Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
14:58
Quantifying X-Ray Fluorescence Data Using MAPS
Published on: February 17, 2018
10.7K
Great expectations: Print exposure predicts resolution of quantifier scope ambiguity
September Hope Cowley1, Lucy Pearson2, David Barner3
1Department of Linguistics, University of California, San Diego.
Summary
Higher print exposure correlates with a stronger preference for the typical interpretation of ambiguous sentences. Individuals with more reading experience rated these sentences less favorably and reacted slower to less common meanings.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Sentences with quantifier scope ambiguity, like "a hiker climbed every hill," typically favor a surface scope interpretation over an inverse scope one.
- Individual differences in processing these ambiguities are not well understood, particularly the role of language experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how language experience, specifically print exposure, influences acceptability judgments and reaction times for surface versus inverse interpretations of ambiguous sentences.
- To determine if print exposure modulates the preferred interpretation of quantifier scope ambiguity.
Main Methods:
- Participants completed measures of print exposure.
- Acceptability judgments and reaction times were recorded for sentences with quantifier scope ambiguity.
- Statistical analyses examined the relationship between print exposure and interpretation preferences.
Main Results:
- Higher print exposure was associated with lower acceptability ratings for ambiguous sentences.
- Participants with greater print exposure exhibited significantly longer reaction times for inverse scope interpretations.
- Print exposure predicted both acceptability judgments and reaction time differences.
Conclusions:
- Print exposure is a significant factor in understanding quantifier scope ambiguity.
- Increased print exposure may reinforce the dominant surface scope interpretation, leading to slower processing of less common inverse scope interpretations.
- Language experience plays a crucial role in shaping linguistic preferences and processing efficiency.
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
9.9K
03:38Aptamer-Based Target Detection Facilitated by a 3-Stage G-Quadruplex Isothermal Exponential Amplification Reaction
Published on: October 6, 2022
1.3K
Related Concept Videos
02:46Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments
Counting is the type of measurement that is free from uncertainty, provided the number of objects being counted does not change during the process. Such measurements result in exact numbers. By counting the eggs in a carton, for instance, one can determine exactly how many eggs are there in the carton. Similarly, the numbers of defined quantities are also exact. For example, 1 foot is exactly 12 inches, 1 inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, and 1 gram is exactly 0.001 kilograms. Quantities...
02:30Quantifying Work
As a system undergoes a change, its internal energy can change, and energy can be transferred from the system to the surroundings, or from the surroundings to the system.
01:15Expected Value
The expected value is known as the "long-term" average or mean. This means that over the long term of experimenting over and over, you would expect this average. The expected average is represented by the symbol μ. It is calculated as follows:In the equation, x is an event, and P(x) is the probability of the event occurring.The expected value has practical applications in decision theory.This text is adapted from Openstax, Introductory Statistics, Section 4.2 Mean or Expected Value and...
01:19Expected Frequencies in Goodness-of-Fit Tests
A goodness-of-fit test is conducted to determine whether the observed frequency values are statistically similar to the frequencies expected for the dataset. Suppose the expected frequencies for a dataset are equal such as when predicting the frequency of any number appearing when casting a die. In that case, the expected frequency is the ratio of the total number of observations (n) to the number of categories (k).
01:28Accuracy, limits, and approximation
Accuracy, limits, and approximations are common in many fields, especially in engineering calculations. These concepts are imperative for ensuring that a given value is as close as possible to its true value.
Accuracy is defined as the closeness of the measured value to the true or actual value. In engineering mechanics, repeated measurements are taken during theoretical or experimental analyses to ensure that the result is precise and accurate.
The accuracy of any solution is based on the...
Accuracy is defined as the closeness of the measured value to the true or actual value. In engineering mechanics, repeated measurements are taken during theoretical or experimental analyses to ensure that the result is precise and accurate.
The accuracy of any solution is based on the...
01:26Constraints and Statical Determinacy
In structural engineering, the equilibrium of a system is not only determined by its equations of equilibrium but also with the help of constraints. Constraints refer to restrictions on the motion of a system. The proper combinations of constraints can minimize the total number of constraints needed to maintain a system in mechanical equilibrium. When this happens, the system is said to be statically determinate. For such systems, the unknown reaction supports can be estimated using equilibrium...