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Cognitive Processing of Multi-Domain Cartoons: Understanding Chinese Soccer Cartoons

This study examines the cognitive processing of Chinese soccer cartoons, exploring the varying interpretations and the cognitive mechanisms behind them. Using conceptual integration theory, the study proposes a model that explains the complex nature of interpreting cartoons.

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Cognitive Processing of Multi-Domain Cartoons: Understanding Chinese Soccer Cartoons

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  1. What is wrong with Chinese football [cartoons]?The cognitive processing of multi-domain cartoons Paul van den Hoven (in cooperation with Joost Schilperoord) Utrecht University, Xiamen University

  2. Cartoons are a theoretically challenging genre • Some cartoons evoke rather elaborate argumentative interpretations while others evoke merely an articulated evaluative opinion. • Interpreters differ substantially in the argumentative elaborateness interpreting one and the same cartoon. • Quite often interpreters who cannot come up with a satisfying interpretation of a cartoon are able to formulate quite well what lack of foreknowledge causes their problem.

  3. Cartoons are a theoretically challenging genre • We propose a cognitive processing model that explains the three observations in a coherent way. • We develop this model based on and consistent with conceptual integration theory (CIT; Fauconnier & Turner 2002).

  4. What are cartoons? • ‘(…) a graphic presentation typically designed in a one-panel, non-continuous formatto makean independent statement or observation on political events or social policy’ (Edwards & Winkler 1997: 306, italics added). • Cartoons are prototypically multi-domain blends with a metaphorical reading; in this lecture it will become clear what is meant by that.

  5. Conceptual integration theory • Every semiotic animal knows: a semiotic object is minimally a blend, and therefore it is an instruction to mentally reconstruct it as integration network; that will reveal its meaning. • Therefore the semiotic animal knows: • I need to deblend the object in two input spaces that are related to each other by a generic space. • The system as a whole must reach equilibrium, compatible with my foreknowledge; then I grasp its meaning.

  6. GENERIC SPACE (Event [(Actor), (Object)]) input SPACE 1 input SPACE 2 (event [(actor), (cube chinese soccer ball)]) (event[(actor), (object)]) BLENDED SPACE

  7. Conceptual integration theory • Four prototypical types of (de)blending and accompanying network structures: • simplex (de)blending, • mirror (de)blending, • single scope (de)blending and • doublescope (de)blending • These are increasingly ‘creative’ network relations due to augmented degrees of interpretative freedom.

  8. The structure of the lecture • First, using (1) simplex deblending, I explain in detail how building up the network and searching for equilibrium works. • Then I illustrate the other prototypical forms of deblending. • While doing this, the question comes up: How does the semiotic animal know which type of deblending to choose? • While working, our answer on this question will become clear. • That answer explains what is wrong with Chinese soccer cartoons.

  9. (1) Simplex (de)blending • Simplex (de)blending is the most restricted type of (de)blending. • All elements in the spaces are mapped in an identity relation. • If that results in equilibrium, the interpreter is happy and stops. • The input spaces are mapped : • as argument and predicate, or • as example and prototype, or • as identical elements out of one class

  10. GENERIC SPACE (Event [(Actor), (Object)]) input SPACE 1 input SPACE 2 (event [(actor), (cube chinese soccer ball)]) (event[(actor), (object)]) BLENDED SPACE

  11. (1) Simplex deblending: identity Assume an interpreter who knows what soccer is

  12. (1) Simplex deblending: identity IF EQUILIBRIUM: In China the ball used for soccer is a cube.

  13. Author: Tom Janssen: “the Islam debate” (regie, “director”)

  14. GENERIC SPACE (Event [(Actor), (Object)]) input SPACE 1 input SPACE 2 figure, chair, “REGIE”, megaphone, verbal caption (DIRECT [(man), (“The Islam debate”)]) BLENDED SPACE

  15. (1) Simplex deblending: identity point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be the title of the play

  16. (1) Simplex deblending: identity IF EQUILIBRIUM: A man directs a play named “The Islam debate”

  17. (1) Simplex deblending: identity point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be the title of the play and recognizes the Dutch right-wing politician Wilders

  18. (1) Simplex deblending: identity IF EQUILIBRIUM: Wilders directs a play named “The Islam debate”

  19. (2) Mirror (de)blending • Mirror (de)blending is the second, slightly less restricted type of (de)blending • All elements in the spaces are mapped according to the generic space in an similarity relation. • If that results in equilibrium, the interpreter maps the spaces as mirroring each others structure: the generic space specifies an organizing frame or scenario that is assumed to be similar for the input spaces and the blended space.

  20. (2) Mirror deblending: similarity Assume an interpreter who knows what soccer is

  21. (2) Mirror deblending: similarity IF EQUILIBRIUM: In China they play a game similar to soccer but with a ball that is a cube [of which one needs to imagine the effect on how the game and players look].

  22. (2) Mirror deblending: similarity point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be the title of the play and recognizes Wilders

  23. (2) Mirror deblending: similarity IF EQUILIBRIUM: Wilders directs a ‘play’ named “The Islam debate”

  24. Single scope (de)blending • Single scope (de)blending is the third, again less restricted type of (de)blending • All elements in the spaces are mapped according to the generic space in an analogy relation, the presentation space being the point of departure. • From single scope blending on we speak about a metaphorical relation; we distinguish a presentation space and a reference space.

  25. Single scope (de)blending • This is the big thing: the interpreter assumes a more creative comparison is made. • Input space 2, from now on the reference space, needs a more creative construction by means of mapping from input space 1, from now on the presentation space, that is filled from the blend.

  26. Single scope (de)blending • If that results in equilibrium, the interpreter is happy and maps the spaces as having an analogical structure. • The blended space shares its structure with the presentation space. • The reference space gets an analogical structure.

  27. GENERIC SPACE (Event [(Actor), (Object)]) PRESENTATION SPACE REFERENCE SPACE (event [(actor), (cube chinese soccer ball)]) (event[(actor), (round chinese soccer ball)]) BLENDED SPACE

  28. (3) Single scope deblending: analogy Assume an interpreter who knows what soccer is and understands that Çhina refers to the presentation and the reference space (not necessarily so)

  29. (3) Single scope deblending: analogy IF EQUILIBRIUM: In China they play soccer as if the ball was cube. Transferred values: bad soccer.

  30. GENERIC SPACE (Event [(Actor), (Object)]) PRESENTATION SPACE REFERENCE SPACE (LEAD [(Wilders), (Islam debate)]) Wilders, chair, “REGIE”, megaphone, verbal caption (DIRECT [(Wilders), (“The Islam debate”)]) BLENDED SPACE

  31. (3) Single scope deblending: analogy point of departure for everyone who knows what directing a play or a movie is and takes “The Islam debate” to be the social-political debate about Islam immigrants

  32. (3) Single scope deblending: analogy IF EQUILIBRIUM: Wilders leads the Islam debate as a director a play. Transferred values: authoritarian, one-sided.

  33. Summary so far • We go from (1) identity, to (2) similarity, to (3) analogy. • These are no clear, discrete concepts; that is why the theory speaks about prototypical types; in fact it is a continuous scale of widening the restrictions. • You see the widening reflected in the hypothetical generic space, making the relations between the spaces more ‘creative’: (1) checking identity; (2) checking sufficient similarity; (3) checking a meaningful mapping from presentation on reference space.

  34. Summary so far • Interpretation is: searching for an adequate generic space that results in equilibrium and calculating its consequences. • The search starts with the most restricted model and drops step by step more restrictions.

  35. What single scope does • Single scope deblending introduces a multi-domain, metaphorical relation as a hypothesis to find equilibrium; because the more restricted cycles failed to reach equilibrium. • Because more creativity is allowed, more subjectivity is required; because more subjectivity is required, the discourse conveys a stronger ‘vision’ on the world the discourse is about; because a stronger ‘vision’ is conveyed, opinions become element of the resulting meaning.

  36. What is wrong with Chinese football [cartoons]? • In China they play soccer as if the ball was cube. Transferred values: bad soccer. Equilibrium is reached. Meaning complete. Interpretation process ends. • The best cartoons go fully up to (4) double scope deblending, even to extreme forms of double scope deblending. • Hypothesis to be systematically investigated: overwhelmingly, Chinese (soccer) cartoons go up to single scope only. • What is double scope deblending?

  37. Double scope deblending, type 1 • Double scope (de)blending is the least restricted type of (de)blending. • All elements in the spaces are mapped according to the generic space in an partialanalogy relation, none of the other spaces being uniquely the point of departure. • Disanalogies block establishing single scope equilibrium; no acceptable generic space is found! No equilibrium!

  38. Double scope (de)blending, type 1 • To construct(!) equilibrium, the interpreter creates a set of conditions that would make the disanalogies disappear, and assesses these conditions. • This assessment calls for elaborated inferences and interpretive processing. • Double scope (de)blending invites what is called emergent meaning; the inferences become part of the meaning. • We speak of type 1 double scope blending if the scope of solving disanalogies is restricted to the reference domain.

  39. Double scope (de)blending, type 1 • The interpreter may judge: • Political leadership is not analogue to directing a play (because it assumes freedom of speech while verbal activity of stage plays is predetermined). • Representatives are not analogue to players (because it assumes authenticity while a player is suppose to play someone else).

  40. (4) Double scope deblending 1: disanalogies

  41. Double scope (de)blending, type 1 • The interpreter may judge: • Disanalogies disappear if I assume that the network expresses the attitude and behavior of some relevant party. • Wilders, or the representatives consider the Islam debate as if it was a play. • Assessment: ???

  42. (4) Double scope deblending 1: disanalogies • Wilders (and/or the representatives) deserve to be condemned, because of considering the debate a play.

  43. (4) Double scope deblending 1: disanalogies • The USA deserve to be condemned for their diplomatic behavior towards Cuba, because of treating a sovereign nation as if it is a naughty schoolboy.

  44. (3) Single scope deblending : analogie • Cuba deserve a treatment by the USA as if it is a naughty schoolboy. Cuba acts like a schoolboy and USA responds to that. [equilibrium]

  45. Double scope (de)blending, type 2 • We speak of type 2 double scope blending if the scope of solving disanalogies is not restricted to the reference domain but also affects the presentation domain. • These cartoons are rare and often evoke strong responses because they destabilize the presentation domain which is often deeply rooted in opinions and values the interpreter enhances.

  46. (4) Double scope deblending 1: disanalogies • The USA marines should be condemned for their behavior towards the vicims, because …..

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