The operativity effect in naming: a re-analysis

According to Howard Gardner (1973), operativity, i.e. the extent to which it is possible to act with or upon an object, influences picture naming by aphasic subjects. In the present study, this influence is analysed with three purposes: (1) to replicate the Gardner's observation, (2) to avoid methodological biases and to extend the analyses, and (3) to look for alternative explanations. Sixty-four pictures corresponding to high- and low-frequency nouns rated as high or low in operativity were presented to 18 aphasic subjects. Frequency and operativity were found to significantly affect naming performance. More particularly, fewer semantic paraphasias were observed in confrontation with operative items and fewer phonemic paraphasias in the production of frequent nouns. However, the influence of operativity on the reduction of errors disappeared when age-of-acquisition and picture familiarity were introduced as co-variables. These dimensions were found to be better predictors of aphasic performance than operativity.