Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space

Barsalou's (1999) perceptual theory of knowledge echoes the pre-20th century tradition of conceptualizing all knowledge as inherently perceptual. Hence conceptual space has an infinite number of dimensions and heavily relies on perceptual experience. Osgood's (1952) semantic differential t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Suncica Zdravkovic, Petar Milin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2011-05-01
Series:i-Perception
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1068/ic297
_version_ 1819202425672695808
author Suncica Zdravkovic
Petar Milin
author_facet Suncica Zdravkovic
Petar Milin
author_sort Suncica Zdravkovic
collection DOAJ
description Barsalou's (1999) perceptual theory of knowledge echoes the pre-20th century tradition of conceptualizing all knowledge as inherently perceptual. Hence conceptual space has an infinite number of dimensions and heavily relies on perceptual experience. Osgood's (1952) semantic differential technique was developed as a bridge between perception and semantics. We updated Osgood's methodology in order to investigate current issues in visual cognition by: (1) using a 2D rather than a 1D space to place the concepts, (2) having dimensions that were perceptual while the targets were conceptual, (3) coupling visual experience with another two perceptual domains (audition and touch), (4) analyzing the data using MDS (not factor analysis). In three experiments, subjects (N = 57) judged five concrete and five abstract words on seven bipolar scales in three perceptual modalities. The 2D space led to different patterns of response compared to the classic 1D space. MDS revealed that perceptual modalities are not equally informative for mapping word-meaning distances (Mantel min = −.23; Mantel max = .88). There was no reliable differences due to test administration modality (paper vs. computer), nor scale orientation. The present findings are consistent with multidimensionality of conceptual space, a perceptual basis for knowledge, and dynamic characteristics of concepts discussed in contemporary theories.
first_indexed 2024-12-23T04:03:49Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a89db2cd10084bca83936e7f5953e5d5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2041-6695
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-23T04:03:49Z
publishDate 2011-05-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series i-Perception
spelling doaj.art-a89db2cd10084bca83936e7f5953e5d52022-12-21T18:00:41ZengSAGE Publishingi-Perception2041-66952011-05-01210.1068/ic29710.1068_ic297Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual SpaceSuncica Zdravkovic0Petar Milin1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, SerbiaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, SerbiaBarsalou's (1999) perceptual theory of knowledge echoes the pre-20th century tradition of conceptualizing all knowledge as inherently perceptual. Hence conceptual space has an infinite number of dimensions and heavily relies on perceptual experience. Osgood's (1952) semantic differential technique was developed as a bridge between perception and semantics. We updated Osgood's methodology in order to investigate current issues in visual cognition by: (1) using a 2D rather than a 1D space to place the concepts, (2) having dimensions that were perceptual while the targets were conceptual, (3) coupling visual experience with another two perceptual domains (audition and touch), (4) analyzing the data using MDS (not factor analysis). In three experiments, subjects (N = 57) judged five concrete and five abstract words on seven bipolar scales in three perceptual modalities. The 2D space led to different patterns of response compared to the classic 1D space. MDS revealed that perceptual modalities are not equally informative for mapping word-meaning distances (Mantel min = −.23; Mantel max = .88). There was no reliable differences due to test administration modality (paper vs. computer), nor scale orientation. The present findings are consistent with multidimensionality of conceptual space, a perceptual basis for knowledge, and dynamic characteristics of concepts discussed in contemporary theories.https://doi.org/10.1068/ic297
spellingShingle Suncica Zdravkovic
Petar Milin
Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space
i-Perception
title Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space
title_full Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space
title_fullStr Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space
title_full_unstemmed Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space
title_short Semantic Representations in 3D Perceptual Space
title_sort semantic representations in 3d perceptual space
url https://doi.org/10.1068/ic297
work_keys_str_mv AT suncicazdravkovic semanticrepresentationsin3dperceptualspace
AT petarmilin semanticrepresentationsin3dperceptualspace