PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 11924840

Comprehending noun phrase arguments and adjuncts.

Shelia M Kenniso
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Two experiments investigated how readers comprehend noun phrase (NP) arguments and adjuncts. Previous research suggested that argument phrases are processed more quickly than adjunct phrases (Clifton, Speer, & Abney, 1991; Kennison, 1999; Schütze & Gibson, 1999; Speer & Clifton, 1998). The present experiments investigated whether the type of verb in the sentence context could influence how NP arguments and adjuncts were processed. Reading time was measured on sentences containing NP arguments and adjuncts preceded either by verbs occurring most frequently with NP arguments (biased transitive verbs) or by verbs occurring most frequently without NP arguments (biased intransitive verbs) (e.g., "Meredith read/performed every play/week."). In Experiment 1, reading time was measured using a self-paced phrase-by-phrase moving window. In Experiment 2, reading time was measured using eye tracking. The results of both experiments indicated that, following biased transitive verbs, NP arguments were processed more quickly than NP adjuncts. When NPsfollowed biased intransitive verbs, there was no significant difference between the processing time of NP arguments and adjuncts.

Explore related subjects

CognitionHumansLinguisticsJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Shelia M Kenniso. 2002. Comprehending noun phrase arguments and adjuncts.. https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1014328321363

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

Rule following and rule use in the balance-scale task.

Quinlan et al. [Quinlan, p., van der Mass, H., Jansen, B., Booij, O., & Rendell, M. (this issue). Re-thinking stages of cognitive development: An appraisal of connectionist models of the balance scale task. Cognition, doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2006.02.004] use Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to criticize a connectionist model of development on the balance-scale task, arguing that LCA shows that this model fails to capture a torque rule and exhibits rules that children do not. In this rejoinder we focus on the latter problem, noting the tendency of LCA to find small, unreliable, and difficult-to-interpret classes. This tendency is documented in network and synthetic simulations and in psychological research, and statistical reasons for finding such unreliable classes are discussed. We recommend that LCA should be used with care, and argue that its small and unreliable classes should be discounted. Further, we note that a preoccupation with diagnosing rules ignores important phenomena that rules do not account for. Finally, we conjecture that simple extensions of the network model should be able to achieve torque-rule performance.

Cognition↗
PubMed2007

Effects of a maximal exercise test on neurocognitive function.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of a maximal exercise test on cognitive function in recreational athletes. DESIGN: A repeated-measures design was used to compare baseline with post-cognitive function and fatigue symptoms after a maximal exercise test. SETTING: Division 1 American Midwestern University, (Michigan State University, Michigan, USA). PARTICIPANTS: 102 male and female recreational athletes. INTERVENTION: Participants in the experimental group (n = 54) were asked to perform a maximal treadmill exercise test to maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). Participants in the control group were asked to rest for 15 min. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: All participants were administered a neuropsychological test battery called Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) before and after exercise to measure neurocognitive function and fatigue symptoms. RESULTS: Results revealed a significant group (control, experimental) x time (baseline, post-test 1, post-test 2) interaction for verbal memory composite scores (p = 0.025). Specifically, verbal memory composite scores decreased in the experimental group from baseline to post-test 1 (p = 0.00). These values returned to baseline 3 days after the VO2 max test (p = 0.00). Further analysis on verbal memory composite scores demonstrated significant differences on immediate recall memory (p = 0.00) and delayed recall memory (p = 0.00). No significant differences were observed for visual memory (p = 0.54), motor processing speed (p = 0.68) and reaction time (p = 0.44) composite scores between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that a maximal exercise test attenuated a limiting effect on cognitive function. When utilising a neuropsychological test battery to evaluate a patient who has sustained a head injury, the test should not be administered immediately after a practice or a game session.

Cognition↗
PubMed2007

Modelling memory functions with recurrent neural networks consisting of input compensation units: II. Dynamic situations.

Modelling the cognitive abilities of humans or animals or building agents that are supposed to behave cognitively requires modelling a memory system that is able to store and retrieve various contents. The content to be stored is assumed to comprise information about more or less invariant environmental objects as well as information about movements. A combination of information about both objects and movements may be called a situation model. Here we focus, in part, on models storing dynamic patterns. In particular, two abilities of humans in representing dynamical systems receive special focus: the capability of representing the acceleration of objects, as can be found in the movement of a pendulum or freely falling objects, and the capability of representing actions of transfer, i.e. motion from one point to another, have been modelled using recurrent networks consisting of input compensation units. In addition, possibilities of combining static and dynamic properties within a single model are studied.

Cognition↗