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- Mårtensson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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Abstract, concrete and emotional words in the mental lexicon : A coding scheme for analyzing verbal descriptions of word meanings
- 2011
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Ingår i: The Third Conference of the Scandinavian Association for Language and Cognition, SALC III. - Copenhagen : University of Copenhagen. ; , s. 86-87
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous research has suggested that abstract and concrete semantics are processed and conceptualized differently (Pulvermüller 1999, Crutch & Warrington 2005; Fuster 2009). Specifically, concrete semantics is assumed to be processed by posterior, sensory brain areas, as opposed to an anterior processing of abstract semantic information. In addition, other researchers raise the question whether emotional words should be included in the abstract category (Altarriba & Bauer 2004, Kousta et al. 2009).Following this, the present study proposes a method for analyzing spontaneous discourse produced by aphasic and healthy subjects describing the meanings of abstract, concrete, and emotional words. Linguistic data related to word meanings were obtained by asking subjects to describe the meanings of nouns varying in concreteness and emotional arousal freely and as detailed as possible, a method based on Barsalou & Wiemer-Hastings (2005). Subjects with anterior/posterior lesions and healthy controls were hypothesized to differ in their retrieval and verbalization of semantic information related to the cue words, with posterior lesions affecting concrete semantic features and anterior lesions affecting higher levels of abstraction and structuring of information. Emotional information, partly processed by subcortical structures, was expected to be well-preserved despite cortical lesions.A coding scheme was developed in order to capture semantic and structural information in the transcribed material, taking the following factors into account:Type of information in an utterance: general/personal:episodic/personal:evaluative/procedural cuesClauses: main/subordinateRelation between produced content word and cue word: contextual/ property-basedSemantic information of produced content words: abstract/ concrete/emotionalWhether the topic is maintainedWhether the information is semantically acceptableThe proposed coding scheme makes it possible to investigate how different brain lesions affect retrieval and expression of semantic information with differing degrees of abstractness.Altarriba, J. & Bauer, L.M. (2004). The distinctiveness of emotion concepts: A comparison between emotion, abstract, and concrete words. The American Journal of Psychology 117(3), 389-410.Barsalou, L.W. & Wiemer-Hastings, K. (2005). Situating Abstract Concepts. In Grounding Cognition: The Role of Perception and Action in Memory, Language, and Thinking. Pecher, D. & Zwaan, R.A.(Eds). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Crutch, S.J. & Warrington, E.K. (2005). Abstract and concrete concepts have structurally different representational frameworks. Brain 128, 615-627.Fuster, J. (2009) Cortex and memory: Emergence of a new paradigm. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 21,11, 2047-2072.Kousta, S-T., Vigliocco, G., Vinson, D.P Andrews, M. (2009). Happiness is... an abstract word. The role of affect in abstract knowledge representation. In N.A. Taatgen & H. van Rijn (Eds.), Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 1115-1120. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.Pulvermüller, F. (1999). Words in the brain's language. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 22, 253-336.
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| 4. |
- Mårtensson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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Modeling the meaning of words : Neural correlates of abstract and concrete noun processing
- 2011
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Ingår i: Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis. - 0065-1400 .- 1689-0035. ; 71:4, s. 455-478
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a model relating analysis of abstract and concrete word meaning in terms of semantic features and contextual frames within a general framework of neurocognitive information processing. The approach taken here assumes concrete noun meanings to be intimately related to sensory feature constellations. These features are processed by posterior sensory regions of the brain, e.g. the occipital lobe, which handles visual information. The interpretation of abstract nouns, however, is likely to be more dependent on semantic frames and linguistic context. A greater involvement of more anteriorly located, perisylvian brain areas has previously been found for the processing of abstract words. In the present study, a word association test was carried out in order to compare semantic processing in healthy subjects (n=12) with subjects with aphasia due to perisylvian lesions (n=3) and occipital lesions (n=1). The word associations were coded into different categories depending on their semantic content. A double dissociation was found, where, compared to the controls, the perisylvian aphasic subjects had problems associating to abstract nouns and produced fewer semantic frame-based associations, whereas the occipital aphasic subject showed disturbances in concrete noun processing and made fewer semantic feature based associations.
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| 5. |
- Mårtensson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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Modelling the Meaning of Words : Neural Correlates of Abstract and Concrete Noun Processing
- 2010
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Ingår i: The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- We outline a proposal to relate modelling of word meaning in terms of semantic features and frames to a general hierarchical model of neurocognitive processing [1]. The model assumes that concrete features are processed in low-level, posterior sensory networks, whereas abstract conceptualization involves integration of frame-based information, making it more dependent on higher cognitive functions orchestrated by frontal networks. Episodic memory networks are suggested to be at an intermediate level, i.e. more concrete than general semantic frames, but less concrete than sensory-based information. A word association test was used to investigate the processing of concrete and abstract nouns. Speakers with stroke-related aphasia due to anterior and posterior lesions and healthy controls participated. Assuming visual memory networks to be important for concrete noun processing, left occipital lesions were hypothesized to impair the interpretation of concrete words. Lesions affecting left anterior areas were expected to give rise to the reverse pattern due to difficulties in accessing general semantic frames. Results supported the hypotheses. Compared with controls, anterior aphasic subjects produced fewer semantic frame-based associations, but more associations based on episodic memories and sensory feature similarity. In contrast, occipital lesions implicated fewer associations based on sensory features but more on semantic frames.References1. Fuster. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 2009, 21, 2047-2072
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| 7. |
- Mårtensson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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Sensory-specific anomic aphasia following left occipital lesions : data from free oral descriptions of concrete word meanings
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Scandinavian Association for Language and Cognition. SALC IV, June 12-14, 2013. University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu. - Joensuu : University of Eastern Finland.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nouns with a high degree of semantic specificity (e.g., ‘robin’) can be assumed to be more closelyrelated to sensory information as opposed to more non-specific nouns belonging to the same lexicalsemantic hierarchy (e.g., ‘animal’) (Rosch, 1978). As the majority of concrete nouns denote thingsthat can be experienced visually, activation of visual information might be necessary for concrete noun processing, in which case damage to visual (occipital) cortex might selectively affect morespecific nouns. Supporting this idea, nouns (e.g., ’table’) and verbs (e.g., ’kick’) have been found toactivate brain regions involved in experiencing their referred objects and actions (Pulvermüller & Fadiga 2010).Individuals with lesions in visual brain areas have previously been shown to have difficulties accessing words related to the visual modality (Manning 2000; Gainotti 2004). In these studies, the focus has been on comparing different modes of presentation (e.g., visual/tactile/verbal). However, it could further be hypothesised that when visual areas are damaged, the degree of visual semantic content would also affect performance.The present study investigated hierarchical lexical semantic structure in free oral descriptions of concrete word meanings produced by a subject (ZZ) diagnosed with anomic aphasia due to left occipital lesions. The focus of the analysis was production of a) nouns at different levels of semanticspecificity (e.g. ‘robin’–‘bird’–‘animal’) and b) words describing sensory or motor experiences (e.g. ‘blue’, ‘soft’, ‘fly’).Results showed that in contrast to healthy and aphasic controls, who produced words at all levels of specificity and mainly vision-related sensory information, ZZ produced almost exclusively nouns at the most non-specific levels and words associated with sound and movement, suggesting that his anomia is sensory-specific and dependent on the modality of the semantic content of words.ReferencesCrutch, S.J. & Warrington, E.K. (2008). Contrasting patterns of comprehension for superordinate, basic level, and subordinate names in semantic dementia and aphasic stroke patients. Cognitive Neuropsychology 25(4), 582-600.Gainotti, G. (2004). A metanalysis of impaired and spared naming for different categories of knowledge in patients with a visuo-verbal disconnection. Neuropsychologia 42, 299-319.Manning, L. (2000). Loss of visual imagery and defective recognition of parts of wholes in optic aphasia.NeuroCase 6 (2), 111-128.Rosch, E. (1978). Principles of categorization. In: Rosch, Eleanor and Barbara B. Lloyd, eds., Cognition and Categorization. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 27-48.Pulvermüller, F. & Fadiga, L. (2010). Active perception: sensorimotor circuits as a cortical basis for language. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 11, 351-360.
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| 8. |
- Mårtensson, Frida, et al.
(författare)
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Sensory-specific anomic aphasia following left occipital lesions : Data from free oral descriptions of concrete word meanings
- 2014
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Ingår i: Neurocase. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1355-4794 .- 1465-3656. ; 20:2, s. 192-207
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study investigated hierarchical lexical semantic structure in oral descriptions of concrete word meanings produced by a subject (ZZ) diagnosed with anomic aphasia due to left occipital lesions. The focus of the analysis was production of a) nouns at different levels of semantic specificity (e.g., "robin"-"bird"-"animal") and b) words describing sensory or motor experiences (e.g., "blue," "soft," "fly"). Results show that in contrast to healthy and aphasic controls, who produced words at all levels of specificity and mainly vision-related sensory information, ZZ produced almost exclusively nouns at the most non-specific levels and words associated with sound and movement.
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| 10. |
- Roll, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
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Atypical abstract associations in aphasia measured by a semantic space model
- 2010
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Ingår i: The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes. - Toronto : Rotman Research Institute of Baycrest.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Semantic similarity between concrete and abstract cue words and free association words was measured for aphasic subjects with left perisylvian lesions using a semantic space model. Aphasic participants showed more atypical associations the more abstract the cue words were. They also generally produced less abstract words than control subjects. The results support models assuming that the meanings of concrete words are represented in bi-hemispheric networks of semantic features in the brain, whereas the representation of abstract words is more dependent on the left perisylvian language network.
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