Sentence Construction Task Research Articles

The effect of non-verbal working memory on graphic symbol selection

To identify the relationship between non-verbal working memory and graphic symbol selection, this study examined whether the response time to select target symbols in a sentence construction task differed between two groups: a high non-verbal working memory group and a low non-verbal working memory group. The interaction effect between non-verbal working memory skills and the degree of exposure to graphic symbols was also examined. Thirty-two non-disabled young adults participated in this study. Based on the quartile of the participants’ scores on the non-verbal working memory task (i.e., the backward matrix task), data were selected from the sentence construction task completed by seven participants who belonged to the 25%ile and less and seven who belonged to the 75%ile and more; these data were used to examine group differences. A Mann–Whitney U test showed that non-verbal working memory skills had a significant effect on graphic symbol selection, as the high non-verbal working memory group combined three symbols faster than did the low memory group. No significant interaction effect was found between non-verbal working memory skills and the degree of exposure to symbols. The theoretical and clinical implications of the research findings are discussed.

The Correlation Between Performances Among Lexical-Related Tasks and The Performance in The Sentence Construction Task

This study employed a quantitative correlational design to explore the correlation between the students' performances among lexical-related tasks and how these tasks affect the performance in a sentence construction task. Using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 22’s Pearson Partial Correlation Test, this study calculated participants' performance in primary lexical attributes by recognizing the following aspects of lexical knowledge: pronunciation patterns, morphological structures, syntactic properties, semantic characteristics such as abstract and interconnectedness, and a complete sentence construction in a strict naturalistic classroom setting. The test results showed that the participants made 297.05 seconds on average for 42 correct responses in Lexical Decision Task, 5.88 seconds per picture projected on the screen in Picture-Naming Task, 8.33 seconds for each word in Semantic Judgment Task, and 30.17 seconds on average to complete a sentence. These results concluded that the participants' performance in identifying strings of letters does not correlate significantly with their performance in understanding how a particular word functions grammatically within a sentence. In terms of the level of automaticity, the participants’ performance exceeded the average performance. The findings suggested that their performance in understanding primary lexical attributes in single lexicons does not facilitate their understanding of semantic characteristics. Henceforth, the students’ lexical knowledge does not yet construct an integrated linguistic representation in the target language acquisition. The study confirmed previous evidence that stated that a better performance in lexical-related tasks significantly impacted sentence processing and construction skill.

Ideas rise from chaos: Information structure and creativity

Is structure good or bad for creativity? When it comes to organizing information, management scholars have long advocated for a hierarchical information structure (information organized around higher-order categories as opposed to a flat information structure where there is no higher-order category) to reduce complexity of information processing and increase efficiency of work. However, a hierarchical information structure can be a double-edged sword that may reduce creativity, defined as novel and useful combination of existing information. This is because a hierarchical information structure might obstruct combining information from distal conceptual categories. Thus, the current research investigates whether information structure influences creativity. We theorize that a hierarchical information structure, compared to a flat information structure, will reduce creativity because it reduces cognitive flexibility. Three experiments using a sentence construction task and a LEGO task supported our prediction.

Prospective Memory Is (Also) Not Immune to Imagery

The study adopted a study-test paradigm to investigate whether imagery has a similar effect on prospective memory as it does on retrospective memory. The sample consists of 160 introductory psychology students. The participants were randomly assigned into 2 between groups of imagery: no-imagery and imagery groups. All the participants first studied paired-associate words (List A-B) and were later tested on the paired-associate recall test and sentence construction task. The 2 tests were performed simultaneously. Results of data analyses using the multivariate statistical model showed that memory was better for participants in the imagery group than for participants in the no-imagery group for retrospective memory (p < .001), as well as for prospective memory (p < .001). The obtained effect sizes (ES) of 0.26 and 0.21 for retrospective and prospective memory respectively demonstrate that imagery affects not only retrospective memory, but also prospective memory.

Quasi-neutralization in the acquisition of English coronal fricatives by native speakers of Japanese

Second language learners show various forms of mispronunciation, or modification, of target pronunciation, most perhaps due to direct native language transfer, but others, summarized here, to deflected contrast, hypercorrection and covert contrast. The present paper reports on a novel form of adaptation that we term ‘quasi-neutralization,’ in which acoustic characteristics of competing target phonemes are found within the same interlanguage segment (e.g., think [θɪŋk] pronounced as [θsiŋk]). The three English voiceless coronal fricatives /s/, /ʃ/, /θ/ were elicited from Japanese learners of English via two techniques: a wordlist reading task that encouraged participants to focus on their pronunciation, and a sentence construction task that diverted their attention from pronunciation. Among different types of modification, quasi-neutralization was observed predominantly when participants were conscious of their pronunciation, which could reflect their linguistic insecurity as learners. This research thus illuminates another of the strategies that learners employ in the acquisition of L2 pronunciation.

Automatization in second language sentence processing: A partial, conceptual replication of Hulstijn, Van Gelderen, and Schoonen's 2009 study

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the automatization of sentence processing using the coefficient of variation (CV), a measure of intraindividual processing stability (Segalowitz &amp; Segalowitz, 1993). A smaller CV (i.e., standard deviation to reaction time [RT] ratio) and a positive CV-RT correlation are taken to index increased automatization. Hulstijn, Van Gelderen, and Schoonen (2009) were the first to try to validate the use of CV at the sentence level; however, they did not find any evidence for automatization in their CV analyses. Forty Korean English as a second language students (20 intermediate, 20 advanced) and 20 native speakers performed three speeded tasks in English: a semantic classification task, a sentence verification task, and a sentence construction task. The results revealed that, consistent with findings from previous word recognition studies, the CV in the sentence-level tasks decreased as participants’ proficiency level increased. Although the CV-RT correlation in the sentence verification task was not always significant, no counterevidence against Segalowitz and Segalowitz’ (1993) hypothesis was found. The sentence construction task discriminated better between groups than the sentence verification task. We argue that the CV may be a valid measure of automatization at the sentence level, provided the tasks used target lower-level processes such as word recognition, parsing, and semantic proposition formation.

Advanced Cantonese ESL Learners' Use of a Monolingual Dictionary for Language Production

This article reports on the results of a research study which investigated the use of monolingual dictionaries by Hong Kong advanced Cantonese ESL learners in the production of target language sentences. Thirty-one English majors participated in a sentence completion task and a sentence construction task with and without the help of a monolingual dictionary. In the sentence completion task, a full Chinese context and a partial English context were given, whereas in the sentence construction task, only a few English prompts were given. Different self-reporting protocols, including introspective questionnaires, retrospective questionnaires and think-aloud recordings, and a post-task focus-group interview were conducted to tap into the participants' thinking processes during dictionary consultation. The results show that a monolingual dictionary is useful in helping learners produce target language sentences, yet learners encounter different kinds of consultation problems, some of which are related to their general use of dictionaries and others to the language in which their thinking processes are engaged. It is suggested that ESL learners use both monolingual and bilingualized dictionaries in their learning and that ESL teachers design dictionary skills training programs which take into account learners' linguistic competence and actual consultation problems.

Advanced Cantonese ESL Learners' Use of a Monolingual Dictionary for Language Production

This article reports on the results of a research study which investigated the use of monolingual dictionaries by Hong Kong advanced Cantonese ESL learners in the production of target language sentences. Thirty-one English majors participated in a sentence completion task and a sentence construction task with and without the help of a monolingual dictionary. In the sentence completion task, a full Chinese context and a partial English context were given, whereas in the sentence construction task, only a few English prompts were given. Different self-reporting protocols, including introspective questionnaires, retrospective questionnaires and think-aloud recordings, and a post-task focus-group interview were conducted to tap into the participants' thinking processes during dictionary consultation. The results show that a monolingual dictionary is useful in helping learners produce target language sentences, yet learners encounter different kinds of consultation problems, some of which are related to their general use of dictionaries and others to the language in which their thinking processes are engaged. It is suggested that ESL learners use both monolingual and bilingualized dictionaries in their learning and that ESL teachers design dictionary skills training programs which take into account learners' linguistic competence and actual consultation problems. Keywords: Lexicography, Monolingual Dictionaries, Dictionary Use, Dictionary Consultation, Usefulness Of Dictionaries, Language Production, Sentence Completion, Sentence Construction, Cantonese Esl Learners, Problems Encountered, Contexts Given

English–Afrikaans intrasentential code switching: Testing a feature checking account

The work presented here aims to account for the structure of intrasentential code switching between English and Afrikaans within the framework of feature checking theory, a theory associated with minimalist syntax. Six constructions in which verb position differs between English and Afrikaans were analysed in terms of differences in the strength of particular features associated with functional categories, and the ability of verbs of either language to check these features. Predictions for the well-formedness of code-switched constructions were informed by data elicited from thirty fluently bilingual participants by means of relative judgements of visually-presented code-switched sentences and auditorily-presented code-switched utterances, and a sentence construction task. Findings indicated straightforward support for the predictions for adverb, focalisation, and topicalisation constructions, but less support for embeddedthatandwhclauses andyes-noquestions. Alternative explanations for the latter results are proposed. The work suggests that the same mechanisms and devices proposed to account for monolingual data can also account for code-switching data.

Variation in brain lateralization during various language tasks: A functional transcranial Doppler study

Language dominance has repeatedly been demonstrated by means of functional transcranial Doppler (fTCD) ultrasonography. However, one strongly lateralizing paradigm might be an overestimation of overall language lateralization. We hypothesized that significant differences between hemodynamic patterns could be shown by using multiple language functions (such as productive and receptive tasks). Particularly, we expected more left-hemispheric activity in frontal and productive tasks and we expected less clear left-hemispheric activity in temporal regions and receptive tasks. Thirty healthy volunteers were included in the study. The lateralization index (LI) was measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography for each subject during four language tasks: a cued word generation task (WF), a sentence construction task (SENT), a reading task (READ), and a semantic decision task (SEMANT). Left-hemispheric dominance was found in 90%, 80%, 73.3% and 66.7% of the subjects for respectively WF, SENT, READ and SEMANT. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences in LIs between the different language tasks ( p < .01). Our results showed that productive and syntactic tasks (WF and SENT) lateralize stronger than receptive tasks (READ and SEMANT). The use of a variety of language tasks in the determination of language lateralization therefore appears to be essential in providing a more comprehensive view of language functioning.

Negation in agrammatism: a cross-linguistic comparison

Negation is a concept that has hardly received attention in aphasia research. The present study describes the performance of agrammatic speakers of three different languages — English, Dutch and Norwegian — on a sentence comprehension and two sentence anagram tests. These languages have been chosen, because the structure of the negative sentence is different in terms of the internal structure of the negation phrase (NegP) and the position of this phrase in the syntactic tree. No difference in comprehension of negative and affirmative sentences is found. The results on the sentence construction tests, however, vary per language. The English agrammatics are worse than the Dutch and Norwegian in constructing negative, but not in positive sentences. It is suggested that it is the internal structure of NegP that influences agrammatic performance on a sentence construction task.

Markedness and the acquisition of the English dative alternation by L2 speakers

A recent series of articles by Mazurkewich (1984a; 1984b; 1985) has suggested that the English dative alternation is acquired by L2 speakers in the sequence: [_ NP PP] → [_ NP NP]. This order of difficulty, it is argued in those papers, reflects an aspect of Universal grammar (UG): [_ NP PP] construc tions are part of core grammar and are therefore unmarked in UG, while [_ NP NP] constructions are peripheral and are therefore marked in UG. According to Mazurkewich, 'markedness' as defined by UG directly explains order of difficulty: constructions that are deemed marked in UG are more diffi cult for L2 speakers to acquire than unmarked constructions. The present study reexamines the acquisition of the English dative alternation across a wider range of dative verbs than was considered by Mazurkewich. A group of French L 1 subjects were given two different tasks: a grammaticality judgment task and a sentence construction task. It was found that although the results confirm an order of difficulty: [_ NP PP] → [_ NP NP], this developmental sequence conceals a more complex set of stages in the acquisition of the dative alternation involving features like the syntactic distributional subclass of the verb in ques tion, whether the dative object involved is a lexical NP or a pronoun, and the syllabic structure of the base form of the verb. These features, it turns out, interact to produce a multistaged developmental sequence. This finding calls into question the usefulness of a UG definition of markedness in explaining the L2 acquisition of the English dative alternation. An alternative account is pro posed in terms of the familiar psycholinguistic notion of 'learning complexity' which seems to offer a better account of the acquisition process.

The role of category accessibility in the interpretation of information about persons: Some determinants and implications.

Many personality trait terms can be thought of as summary labels for broad conceptual categories that are used to encode information about an individual's behavior into memory. The likelihood that a behavior is encoded in terms of a particular trait category is postulated to be a function of the relative accessibility of that category in memory. In addition, the trait category used to encode a particular behavior is thought to affect subsequent judgments of the person along dimensions to which it is directly or indirectly related. To test these hypotheses, subjects first performed a sentence construction task that activated concepts associated with either hostility (Experiment 1) or kindness (Experiment 2). As part of an ostensibly unrelated impression formation experiment, subjects later read a description of behaviors that were ambiguous with respect to hostility (kindness) and then rated the target person along a variety of trait dimensions. Ratings of the target along these dimensions increased with the number of times that the test concept had previously been activated in the sentence construction task and decreased with the time interval between these prior activations and presentation of the stimulus information to be encoded. Results suggest that category accessibility is a major determinant of the way in which social information is encoded into memory and subsequently used to make judgments. Implications of this for future research and theory development are discussed.

Locus of control of reinforcement and responsiveness to social influence.

SummaryIn this study, the “control of reinforcement” dimension was used to generate differential predictions about subject responsiveness to subtle social influence and experimenter effectiveness in producing change in verbal behavior As predicted, “external” control subjects, selectively reinforced in a sentence construction task, evidenced significantly greater performance gains than “internal” subjects When reports of awareness were used to further subdivide subjects, it was found that aware externals accounted for the conditioning effect whereas aware internals, unaware subjects, and controls were comparable and showed essentially no change in performance These differences were interpreted as being due to the internal's resistiveness to subtle forms of influence. The anticipated experimenter effect was nonsignificant Consideration of the control of reinforcement dimension as an important determinant of responsiveness to social influence in certain situations was emphasized

Awareness and Intertrial Activity in Verbal Conditioning

It was hypothesized that, in VOC, the relationship between awareness and performance gains would be a function of the experimental conditions during training. Fifty-six naive Ss were assigned to 1 of 4 experimental conditions. Each group performed the Taffel sentence-construction task. This was the only treatment given one group; a second group was required to perform a color-naming task between trials. A third group was required to write their “thoughts about the experiment” between blocks of trials, while a fourth group was required to perform both the intertrial and the inter-block tasks. All groups demonstrated significant performance gains. The color-naming task resulted in significantly less performance gain, as expected, but, contrary to expectation, did not significantly inhibit the development of awareness. The discrepancies between the present results and those of previous studies were explored as were the implications for understanding the VOC process.

The acquisition of positive secondary reinforcement in human subjects

The purpose of the present study was to determine if it is possible to build reinforcing properties into a neutral stimulus and to use the stimulus to influence verbal behavior in a different task. A pencil tap was paired with “right” during a paired-associates learning task and was then tested for reinforcing properties on a subsequent sentence construction task. The results indicated that the tap functioned as a reinforcer on the sentence construction task.

THE APPROVAL MOTIVE, VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT AND VERBAL CONDITIONING.

This study investigated the relationship of approval motivation to verbal conditioning under vicarious reinforcement. Fifteen college students completed 20 operant trials in a sentence construction task. They then observed E reinforce a “programmed” confederate who emitted critical responses according to a typical acquisition curve. Fifteen control Ss observed identical confederate behavior with the reinforcements omitted. An additional 15 control Ss did not receive the observation phase. All Ss then were given 40 nonreinforced trials. A significant conditioning effect occurred only for Ss with high need for approval in the vicarious reinforcement condition. Results were related to previous verbal conditioning research.

Verbal Conditioning and Awareness in a Sentence-Construction Task

Verbal Conditioning and Awareness in a Sentence-Construction Task

Verbal Conditioning in a New Sentence Construction Task: A Further Study

The previously obtained results in verbal conditioning with a new sentence construction task were shown in this study to be independent of sex of both S and E. It was shown that the conditioning of names beginning with L and M was possible, although there was a significant initial preference for M names. These results further demonstrated that conditioning on this task was restricted exclusively to the aware Ss.