Increased inter-hemispheric functional connectivity for concrete word imagery compared to abstract word imagery

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sobhan Hemati ◽  
Gholam-Ali Hossein-Zadeh
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word

Abstract Semantic Associative Network Training: A Replication and Update of an Abstract Word Retrieval Therapy Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 1574-1595
Author(s):  
Chaleece W. Sandberg ◽  
Teresa Gray
Keyword(s):  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Word Retrieval ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Associative Network ◽  
Direct Training ◽  
Network Training ◽  
Abstract Words ◽  
Concrete Words

Purpose We report on a study that replicates previous treatment studies using Abstract Semantic Associative Network Training (AbSANT), which was developed to help persons with aphasia improve their ability to retrieve abstract words, as well as thematically related concrete words. We hypothesized that previous results would be replicated; that is, when abstract words are trained using this protocol, improvement would be observed for both abstract and concrete words in the same context-category, but when concrete words are trained, no improvement for abstract words would be observed. We then frame the results of this study with the results of previous studies that used AbSANT to provide better evidence for the utility of this therapeutic technique. We also discuss proposed mechanisms of AbSANT. Method Four persons with aphasia completed one phase of concrete word training and one phase of abstract word training using the AbSANT protocol. Effect sizes were calculated for each word type for each phase. Effect sizes for this study are compared with the effect sizes from previous studies. Results As predicted, training abstract words resulted in both direct training and generalization effects, whereas training concrete words resulted in only direct training effects. The reported results are consistent across studies. Furthermore, when the data are compared across studies, there is a distinct pattern of the added benefit of training abstract words using AbSANT. Conclusion Treatment for word retrieval in aphasia is most often aimed at concrete words, despite the usefulness and pervasiveness of abstract words in everyday conversation. We show the utility of AbSANT as a means of improving not only abstract word retrieval but also concrete word retrieval and hope this evidence will help foster its application in clinical practice.

Mapping concrete and abstract meanings to new words using verbal contexts

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Mestres-Missé ◽  
Thomas F Münte ◽  
Antoni Rodriguez-Fornells
Keyword(s):  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word ◽  
Conceptual Information ◽  
Word Meanings ◽  
New Words ◽  
Concreteness Effect ◽  
Context Availability ◽  
Word Concreteness ◽  
Stimulus Materials ◽  
New Evidence

In three experiments, we examine the effects of semantic context and word concreteness on the mapping of existing meanings to new words. We developed a new-word-learning paradigm in which participants were required to discover the meaning of a new-word form from a specific verbal context. The stimulus materials were manipulated according to word concreteness, context availability and semantic congruency across contexts. Overall, participants successfully learned the meaning of the new word whether it was a concrete or an abstract word. Concrete word meanings were discovered and learned faster than abstract word meanings even when matched on context availability. The present results are discussed considering the various hypotheses that have been used to try to explain the ‘concreteness effect’. We conclude that the present investigation provides new evidence that the concreteness effect observed in learning is due to the different organization of abstract and concrete conceptual information in semantic memory.

Imagery, Concreteness, and Meaningfulness as Determiners of the Emotionality of Words When Meaning is Controlled

1992 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Campos
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Word Length ◽  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Final Equation

We studied variables that influenced rated emotionality value of words and the contribution of each one. 218 subjects rated each word in a list of 98 pairs of words (196 words), one concrete word and one abstract word in each pair, on imagery, concreteness, meaningfulness, and emotionality. Date of entry of each word into Spanish and word length were also examined. Stepwise multiple regression procedures were performed to evaluate the contribution made by each variable to over-all emotionality values. 39 06% of the emotionality variance was explained by imagery. Concreteness and meaningfulness values contributed 3.62% and 2.82%, respectively. Word length and date of entry were rejected in the final equation, as their contributions were minimal.

Does visualisation help or hinder concrete word processing?

2020 ◽  
pp. 174702182095646
Author(s):  
Simritpal Kaur Malhi ◽  
Cassidy Kost ◽  
Lori Buchanan
Keyword(s):  
Word Processing ◽  
Spatial Reasoning ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word ◽  
Visual Spatial ◽  
Abstract Words ◽  
Time Required

In an iconicity judgement task, participants were asked whether word pairs were iconic (e.g., nose–tongue; joy–sorrow) or reverse-iconic (e.g., tongue–nose; sorrow–joy), and an advantage for abstract word pairs (i.e., joy–sorrow) was found. Malhi and Buchanan proposed that this reverse concreteness, or abstractness, effect was the result of participants taking a visualisation/imagining (time-costly) approach towards the concrete word pairs and an emotional/intuitive (time-efficient) approach towards the abstract word pairs. This study tested this proposal by asking participants questions about strategy use (Experiment 1). In the forced-choice questions, all participants reported using a visualisation/imagining approach towards the concrete word pairs and most participants reported using an emotional/intuitive approach towards the abstract word pairs. In the open-ended responses, visual-spatial reasoning and real-life experience emerged as themes for the concrete word pairs and social norms and values emerged as themes for the abstract word pairs, adding to our understanding of the grounding of abstract words. In Experiment 2, participants were supplied with pictures as an aid to visualisation with the expectation that this would reduce the time required for concrete word processing. Supplying pictures made participants faster and more accurate at completing the task. Experiment 3 manipulated the type of visual aid by also supplying pictures that did not match the orientation of the word pairs. Participants were only more accurate when the pictures were in the correct and iconic spatial arrangement. A flexible abstractness and concreteness effects (FACE) theory is proposed which integrates symbolic and embodied accounts and introduces constructs such as direct and constrained imageability for concrete words and indirect and free imageability for abstract words.

scholarly journals Communicating abstract meaning: concepts revealed in words and gestures

2018 ◽  
Vol 373 (1752) ◽  
pp. 20170138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Zdrazilova ◽  
David M. Sidhu ◽  
Penny M. Pexman
Keyword(s):  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word ◽  
Abstract Concepts ◽  
Multiple Representation ◽  
Word Meanings ◽  
Representation Systems ◽  
Abstract Nouns ◽  
Concrete Nouns ◽  
Abstract Words ◽  
The Brain

Abstract words refer to concepts that cannot be directly experienced through our senses (e.g. truth , morality ). How we ground the meanings of abstract words is one of the deepest problems in cognitive science today. We investigated this question in an experiment in which 62 participants were asked to communicate the meanings of words (20 abstract nouns, e.g. impulse ; 10 concrete nouns, e.g. insect ) to a partner without using the words themselves (the taboo task). We analysed the speech and associated gestures that participants used to communicate the meaning of each word in the taboo task. Analysis of verbal and gestural data yielded a number of insights. When communicating about the meanings of abstract words, participants' speech referenced more people and introspections. In contrast, the meanings of concrete words were communicated by referencing more objects and entities. Gesture results showed that when participants spoke about abstract word meanings their speech was accompanied by more metaphorical and beat gestures, and speech about concrete word meanings was accompanied by more iconic gestures. Taken together, the results suggest that abstract meanings are best captured by a model that allows dynamic access to multiple representation systems. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Varieties of abstract concepts: development, use and representation in the brain’.

Mnemonic Systems in Free Recall

1973 ◽  
Vol 32 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1163-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Santa ◽  
Alan B. Ruskin ◽  
Jun Han Yio
Keyword(s):  
Recall Performance ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Concrete Word ◽  
Abstract Word ◽  
Imagery Instruction ◽  
Potential Conflict ◽  
Final Recall ◽  
Word Lists ◽  
Story Construction ◽  
Mnemonic Techniques

A variety of mnemonic instructions were compared in a final recall of 6 lists of 10 words each. Various types of imagery instruction were contrasted with verbal mnemonic techniques on both abstract and concrete words. None of the instructions influenced recall of abstract word lists. On concrete lists both imagery and story construction instructions led to improved recall. An analysis of clustering indicated a significant degree of organization on the basis of E-contrived lists which was directly related to recall performance. The several “peg-word” techniques did not produce strong recall effects even on concrete word lists. A possible explanation was offered in terms of potential conflict of retrieval strategies for the “peg-word” conditions. Arguments implicate imagery in all effective mnemonic techniques.

Subregional amygdala functional connectivity: normative maps and influence of oral citalopram in healthy volunteers

2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (05) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Goya-Maldonado ◽  
VI Spoormaker ◽  
N Chechko ◽  
D Höhn ◽  
K Andrade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Healthy Volunteers

Functional connectivity reveals altered activation of distinct brain areas in pruritus of cholestasis

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (01) ◽  
pp. E2-E89
Author(s):  
A Kremer ◽  
T Buchwald ◽  
M Vetter ◽  
A Dörfler ◽  
C Forster
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Brain Areas
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