Tight and loose are not created equal: an asymmetry underlying the representation of fit in English- and Korean-speakers.
Research concerning the spatial dimension fit (tight versus loose) has been based on a tacit but untested assumption that the dimension fit is symmetrical, with tight- and loose-fitting relations highlighting the dimension fit with equal force. We propose a reformulation, documenting that adult speakers of English (Experiment 1) and Korean (Experiment 2) are sensitive to the dimension fit, but that their representation is asymmetric, with tight-fitting events highlighting fit with greater force than loose-fitting events. We propose that sensitivity to the dimension fit is more resilient than has previously been suggested, and that the asymmetry documented here provides a foundation upon which to pursue nuanced questions about the relationship between language and our underlying representations of space.
Norbury
Heather M
HM
Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. norbury@northwestern.edu
Waxman
Sandra R
SR
Song
Hyun-Joo
HJ
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D012660:Semantics; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult