Hierarchical Responses Elicited by Verbal and Pictorial Stimuli

Abstract

clarify verbal descriptions and vice versa. Yet there is evidence that verbal and pictorial presentations of the same stimuli can evoke different, even conflicting, responses; when this happens, of course, the result is likely to be confusion rather than clarification. If the responses to verbal and to pictorial representations of the same stimuli could be predicted, it would be possible to use combinations of words and pictures with greater confidence and efficiency. To make such predictions it would be useful to know the location of specific responses in the hierarchy of responses to specific stimuli when presented verbally and when presented pictorially. Underwood and Richardson (1956a) have done some work with the hierarchical arrangement of responses to verbal presentations of selected concrete nouns. The present study extends that work to the pictorial presentation of certain of these nouns. In a discussion of considerations for research on thinking, Underwood (1952) looked at-among other things-what he called perceptual and symbolic presentations of stimuli. A perceptual presentation would be a picture of an object, say a cat; whereas a symbolic presentation would be the word that names the object, in this case cat. (The present writer feels that the terms pictorial and verbal better describe the methods of presentation; hence, the difference in terminology.) Underwood said that two facts need to be considered in making predictions concerning problem solution with perceptual and symbolic presentation of stimuli: (a) properties of objects germane to solution may not be remembered when the stimuli are symbolic (verbal) and solution, then, will not be achieved; but on the other hand, (b) the forgotten properties of symbolic stimuli may be irrelevant and in such cases solution can be more rapid than with perceptual (pictorial) presentation. The implication of Underwood's theorizing seems to be that it is reasonable to expect verbal and pictorial representations of stimuli to evoke somewhat different responses. Two earlier studies examined both qualitative and quantitative differences in responses to verbal and pictorial stimuli (Otto, 1962, 1963). In these studies, 10 groups of three stimuli each were used; for example, one group consisted of pillow, slipper, and kitten. Subjects responded