Scope of word meaning activation during sentence processing by young and older adults.
In a naming experiment, we examined word meaning activation on-line during sentence processing by younger and older adults. Sentences were biased to either the most or least frequently used meaning of a sentence-final ambiguous word. In order to determine the scope of initial meaning activation, targets represented either high- or low-salient semantic relationships to a single sense of the ambiguous word in context. Both age groups evidenced context-dependent activation of word meaning. In addition, context activated a wide scope of meaning that included both high- and low-salience aspects of the ambiguous words. These results contradict predictions based on the inhibition deficit hypothesis (Hasher & Zacks, 1988). However, they are compatible with an interactive activation model of language comprehension that does not discriminate among age groups.
Hopkins
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University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA.
Kellas
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Paul
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D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading; D012660:Semantics; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis