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A context-sensitive representation of word meanings
H M Halff1, A Ortony, R C Anderson
1Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, 61820.
Memory & Cognition
|February 3, 2011
Summary
This study numerically represents word meaning using contextual effects. Judgments on the word "red" in sentences formed interval orders, showing variable meaning representation across contexts.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Computational Linguistics
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- Understanding word meaning is crucial in semantic memory research.
- Contextual factors significantly influence word meaning perception.
- Previous models often lack precise numerical representations of contextual effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a numerical model for contextual effects on word meaning.
- To investigate how word meaning varies across different sentence contexts.
- To analyze individual differences in semantic interpretation.
Main Methods:
- Collected order judgments from 19 subjects on the word "red" across 19 sentences.
- Applied interval order theory to model the semantic judgments.
- Assessed adherence to semiorder axioms to understand interval width variations.
Main Results:
- Subject judgments on "red" were accurately described by interval order.
- Overlapping intervals represented judgments of equal redness.
- Semiorder axioms were not met, indicating context-dependent interval widths.
Conclusions:
- Contextual effects on word meaning can be numerically represented.
- The interval order model provides insights into semantic representation.
- Individual differences in semantic interpretation warrant further investigation.
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