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How language enables abstraction: a study in computational cultural psychology
Yair Neuman1, Peter Turney, Yohai Cohen
1Department of Education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. yneuman@bgu.ac.il
Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science
|May 17, 2011
Summary
Language enables abstract thought through hypostatic abstraction, where qualities become concepts. This study provides computational evidence supporting this mechanism, advancing computational cultural psychology.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Socio-cultural psychology posits language mediates thought and abstract cognition.
- The precise mechanisms underlying language-enabled abstraction remain unclear.
- Charles Sanders Peirce proposed hypostatic abstraction as a key linguistic mechanism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically test Peirce's theory of hypostatic abstraction.
- To investigate the role of sign use in enabling abstract thought.
- To explore computational methods for analyzing cultural psychology.
Main Methods:
- Utilized novel computational tools for data analysis.
- Conducted in-depth case studies on the abstraction of 'sweet' and 'dark'.
- Applied computational cultural psychology approaches.
Main Results:
- Provided empirical support for Peirce's hypostatic abstraction mechanism.
- Demonstrated how the use of signs facilitates abstraction.
- Case studies offered specific evidence for the abstraction of sensory qualities.
Conclusions:
- Language, through mechanisms like hypostatic abstraction, plays a crucial role in enabling abstract cognition.
- Computational methods offer a powerful lens for studying long-standing questions in cultural psychology.
- The findings integrate theoretical perspectives on language, thought, and culture.
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