scholarly journals Affective Priming Effects of Musical Sounds on the Processing of Word Meaning

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 604-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaus Steinbeis ◽  
Stefan Koelsch
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Expression ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Word Meaning ◽  
Behavioral Effect ◽  
Affective Priming ◽  
Emotional Words ◽  
Semantic Level ◽  
Musical Sounds

Recent studies have shown that music is capable of conveying semantically meaningful concepts. Several questions have subsequently arisen particularly with regard to the precise mechanisms underlying the communication of musical meaning as well as the role of specific musical features. The present article reports three studies investigating the role of affect expressed by various musical features in priming subsequent word processing at the semantic level. By means of an affective priming paradigm, it was shown that both musically trained and untrained participants evaluated emotional words congruous to the affect expressed by a preceding chord faster than words incongruous to the preceding chord. This behavioral effect was accompanied by an N400, an ERP typically linked with semantic processing, which was specifically modulated by the (mis)match between the prime and the target. This finding was shown for the musical parameter of consonance/dissonance (Experiment 1) and then extended to mode (major/minor) (Experiment 2) and timbre (Experiment 3). Seeing that the N400 is taken to reflect the processing of meaning, the present findings suggest that the emotional expression of single musical features is understood by listeners as such and is probably processed on a level akin to other affective communications (i.e., prosody or vocalizations) because it interferes with subsequent semantic processing. There were no group differences, suggesting that musical expertise does not have an influence on the processing of emotional expression in music and its semantic connotations.

scholarly journals Does morphological structure modulate access to embedded word meaning in child readers?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Hasenäcker ◽  
Olga Solaja ◽  
Davide Crepaldi
Keyword(s):  
Word Meaning ◽  
Morphological Structure ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Fifth Grade ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Semantic Level ◽  
Developing Readers ◽  
Semantic Access ◽  
Morphological Processes

AbstractBeginning readers have been shown to be sensitive to the meaning of embedded neighbors (e.g., CROW in CROWN). Moreover, developing readers are sensitive to the morphological structure of words (TEACH-ER). However, the interaction between orthographic and morphological processes in meaning activation during reading is not well established. What determines semantic access to orthographically embedded words? What is the role of suffixes in this process? And how does this change throughout development? To address these questions, we asked 80 Italian elementary school children (third, fourth, and fifth grade) to make category decisions on words (e.g., is CARROT a type of food?). Critically, some target words for no-answers (e.g., is CORNER a type of food?) contained category-congruent embedded stems (i.e., CORN). To gauge the role of morphology in this process, half of the embedded stems were accompanied by a pseudosuffix (CORN-ER) and half by a non-morphological ending (PEA-CE). Results revealed that words were harder to reject as members of a category when the embedded stem was category-congruent. This effect held both with and without a pseudosuffix, but was larger for pseudosuffixed words in the error rates. These results suggest that orthographic stems are activated and activation is fed forward to the semantic level regardless of morphological structure, followed by a decision-making process that might strategically use suffix-like endings.

It matters how much you talk: On the automaticity of affective connotations of first and second language words

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
JULIANE DEGNER ◽  
CVETA DOYCHEVA ◽  
DIRK WENTURA
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Semantic Priming ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Language Immersion ◽  
Affective Priming ◽  
Priming Effects ◽  
Emotional Words ◽  
Priming Task ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Affective Word

We report the results of an affective priming study conducted with proficient sequential German and French bilinguals to assess automatic affective word processing in L1 and L2. Additionally, a semantic priming task was conducted in both languages. Whereas semantic priming effects occurred in L1 and L2, and significant affective priming effects were found in L1, affective priming effects in L2 were only found for participants with high levels of language immersion and frequency of L2 use. These results suggest that for sequential bilinguals the intensity of L2 use largely determines whether emotional words in L2 automatically activate their affective connotations.

The Neurobiology of Lexical and Sentential Negation

2020 ◽  
pp. 739-756
Author(s):  
Liuba Papeo ◽  
Manuel de Vega
Keyword(s):  
Word Processing ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Word Meaning ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Language Understanding ◽  
Sentential Negation ◽  
Neurophysiological Mechanisms ◽  
Pragmatic Aspects ◽  
The Brain

Is negation inherently harder than affirmation? How does negation change the neural representation of a word meaning? Recent studies considering pragmatic aspects of language, largely neglected in early studies on negation, have challenged the view that negation involves an extra processing stage to modify, or recode, an affirmative representation initially activated. In consequence, researchers have sought to determine the earliest effects of negation on the neural activity associated with language understanding. Behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological research have highlighted three circumstances. First, negation changes the neural representation of a word meaning from the earliest stages of word processing. Second, negation reduces or abolishes the activity in brain areas representing the word in the scope of negation. Third, the brain network for response inhibition is recruited during processing negation. Composing these results into a unitary framework, a neurobiological model of negation is proposed that integrates the neurophysiological mechanisms of lexical-semantic processing and inhibition.

The Role of the Anterior Attention System in Semantic Processing of both Foveal and Parafoveal Words

1994 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis J. Fuentes ◽  
Encarna Carmona ◽  
Inmaculada F. Agis ◽  
Andrés Catena
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Priming ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Priming Effect ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Attention System ◽  
Nonword Target ◽  
High Level

This research takes advantage of combined cognitive and anatomical studies to ask whether attention is necessary for high-level word processing to occur. In Experiment 1 we used a lexical decision task in which two prime words, one in the fovea and the other in the parafovea, appeared simultaneously for 150 msec, followed by a foveal target (word/nonword). Target words were semantically related either to the foveal or to the parafoveal word, or unrelated to them. In one block of trials subjects were also required to perform an auditory shadowing task. From PET studies we know that shadowing activates the anterior cingulate cortex, involved in selective attention. If the anterior attention system is always involved in semantic processing, shadowing should reduce semantic priming obtained from both foveal and parafoveal words. In contrast, if semantic priming by parafoveal words is independent of activation in that attention area, priming will not be affected by shadowing. Our results supported the latter hypothesis. A large priming effect arose from foveal primes, which was reduced by shadowing. For parafoveal primes a smaller priming effect arose, which was not affected by shadowing. In Experiment 2 prime words were masked. Semantic priming was reliable for both foveal and parafoveal words but there were then no differences between them. Most important, the size of priming was similar to that obtained from parafoveal words in Experiment 1. We conclude that the anterior attention system increases the potency of processing of consciously perceived stimuli, but there is a component of semantic priming that occurs without both focusing of attention and awareness, involving different cerebral areas to those involved in attention to language.

CULTURE OF THE RUSSIAN WORLD - A SPIRITUAL SLOGAN FACTOR OF VICTORY IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-173
Author(s):  
VLADIMIR KSENOFONTOV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Expression ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Soviet People ◽  
The People ◽  
Great Patriotic War ◽  
Red Army ◽  
Art Activities ◽  
Artistic Images ◽  
Great Victory

The article reveals the essence and specificity of culture as an important component of the spiritual factor of victory. Special attention is paid to the characteristics of fiction. The article substantiates the moral and aesthetic impact on the consciousness of defenders of the Motherland, such works of art as“They fought for the Motherland”,“Leningrad poem”,“Russian character”,“Invasion”, etc. The article describes the significant role of theatrical art, which reveals the moral values of the people and Soviet soldiers. This is reflected in such plays as: “the Front”; “the Guy from our city”; “Once upon a time”, etc. The article substantiates the important role of the spiritual influence of cinema on Soviet people. This influence was realized through artistic images of selfless service to the Motherland, loyalty to military duty. Among these films: “Two fighters”, “Wait for me”, “Front-line friends”. During the war, as the article emphasizes, an important component of the spiritual factor of victory was the musical art. Activities in this area of culture famous musicians:B. Astafiev, S. Prokofiev, D. Shostakovich, A. Alexandrov, V. Soloviev-Sedoy, and others, was implemented in operas, symphonies, cantatas and songs, which by their nature emotional expression differed Patriotic and epic strength. The purpose of the research : to reveal the axiological components, culture of the Russian world, as important components, spiritual factor during the great Patriotic war. Conclusions : the culture of the Russian world at various stages of the great Patriotic War, through a variety of means and forms, actively mobilized all Soviet people to defend the Motherland and defeat Nazi Germany. The spiritual culture of our country and its types, in the course of functioning, during the war, clearly and expressively revealed the idea of patriotism, courage, bravery and heroism, and encouraged the Soviet people, the soldiers of the red Army, to achieve a great Victory.

scholarly journals Exploring Affective Priming Effect of Emotion-Label Words and Emotion-Laden Words: An Event-Related Potential Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 553
Author(s):  
Chenggang Wu ◽  
Juan Zhang ◽  
Zhen Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Word Processing ◽  
Priming Effect ◽  
Word Type ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Affective Priming ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Emotion Word ◽  
Priming Paradigm ◽  
Emotion Label ◽  
Target Words

In order to explore the affective priming effect of emotion-label words and emotion-laden words, the current study used unmasked (Experiment 1) and masked (Experiment 2) priming paradigm by including emotion-label words (e.g., sadness, anger) and emotion-laden words (e.g., death, gift) as primes and examined how the two kinds of words acted upon the processing of the target words (all emotion-laden words). Participants were instructed to decide the valence of target words, and their electroencephalogram was recorded at the same time. The behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) results showed that positive words produced a priming effect whereas negative words inhibited target word processing (Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, the inhibition effect of negative emotion-label words on emotion word recognition was found in both behavioral and ERP results, suggesting that modulation of emotion word type on emotion word processing could be observed even in the masked priming paradigm. The two experiments further supported the necessity of defining emotion words under an emotion word type perspective. The implications of the findings are proffered. Specifically, a clear understanding of emotion-label words and emotion-laden words can improve the effectiveness of emotional communications in clinical settings. Theoretically, the emotion word type perspective awaits further explorations and is still at its infancy.

The effects of emotionality and lexical category on L2 word processing in different tasks: Evidence from late Chinese–English bilinguals

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110418
Author(s):  
Xiaogen Liao ◽  
Chuanbin Ni
Keyword(s):  
Stroop Task ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
English Word ◽  
Task Type ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Emotional Stroop ◽  
Emotional Words ◽  
Emotional Stroop Task ◽  
Lexical Categories

Although it has been well established that emotional content influences language comprehension, the effects of emotionality on L2 (second language: English) word processing require further clarification. Notably, most previous studies unsystematically mixed words of different lexical categories, although they often showed processing differences. Here, using the same set of tightly matched negative, positive, and neutral words across three lexical categories (i.e., nouns, verbs, adjectives), we examined the effects of emotionality and lexical category on L2 word processing by conducting three experiments. In these experiments, three groups of late Chinese–English bilinguals performed three tasks: the emotional Stroop task (Experiment 1), the lexical decision task (Experiment 2), and the emotional categorisation task (Experiment 3), respectively. Overall, our data suggested that emotionality and lexical category exerted no influence on L2 word processing in the emotional Stroop task, but acted interactively to influence it in the other two tasks. The results evidenced that the processing of L2 emotional words was sensitive to task type. Therefore, we conclude that future research on L2 word processing should fully consider the emotionality, lexical category, and task type.

Separatism: a cross-linguistic corpus-assisted study of word-meaning development in a time of conflict

Corpora ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-416
Author(s):  
Tatyana Karpenko-Seccombe
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Word Meaning ◽  
Political Context ◽  
The Political ◽  
Word Usage ◽  
Parliamentary Debates ◽  
Dominant Ideologies

This paper considers the role of historical context in initiating shifts in word meaning. The study focusses on two words – the translation equivalents separatist and separatism – in the discourses of Russian and Ukrainian parliamentary debates before and during the Russian–Ukrainian conflict which emerged at the beginning of 2014. The paper employs a cross-linguistic corpus-assisted discourse analysis to investigate the way wider socio-political context affects word usage and meaning. To allow a comparison of discourses around separatism between two parliaments, four corpora were compiled covering the debates in both parliaments before and during the conflict. Keywords, collocations and n-grams were studied and compared, and this was followed by qualitative analysis of concordance lines, co-text and the larger context in which these words occurred. The results show how originally close meanings of translation equivalents began to diverge and manifest noticeable changes in their connotative, affective and, to an extent, denotative meanings at a time of conflict in line with the dominant ideologies of the parliaments as well as the political affiliations of individuals.

scholarly journals Can You Identify These Celebrities? A Network Analysis on Differences between Word and Face Recognition

Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Moret-Tatay ◽  
Inmaculada Baixauli-Fortea ◽  
M. Dolores Grau Sevilla ◽  
Tatiana Quarti Irigaray
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Processing System ◽  
Place Of Origin ◽  
Masked Repetition ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Repetition Priming Effect ◽  
Vast Range

Face recognition is located in the fusiform gyrus, which is also related to other tasks such word recognition. Although these two processes have several similarities, there are remarkable differences that include a vast range of approaches, which results from different groups of participants. This research aims to examine how the word-processing system processes faces at different moments and vice versa. Two experiments were carried out. Experiment 1 allowed us to examine the classical discrimination task, while Experiment 2 allowed us to examine very early moments of discrimination. In the first experiment, 20 Spanish University students volunteered to participate. Secondly, a sample of 60 participants from different nationalities volunteered to take part in Experiment 2. Furthermore, the role of sex and place of origin were considered in Experiment 1. No differences between men and women were found in Experiment 1, nor between conditions. However, Experiment 2 depicted shorter latencies for faces than word names, as well as a higher masked repetition priming effect for word identities and word names preceded by faces. Emerging methodologies in the field might help us to better understand the relationship among these two processes. For this reason, a network analysis approach was carried out, depicting sub-communities of nodes related to face or word name recognition, which were replicated across different groups of participants. Bootstrap inferences are proposed to account for variability in estimating the probabilities in the current samples. This supports that both processes are related to early moments of recognition, and rather than being independent, they might be bilaterally distributed with some expert specializations or preferences.

scholarly journals ERP Evidence for a Sex-Specific Stroop Effect in Emotional Speech

2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1135-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annett Schirmer ◽  
Sonja A. Kotz
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Behavioral Effect ◽  
Emotional Prosody ◽  
Emotional Speech ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Emotional Information ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Task Irrelevant

The present study investigated the interaction of emotional prosody and word valence during emotional comprehension in men and women. In a prosody-word interference task, participants listened to positive, neutral, and negative words that were spoken with a happy, neutral, and angry prosody. Participants were asked to rate word valence while ignoring emotional prosody, or vice versa. Congruent stimuli were responded faster and more accurately as compared to incongruent emotional stimuli. This behavioral effect was more salient for the word valence task than for the prosodic task and was comparable between men and women. The event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed a smaller N400 amplitude for congruent as compared to emotionally incongruent stimuli. This ERP effect, however, was significant only for the word valence judgment and only for female listeners. The present data suggest that the word valence judgment was more difficult and more easily influenced by task-irrelevant emotional information than the prosodic task in both men and women. Furthermore, although emotional prosody and word valence may have a similar influence on an emotional judgment in both sexes, ERPs indicate sex differences in the underlying processing. Women, but not men, show an interaction between prosody and word valence during a semantic processing stage.

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