Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 20, 2026
07:36
Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects
Published on: November 30, 2018
16.6K
Temporal frames of reference in three Germanic languages: Individual consistency, interindividual consensus, and
Annelie Rothe-Wulf1, Sieghard Beller, Andrea Bender
1a Department of Psychology , University of Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|November 19, 2014
Summary
Speakers show varied understanding of temporal phrases like "moving a meeting forward." Cross-linguistic studies reveal differing preferences and consistency in temporal frames of reference across English, Swedish, and German speakers.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Linguistics
- Psychology
Background:
- Temporal references, such as 'moving a meeting forward,' are often ambiguous.
- Previous research established disagreement among U.S. English speakers regarding the interpretation of such phrases.
- The degree of individual ambiguity and cross-linguistic variation in temporal frames of reference (FoRs) remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate individual consistency in temporal FoR preferences.
- To compare intra- and cross-linguistic variability in temporal FoRs across Swedish, U.S. English, and German.
- To examine the stability of these preferences and the effect of spatial priming.
Main Methods:
- Conducted two experiments using a taxonomy of spatiotemporal frames of reference (FoRs).
- Assessed individual preferences for temporal FoRs in speakers of Swedish, U.S. English, and German.
- Analyzed intra- and cross-linguistic variability, consistency, stability, and spatial priming effects.
Main Results:
- Significant cross-linguistic differences emerged: Swedes preferred absolute FoRs, Germans preferred intrinsic FoRs, and U.S. English speakers used both.
- Sweden and Germany exhibited high consensus and consistency in temporal FoR preferences.
- U.S. English showed lower consensus and only partial consistency, with limited susceptibility to spatial priming.
Conclusions:
- Temporal reference ambiguity varies significantly across languages and individuals.
- U.S. English demonstrates less consensus and stability in temporal FoR preferences compared to Swedish and German.
- The influence of spatial frames of reference on temporal interpretation is minimal and language-specific.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
03:26Framing Effects
8.1K
Information is everywhere and its presentation—such as how and when items are presented—can impact our perceptions and decisions surrounding the info. This broad concept umbrellas framing effects—influences that occur due to the way information is framed in its appearance, whether it’s purely the order or the specific wording of a message. Let’s take a look at numerous ways in which two versions of something can objectively say the same thing, yet we respond in...
8.1K
01:27Non-inertial Frames of Reference
8.8K
A reference frame accelerating or decelerating relative to an inertial frame is a non-inertial frame. To help understand this, consider what taking off in an airplane, turning a corner in a car, riding a merry-go-round, and the circular motion of a tropical cyclone all have in common. All these systems are accelerating, decelerating, or rotating relative to the Earth; hence, they all are non-inertial frames. All these systems exhibit inertial forces, which merely seem to arise from motion,...
8.8K
01:03Inertial Frames of Reference
10.2K
Newton’s first law is usually considered to be a statement about reference frames. It provides a method for identifying a special type of reference frame: the inertial reference frame. In principle, we can make the net force on a body zero. If its velocity relative to a given frame is constant, then that frame is said to be inertial. So, by definition, an inertial reference frame is a reference frame where Newton's first law holds valid. Newton's first law applies to objects with...
10.2K
01:27Language and Cognition
1.0K
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
1.0K
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
01:10Relative Velocity in One Dimension
11.4K
The understanding of the concept of reference frames is essential to discuss relative motion in one or more dimensions. When we say that an object has a certain velocity, we must state the velocity with respect to a given reference frame. In most examples, this reference frame has been Earth. For instance, if a statement reads that a person is sitting in a train moving at 10 m/s east, then it implies that the person on the train is moving relative to the surface of Earth at this velocity,...
11.4K