Aphasia: a divergent semantic interpretation

The present paper reinterprets aphasia relative to the divergent and convergent components of Guilford's model of behavior. It suggests that some aphasiologists have defined aphasia as a convergent semantic disorder. They have determined the presence or absence of an aphasic impairment on the basis of each individual's ability to recognize and reproduce previously learned material and to converge upon one correct answer. The present analysis also shows that there are a number of theoretical models of aphasia which indicate that aphasia involves more than a convergent semantic impairment. Aphasia, interpreted according to Guilford's model, appears to have a divergent component. Aphasia involves a decrease in an individual's ablilty to provide ideas in situations where a proliferation of ideas on some topic is required, or to extend the boundaries of what he already knows. The individual who is impaired in his ability to produce a number of relevant ideas and a variety of different kinds or categories of responses has a divergent semantic impairment.