Question 1

Which of the following statements describes an assumption of the standard pragmatic model?

Accepted Answer

The standard pragmatic model assumes that the process of understanding language begins with the access of literal meanings before considering non-literal or implied meanings. This is based on the idea that the comprehension process initially interprets words and sentences according to their conventional or dictionary meanings, and only afterward considers context or other cues that might suggest a non-literal interpretation.

Question 2

The measure of reading span has been used to test:

Accepted Answer

The measure of reading span is used to test working memory capacity, specifically the ability to hold and manipulate multiple pieces of information in short-term memory.

Question 3

In the garden-path model of parsing, the notion that new words encountered in a sentence are attached to the current phrase, if grammatically permissible, forms the basis of which principle?

Accepted Answer

The principle of late closure suggests that new words are attached to the current phrase or clause if grammatically permissible, thus extending the current structure.

Question 4

The findings of McKoon and Ratcliff (1992) are more consistent with which account of text processing?

Accepted Answer

The findings of McKoon and Ratcliff (1992) are more consistent with the minimalist position, which suggests that readers only make inferences that are strictly necessary for understanding the text, rather than engaging in extensive inference-making as proposed by more elaborate theories.

Question 5

A statement making an assertion or denial that can be true or false is technically referred to as a[n]:

Accepted Answer

A proposition is a statement that can be either true or false. The other options do not accurately describe this type of statement.

Question 6

A word referring back to a person or object previously mentioned in a text or speech is an example of:

Accepted Answer

An anaphor is a word or phrase that refers back to a person, place, or thing already mentioned in a conversation or text, such as "he," "she," or "it."

Question 7

Häuser et al. (2016) applied rTMS to which network, which they hypothesised provides cognitive control to resolve semantic conflicts?

Accepted Answer

Häuser et al. (2016) applied rTMS to the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG), specifically BA 45, which is hypothesised to be involved in cognitive control to resolve semantic conflicts.

Question 8

If an entire sentence has two or more possible interpretations we say that it is ambiguous at the:

Accepted Answer

Ambiguity at the global level means that the entire sentence can be interpreted in multiple ways. This is different from ambiguity at more local or subordinate levels, where only specific words or phrases may have multiple meanings.

Question 9

Graesser et al. (1997) argued that Kintsch's theory ignored two levels of discourse representation: text genre and which of the following levels?

Accepted Answer

Graesser et al. argued that Kintsch's theory ignored the level of discourse representation related to communication, in addition to text genre.

Question 10

According to Keysar (2000), information about common ground is used to correct any misunderstandings resulting from the use of:

Accepted Answer

Keysar (2000) discusses how individuals often rely on the egocentric heuristic, which is a default mode of understanding based on one's own perspective. When misunderstandings arise, particularly in communication, information about common ground is used to correct these misunderstandings, moving away from an egocentric interpretation towards a more mutually understood one.

Question 11

MacDonald et al.'s (1994) constraint-based theory of parsing is based on:

Accepted Answer

MacDonald et al.'s constraint-based theory of parsing is based on connectionist architecture, which involves using parallel distributed processing and constraints to understand sentence processing.

Question 12

MacDonald et al.'s (1994) constraint-based theory predicts difficulty in reading sentences such as "The professor read the newspaper had been destroyed" when the sentence structure is inconsistent with what?

Accepted Answer

MacDonald et al.'s constraint-based theory predicts difficulty in reading sentences like "The professor read the newspaper had been destroyed" when the sentence structure is inconsistent with verb bias. This is because verb bias, which is the tendency for certain verbs to be more likely to occur with certain noun types (e.g., "read" is more likely to occur with nouns like book or newspaper), allows readers to predict and prepare for upcoming syntactic structures. When the sentence structure is inconsistent with verb bias, it creates processing difficulty.

Question 13

Which of the following statements describes one of the key assumptions of the garden-path model of parsing?

Accepted Answer

The garden-path model of parsing suggests that readers or listeners initially construct the simplest syntactic structure possible without considering semantic information, meaning semantic processing does not influence the construction of the initial syntactic structure. This is why individuals can be led down the "garden path" to an incorrect interpretation, which must be revised upon realizing the intended meaning.

Question 14

According to Bartlett (1932), the main impact of schematic knowledge occurs at:

Accepted Answer

Bartlett's theory suggests that schematic knowledge primarily impacts retrieval of information from long-term memory, making it easier to access information that fits into preexisting schemas. While schema can play some role in initial comprehension and encoding, retrieval is where it is most pertinent.

Question 15

Which ERP component has been used as a measure of the time to detect a semantic mismatch by researchers such as Hagoort et al. (2004)?

Accepted Answer

Researchers such as Hagoort et al. (2004) have used the N400 ERP component as a measure of the time to detect a semantic mismatch.

Question 16

According to Garrod and Terras (2000), the two stages (in order) involved in establishing coherence between parts of the text are:

Accepted Answer

Garrod and Terras (2000) proposed that establishing coherence in text involves two stages: bonding, where connections between words and phrases are made, and resolution, where these connections are integrated into a coherent understanding.

Question 17

Kintsch (2000) put forward a prediction model of metaphor, suggesting that which of the following components selects features of the predicate that are relevant to the argument, and inhibits irrelevant predicate features?

Accepted Answer

Kintsch's (2000) prediction model of metaphor involves the construction-integration model, which selects features of the predicate that are relevant to the argument and inhibits irrelevant predicate features. This model is designed to explain how people understand language and texts, including metaphors, by constructing mental representations and integrating them with existing knowledge.

Question 18

Inferences that are made to establish coherence between the current part of the text and preceding text are called:

Accepted Answer

Bridging inferences refer to the inferences made by the reader to establish coherence and continuity between the current part of the text and preceding text.

Question 19

Van Gompel et al. (2000) put forward which model that combined aspects of the garden-path and constraint-based models?

Accepted Answer

The Unrestricted Race Model proposed by Van Gompel et al. (2000) combines elements of both the garden-path model, which suggests that readers or listeners initially follow the simplest syntactic structure until it becomes untenable, and the constraint-based models, which argue that all available information (e.g., syntactic, semantic, pragmatic) is used simultaneously to interpret sentences. This model posits that multiple interpretations of a sentence are considered in parallel and the first one to be fully processed is chosen, integrating ideas from both approaches.

Question 20

The greatest difference between the minimalist and constructionist positions on text processing concerns:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The greatest difference between the minimalist and...

Quiz 10: Language Comprehension