PSY 369: Psycholinguistics

PSY 369: Psycholinguistics Language Comprehension: The role of memory

He sent a letter about it to Galileo, the great Italian scientist. • Center embedded structures • The house burned down. • The house the handyman painted burned down.

The house the handyman the teacher hired painted burned down. • Center embedded structures • The house burned down. • The house the handyman painted burned down. • This sentence is syntactically legal. • So why is it so hard to comprehend? • One possibility is that there are limitations as a result of our cognitive systems • Today’s topic: the role of memory in sentence comprehension

Memory and comprehension • Center embedded structures • The house burned down.

Memory and comprehension • Center embedded structures • The house burned down. • The house the handyman painted burned down.

Memory and comprehension This one may be legal, but that doesn’t mean that it is (easily) comprehensible • Center embedded structures • The house burned down. • The house the handyman painted burned down. • The house the handyman the teacher hired painted burned down. • (the handyman that the teacher hired painted the house that burned down)

Memory and comprehension • Brief summary so far: • What is the role of syntax in comprehension? • Syntax is important for getting the right interpretation during on-line comprehension • There is a lot of research examining what factors influence the on-line construction of syntax • e.g., parsing principles, lexical semantics, plausibility, discourse context, intonnational information • Today: What is the role of Memory in language comprehension?

Memory and comprehension The man that the woman that the child hugged kissed laughed. • Typically we build right branching structures • But here there is a big series of branches down the center S NP RR NP VP NP C V VP The man V laughed RR NP that kissed NP the woman VP C NP that V The child hugged

Memory and comprehension The man that the woman that the child hugged kissed laughed. • Most readers having trouble figuring out who did what to whom (called thematic role assignment). • Easier to assign thematic roles in the two sentences that form it: • The man that the woman kissed laughed. • The woman that the child hugged kissed the man. • Possible explanation for the trouble: • Insufficient working memory resources to retain the intermediate products of computation made building the complex syntactic structure

Measuring memory span • Daneman and Carpenter (1980) Technique: • This technique involves presenting sequences of 2 to 6 sentences, each of 12 to 17 words. • The participant has to read the sentences out loud, and attempt to remember the last word of each. • Then asked to recall as many last words as possible (in any order).

Measuring memory span When at last his eyes opened, there was no gleam of triumph, no shade of anger.

Measuring memory span The taxi turned up Michigan Avenue where they had a clear view of the lake.

Measuring memory span • Recall the last words When at last his eyes opened, there was no gleam of triumph, no shade of anger. The taxi turned up Michigan Avenue where they had a clear view of the lake.

Measuring memory span I turned my memories over at random like pictures in a photograph album.

Measuring memory span I will not shock my readers by describing the cold-blooded butchery that followed.

Measuring memory span He had an odd elongated skull which sat on his shoulder like a pear on a dish.

Measuring memory span You can check out the books that you need for this course at the local library.

Measuring memory span The radio station was promoting the concert with free tickets and back stage passes.

Measuring memory span The professor could be seen on weekends in the backyard garden pulling out weeds.

Measuring memory span • Recall the last words I turned my memories over at random like pictures in a photograph album. I will not shock my readers by describing the cold-blooded butchery that followed. He had an odd elongated skull which sat on his shoulder like a pear on a dish. You can check out the books that you need for this course at the local library. The radio station was promoting the concert with free tickets and back stage passes. The professor could be seen on weekends in the backyard garden pulling out weeds. • Ok for two sentences; Hard at 3 sentences; Very hard for 4 or more. • Used to classify readers as high and low span

Memory and online comprehension • The Capacity Theory of Comprehension (Just & Carpenter, 1992) • Proposed that individual differences in working memory capacity should influence how readers comprehend sentences

“that was” disambiguates these sentences Memory and online comprehension • The Capacity Theory of Comprehension (Just & Carpenter, 1992) • Proposed that individual differences in working memory capacity should influence how readers comprehend sentences • The animacy of the first noun may constrain the possible interpretation of the sentence Semantically Unconstrained: The defendant examined by the lawyer shocked the jury. The defendant that was examined by the lawyer shocked the jury. Semantically Constrained (so should be faster if animacy can be used) The evidence examined by the lawyer shocked the jury. The evidence that was examined by the lawyer shocked the jury.

Memory and online comprehension Just the ambiguous sentences The defendant examined by the lawyer shocked the jury. The evidence examined by the lawyer shocked the jury. High span readers could use the semantic information to resolve the ambiguity

Embedded clause Memory and online comprehension King and Just (1991) • Verbs which could provide strong pragmatic cues as to which of the two potential actors in the sentence was the agent: • The robber that the fireman rescued stole the jewelry. • Two possible agents: • the robber • the fireman • Two verbs, which is the main verb of the sentence?: • rescued • stole

Memory and online comprehension King and Just (1991) • Verbs which could provide strong pragmatic cues as to which of the two potential actors in the sentence was the agent: • . • The robber that the fireman rescued watched the program. • The robber that the fireman detested stole the jewelry. • The robber that the fireman detested watched the program. Strong bias • The robber that the fireman rescued stole the jewelry. No bias • Can bias which Noun goes with which Verb pragmatically (or not) • Questions: • can speakers use this information? • Does memory have an impact?

Memory and online comprehension King and Just (1991) • Verbs which could provide strong pragmatic cues as to which of the two potential actors in the sentence was the agent: embedded verb Main verb • The robber that the fireman rescued stole the jewelry. • The robber that the fireman rescued watched the program. • The robber that the fireman detested stole the jewelry. • The robber that the fireman detested watched the program.

Memory and online comprehension King and Just (1991) • Verbs which could provide strong pragmatic cues as to which of the two potential actors in the sentence was the agent: 90 H H H Comprehension accuracy H L 80 L 70 L L 60 both emmV mainV neither • Results • Low-capacity subjects had lower comprehension overall • High-capacity subjects did NOT improve with pragmatic info • Low-capacity subjects did improve with pragmatic info

Memory and online comprehension Garnsey, Pearlmutter, Pirog (2003) The professor (who was) confronted by the student was not ready for an argument. The professor (had) confronted the student but was not ready for an argument. Question: Do readers differ specifically in how quickly they can use disambiguating words to rule out incorrect alternatives?

If last fix was here, trial not used If last fix was here, trial coded as Preview Unlikely If last fix was here, trial coded as Preview Likely Memory and online comprehension Garnsey, Pearlmutter, Pirog (2003) Eye fixations were analyzed separately - By whether preview of “by” while still fixating on verb likely The professor confrontedby the student was not ready to …

Memory and online comprehension Readers who score high on the Reading Span test - Make better use of a peripherally visible disambiguating word to quickly rule out a preferred but incorrect interpretation

Memory and online comprehension • What information is used to resolve syntactic ambiguities depends on individuals working memory capacity (but see Walters and Caplan (1996) for alternative view) • Just & Carpenter (1992) - high span readers used semantic information early, but low span readers didn’t • King & Just (1991) - high span readers did not use pragmatic information to resolve ambiguity, but low span readers did • Garnsey, Pearlmutter, Pirog (2003) - span differences may also depend on where the eye lands (which determines what kind of preview readers get)

Memory and comprehension • Brief summary so far: • What is the role of syntax in comprehension? • Syntax is important for getting the right interpretation during on-line comprehension • Memory capacity may play an important role in determining what kinds of information we can use to comprehend sentences • What about memory for language over the longer term? What do we remember about sentences?

Memory for sentences Fillenbaum (1966) • Given: • The window is not closed • Tested: • The window is not closed • The window is closed • The window is not open • The window is open Conclusions: Meaning gets preserved, surface structure (and syntax) forgotten <-- surface similar, meaning different <-- surface similar, meaning different <-- surface different, surface different Most common error

Memory for sentences Think back to the beginning of class. Which of the following sentences did you read? • Galileo, the great Italian scientist, sent him a letter about it. • He sent Galileo, the great Italian scientist, a letter about it. • He sent a letter about it to Galileo, the great Italian scientist. • A letter about it was sent to Galileo, the great Italian scientist.

Memory for sentences Sachs (1967, 1974) • Heard (read): • “He sent a letter about it to Galileo, the great Italian scientist.” • Tested: • Same: He sent a letter about it to Galileo, the great Italian scientist. • Act/Pass: A letter about it was sent to Galileo, the great Italian scientist. • Formal: He sent Galileo, the great Italian scientist, a letter about it. • Meaning: Galileo, the great Italian scientist, sent him a letter about it. • Measured accuracy of detecting changes

Memory for sentences Conclusions: Meaning gets preserved, surface structure (and syntax) forgotten

Just good enough representations • Ferreira and colleagues (Christianson et al 2001) • Garden-path sentence • While Anna dressed the baby played in the crib While Anna dressed, the baby played in the crib • Did the baby play in the crib? • Did Anna dress the baby? 100% correct 40% correct Comprehenders don’t always get all of the meaning right, but get enough to get by

Memory and comprehension • Brief summary so far: • What is the role of syntax in comprehension? • Syntax is important for getting the right interpretation during on-line comprehension • Memory capacity may play an important role in determining what kinds of information we can use to comprehend sentences • What about memory for language over the longer term? What do we remember about sentences? • Syntax may not be too important later, we remember the meaning of sentences but not so much the form (syntax) of the sentence

Propositions A mouse bit a cat bit (mouse, cat) • Good memory for meaning but not for form • How do we represent sentence meaning? • Propositions • Two or more concepts with a relationship between them

Propositions A mouse bit a cat bit (mouse, cat) • Good memory for meaning but not for form • How do we represent sentence meaning? • Propositions • Two or more concepts with a relationship between them • Can represent this within a network framework

mouse agent cat patient relation bit Meaning as Propositions • Propositions • A set of conceptual nodes connected by labeled pathways that expresses the meaning of a sentence • A mouse bit a cat or • A cat was bitten by a mouse

Past Eat subject subject relation relation relation time Bread Slow Children Cold Deriving Propositions • More complex example: • Children who are slow eat bread that is cold • Slow children • Children eat bread • Bread is cold

Evidence for Propositions • Memory better for sentences with fewer propositions • “The crowdedpassengerssquirmeduncomfortably” • passengers crowded • passengers squirmed • passengers uncomfortable Three propositions • “The horsestumbled and broke a leg” • horse stumbled • horse broke leg Two propositions

Evidence for Propositions • Bransford & Franks, 1971 • Constructed four-fact sentences, and broke them down into smaller sentences: • 4 - The ants in the kitchen ate the sweet jelly that was on the table. • 3 - The ants in the kitchen ate the sweet jelly • 2 - The ants in the kitchen ate the jelly. • 1 - The jelly was sweet.

Evidence for Propositions • Bransford & Franks, 1971 • Study: Heard 1-, 2-, and 3-fact sentences only • Test: Heard 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-fact sentences (most of which were never presented)

Evidence for Propositions • Bransford & Franks, 1971 • Results: • the more facts in the sentences, the more likely Ss would judge them as “old” and with higher confidence • Even if they hadn’t actually seen the sentence • Constructive Model: we integrate info from individual sentences in order to construct larger ideas • emphasizes the active nature of our cognitive processes

Priming Propositions • Ratcliff and McKoon (1978) “The mausoleum that enshrined the tsar overlooked the square.” • Involves two propositions: • P1 [OVERLOOK, MAUSOLEUM, SQUARE] • P2 [ENSHRINE, MAUSOLEUM, TSAR].

Priming Propositions • Ratcliff and McKoon (1978) • Results in a cued memory task (how long does it take to verify “square” was in the sentence:

Alternative Representations • Propositions are symbolic • Problems: • The referential problem • The implementation problem • The lack of scientific productivity • The lack of a biological foundation • Alternative • Embodied representations (e.g., Barsalou; 1999; Glenberg, 1999)

Embodiment in language • Embodied representations • Perceptual and motor systems play a central role in language production and comprehension • Theoretical proposals • Linguistics: Lakoff, Langacker, Talmy • Neuroscience: Damasio, Edelman • Cognitive psychology: Barsalou, Gibbs, Glenberg, MacWhinney • Computer science: Steels, Feldman

PSY 369: Psycholinguistics