The interaction of perceptual processes and ambiguous sentences
T G Bever1, M F Garrett, R Hurtig
1Columbia University, 10027, New York, New York.
Memory & Cognition
|November 12, 2013
Summary
Listeners process both meanings of ambiguous sentences during the clause but retain only one meaning afterward. This speech perception model explains comprehension time differences in complete versus incomplete clauses.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Psychology
- Computational Linguistics
Background:
- Ambiguous sentences present a challenge for speech perception models.
- Previous research yielded conflicting results on how listeners process sentence ambiguity.
- Understanding ambiguity resolution is key to understanding language comprehension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and test a model of speech perception for ambiguous sentences.
- To resolve experimental conflicts regarding the processing of multiple meanings.
- To investigate the impact of ambiguity on comprehension time.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of speech perception principles.
- Analysis of comprehension time in relation to sentence structure and ambiguity.
- Conducting two new experiments to test model predictions.
Main Results:
- The proposed model suggests both meanings are processed during an ambiguous clause, with one retained post-clause.
- Underlying structure ambiguity in incomplete clauses increases comprehension time.
- Ambiguity in complete clauses does not increase, and may decrease, comprehension time if interpretations are perceptually distinct.
Conclusions:
- The model successfully resolves previous experimental conflicts on ambiguity processing.
- The findings support the proposed model of immediate recoding and meaning selection.
- Further research is needed to confirm the preliminary experimental findings.
More Related Videos
09:27Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
Published on: October 13, 2018
10.3K
07:36Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
Published on: November 30, 2018
16.6K
Related Concept Videos
01:28Perception
1.8K
Perception is a fundamental psychological process that enables individuals to organize, interpret, and consciously experience sensory information. This process is crucial for understanding and interacting with the world around us. It includes both bottom-up and top-down processing, each playing a distinct role in how we perceive our environment.
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
1.8K
01:21Gestalt Principles of Perception
1.9K
Gestalt principles provide a framework for understanding how humans perceive objects as unified wholes within their context. These principles are essential in explaining the cognitive processes that make sense of complex visual stimuli by organizing them into coherent groups. One fundamental principle is proximity, which posits that objects located close to each other are perceived as a collective group. For instance, when dots are positioned near one another, the visual system interprets them...
1.9K
01:25Factors Affecting Perception
3.3K
Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
3.3K
01:15Subliminal Perception
1.1K
Subliminal perception refers to the processing of sensory information that occurs below the level of conscious awareness. Researchers study subliminal perception by presenting a stimulus, such as a word or image, very quickly, typically around 50 milliseconds. This rapid presentation is often followed by another stimulus, such as a pattern of dots or lines, which blocks further mental processing of the initial stimulus. As a result, if participants cannot identify the initial stimulus better...
1.1K
01:28Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior
377
Automatic processing refers to the cognitive operations that occur without conscious intent or awareness, playing a fundamental role in shaping social cognition and behavior. These processes enable individuals to navigate complex social environments efficiently by relying on mental shortcuts and pre-existing knowledge structures known as schemas. One of the most influential mechanisms underlying automatic processing is priming, which subtly activates mental representations through exposure to...
377
01:20Parallel Processing
961
The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
961