Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026
12:43
A Protocol for Comprehensive Assessment of Bulbar Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS
Published on: February 21, 2011
35.7K
Aligning sentence structures in dialogue: evidence from aphasia
Jiyeon Lee1, Grace Man1, Victor Ferreira2
1Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA.
Language, Cognition and Neuroscience
|December 10, 2019
Summary
Syntactic entrainment, or aligning sentence structures in conversation, helps people with aphasia (PWA). Active encoding of language structures significantly improved syntactic alignment and reduced errors in PWA during experiments.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Neurolinguistics
- Speech and Language Pathology
Background:
- Syntactic alignment is crucial for language processing and learning in unimpaired individuals.
- Syntactic entrainment, aligning event-semantic properties, is a key aspect of syntactic alignment.
- Persons with aphasia (PWA) often exhibit impaired message-structure mapping.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if syntactic entrainment can improve message-structure mapping in PWA.
- To determine the conditions under which syntactic entrainment is effective in aphasia.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with PWA describing pictures after hearing descriptions.
- Experiment 1 involved passive listening to prime sentences.
- Experiment 2 included active repetition of prime sentences to deepen encoding.
Main Results:
- PWA showed a significant tendency to reuse syntactic structures in Experiment 2, but not Experiment 1.
- The number of message-structure mapping errors decreased in Experiment 2 compared to Experiment 1.
- Syntactic entrainment proved resilient in PWA under conditions of active encoding.
Conclusions:
- Syntactic entrainment can strengthen event-semantic-to-syntax mappings in PWA.
- Active encoding of linguistic input is essential for effective syntactic entrainment in aphasia.
- These findings highlight potential therapeutic avenues for improving language production in PWA.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
3.2K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
3.2K
01:27Language and Cognition
660
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.
660
01:28Lateralization
906
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
906
01:29Impression Management Techniques III: Aligning Actions
112
Aligning actions are communicative strategies individuals employ to maintain social harmony and preserve personal identity in the face of potential disruptions to social norms. These actions are particularly important in managing social impressions when one's behavior might be seen as inappropriate, incompetent, or morally questionable.Types of Aligning ActionsThe three principal types of aligning actions are disclaimers, accounts, and apologies.DisclaimersDisclaimers are preventive; they are...
112
02:04Fixing Double-strand Breaks
4.2K
4.2K
01:22Language Development
771
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
771