process. So, it seems we have exhaustive access: we activate ALL possible words before selecting.
So does context play a role in recognition at all?
Some say it has an effect AFTER the recognition phase: it narrows down what has already been activated. This has been shown in the study of ambiguous words. Also, N400 is LESS NEGATIVE if there is context, suggesting it does have an early role to play in selection.
What is recognition like for words which frequently occur together in the lexicon?
They are faster recognised. This might be because of their frequent appearance together, they are connected in the lexicon. So faster recognition = associative priming, not top-down feedback.
So what’s the key problem with assessing the role of context in recognition?
It’s very hard to find the locus of context effects – it doesn’t affect initial activation, but can have early effect, potentially at selection.
What did Swinney suggest about retrieval of ambiguous words?
That we have exhaustive access, but it may be affected by dominance, context and recent experience.
What does the the dominance of one of an ambiguous word’s meanings do to retrieved?
The more dominant word is easier retrieved!
What model suggests access to meaning is modulated by DOMINANCE and CONTEXT?
The Reordered Access Model
What might make low frequency words more likely to be retrieved?
If they have been recently used/experienced.
How do we make sentences out of words, though?
Syntax! :) We use our understanding of syntax to syntactically parse sentences as we read or hear them.
Do we parse incrementally or delayed?
We parse INCREMENTALLY. (E.g. as the input arrives, not after you have all the input as in delayed).
