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Frontiers in psychology2014; 5; 1014; doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01014

The roles of shared vs. distinctive conceptual features in lexical access.

Abstract: Contemporary models of spoken word production assume conceptual feature sharing determines the speed with which objects are named in categorically-related contexts. However, statistical models of concept representation have also identified a role for feature distinctiveness, i.e., features that identify a single concept and serve to distinguish it quickly from other similar concepts. In three experiments we investigated whether distinctive features might explain reports of counter-intuitive semantic facilitation effects in the picture word interference (PWI) paradigm. In Experiment 1, categorically-related distractors matched in terms of semantic similarity ratings (e.g., zebra and pony) and manipulated with respect to feature distinctiveness (e.g., a zebra has stripes unlike other equine species) elicited interference effects of comparable magnitude. Experiments 2 and 3 investigated the role of feature distinctiveness with respect to reports of facilitated naming with part-whole distractor-target relations (e.g., a hump is a distinguishing part of a CAMEL, whereas knee is not, vs. an unrelated part such as plug). Related part distractors did not influence target picture naming latencies significantly when the part denoted by the related distractor was not visible in the target picture (whether distinctive or not; Experiment 2). When the part denoted by the related distractor was visible in the target picture, non-distinctive part distractors slowed target naming significantly at SOA of -150 ms (Experiment 3). Thus, our results show that semantic interference does occur for part-whole distractor-target relations in PWI, but only when distractors denote features shared with the target and other category exemplars. We discuss the implications of these results for some recently developed, novel accounts of lexical access in spoken word production.
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Publication Date: 2014-09-16 PubMed ID: 25278914PubMed Central: PMC4165322DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01014Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The researchers investigated the cognitive process of word-spoken production, comparing how shared and distinctive conceptual features affect the speed and accuracy of naming objects. This study found that the visibility of part-whole relations in the object being named significantly impacts how quickly and accurately it is named, particularly when part distractors denote features that are shared with the target object.

Study Overview

The study was conducted in the context of models for word-spoken production, which suggest that conceptual feature sharing is crucial for determining how quickly objects are named. The focus was also on statistical models of concept representation, which indicate a role for distinctive features that aid in differentiating similar concepts swiftly.

  • Three experiments were conducted to delve into whether distinctive features could account for unexpected semantic facilitation effects in the picture word interference (PWI) concept.
  • In the PWI scenario, a target item (an image to be named) is presented alongside a distracting word. The experiments aimed to observe if distinctive or shared properties of this distracting word influenced the speed and accuracy of speech production.

Methods

The methods varied across the three designed experiments.

  • In the first experiment, categorically-related distractors were used, which had the same level of semantic similarity (For example, ‘zebra’ and ‘pony’). Still, they were manipulated to display distinctive features (A ‘zebra’ has distinctive stripes unlike other equine species).
  • In experiments two and three, they explored the role of feature distinctiveness in situations where the distraught is a part-whole relation of the target ( for instance, ‘hump’ is a distinctive part of a ‘CAMEL, ‘knee’ is not a distinctive part and ‘plug’ is completely unrelated).

Findings

Findings of the study presented the following outcomes:

  • In experiment one, even though the distractors were categorically-related, they still reported interference effects of similar magnitudes due to the manipulation of distinctiveness.
  • In experiments two and three, it was found that if the part noted by a related distractor was visible in the target picture, it significantly impacted the naming latency (whether the part was distinctive or not).
  • The study also revealed that semantic interference does occur for part-whole distractor-target relations in PWI, but only when distractors show features shared with the target and other category examples.

Conclusion and Implications

The results of this study offer important insights into the cognitive process of word-spoken production. It primarily emphasizes the importance of distinctive and shared features in naming objects. Furthermore, it invites further research on lexical access in spoken word production and challenges current models and novelty accounts. The study may have promising implications for refining our understanding of linguistic processing, cognitive psychology, and communication disorders.

Cite This Article

APA
Vieth HE, McMahon KL, de Zubicaray GI. (2014). The roles of shared vs. distinctive conceptual features in lexical access. Front Psychol, 5, 1014. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01014

Publication

Frontiers in psychology
ISSN: 1664-1078
NlmUniqueID: 101550902
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 5
Pages: 1014
PII: 1014

Researcher Affiliations

Vieth, Harrison E
  • School of Psychology, University of Queensland Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
McMahon, Katie L
  • Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
de Zubicaray, Greig I
  • School of Psychology, University of Queensland Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
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