Dataset Information

Syntactic flexibility and planning scope: the effect of verb bias on advance planning during sentence recall.

ABSTRACT: In sentence production, grammatical advance planning scope depends on contextual factors (e.g., time pressure), linguistic factors (e.g., ease of structural processing), and cognitive factors (e.g., production speed). The present study tests the influence of the availability of multiple syntactic alternatives (i.e., syntactic flexibility) on the scope of advance planning during the recall of Dutch dative phrases. We manipulated syntactic flexibility by using verbs with a strong bias or a weak bias toward one structural alternative in sentence frames accepting both verbs (e.g., strong/weak bias: De ober schotelt/serveert de klant de maaltijd [voor] "The waiter dishes out/serves the customer the meal"). To assess lexical planning scope, we varied the frequency of the first post-verbal noun (N1, Experiment 1) or the second post-verbal noun (N2, Experiment 2). In each experiment, 36 speakers produced the verb phrases in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm. On each trial, they read a sentence presented one word at a time, performed a short distractor task, and then saw a sentence preamble (e.g., De ober…) which they had to complete to form the presented sentence. Onset latencies were compared using linear mixed effects models. N1 frequency did not produce any effects. N2 frequency only affected sentence onsets in the weak verb bias condition and especially in slow speakers. These findings highlight the dependency of planning scope during sentence recall on the grammatical properties of the verb and the frequency of post-verbal nouns. Implications for utterance planning in everyday speech are discussed.

SUBMITTER: van de Velde M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4202777 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Syntactic flexibility and planning scope: the effect of verb bias on advance planning during sentence recall.

van de Velde Maartje M Meyer Antje S AS

Frontiers in psychology 20141020

In sentence production, grammatical advance planning scope depends on contextual factors (e.g., time pressure), linguistic factors (e.g., ease of structural processing), and cognitive factors (e.g., production speed). The present study tests the influence of the availability of multiple syntactic alternatives (i.e., syntactic flexibility) on the scope of advance planning during the recall of Dutch dative phrases. We manipulated syntactic flexibility by using verbs with a strong bias or a weak bi ...[more]

PMID: 25368592

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Project description:Two experiments examine how grammatical verb aspect constrains our understanding of events. According to linguistic theory, an event described in the perfect aspect (John had opened the bottle) should evoke a mental representation of a finished event with focus on the resulting object, whereas an event described in the imperfective aspect (John was opening the bottle) should evoke a representation of the event as ongoing, including all stages of the event, and focusing all entities relevant to the ongoing action (instruments, objects, agents, locations, etc.). To test this idea, participants saw rebus sentences in the perfect and imperfective aspect, presented one word at a time, self-paced. In each sentence, the instrument and the recipient of the action were replaced by pictures (John was using/had used a *corkscrew* to open the *bottle* at the restaurant). Time to process the two images as well as speed and accuracy on sensibility judgments were measured. Although experimental sentences always made sense, half of the object and instrument pictures did not match the temporal constraints of the verb. For instance, in perfect sentences aspect-congruent trials presented an image of the corkscrew closed (no longer in-use) and the wine bottle fully open. The aspect-incongruent yet still sensible versions either replaced the corkscrew with an in-use corkscrew (open, in-hand) or the bottle image with a half-opened bottle. In this case, the participant would still respond "yes", but with longer expected response times. A three-way interaction among Verb Aspect, Sentence Role, and Temporal Match on image processing times showed that participants were faster to process images that matched rather than mismatched the aspect of the verb, especially for resulting objects in perfect sentences. A second experiment replicated and extended the results to confirm that this was not due to the placement of the object in the sentence. These two experiments extend previous research, showing how verb aspect drives not only the temporal structure of event representation, but also the focus on specific roles of the event. More generally, the findings of visual match during online sentence-picture processing are consistent with theories of perceptual simulation.

Project description:BackgroundAccordons-nous, a smartphone app, was developed to support patients in the advance care planning (ACP) process. The app raises awareness and facilitates communication on this sensitive topic. It helps patients express their values and preferences for care and write their advance directives (AD).ObjectiveMeasure the impact of distributing Accordons-nous on patients' propensity to engage in the ACP process, compared with the distribution of a leaflet. A secondary objective was to test the effect of socio-demographic factors (age, health status, gender, level of education) on propensity to engage in ACP.MethodsPre-post randomized control study. Participants were patients approached in medical waiting rooms. They received the app (treatment) or an information leaflet (control). They responded to two questionnaires: one at recruitment and a second 3-4 weeks later. Improvement on four variables relevant to ACP was measured: reported contemplation of an event relevant to ACP; decision about treatment in case of that event; discussion about it with relatives or health care professionals; writing advance directives. Statistical analysis included between-group comparisons of pre-post differences with 2-sample tests for equality of proportions and logistic regression models.ResultsFour hundred seventy three participants were recruited and full responses obtained from 312. Overall, the intervention (control and treatment together) had a positive effect on the mean reported ACP engagement for all variables: new or renewed contemplation 54%; increase in decision 8%, discussion 11%, and writing 1%, compared to the baseline. Compared to the control (leaflet), the treatment group (app) had a larger effect size for all variables: between-group difference in contemplation + 11% (logistic regression, p = .05), decision + 1% (but p > .05 on this variable), discussion + 5% (p = .05), and writing AD + 5% (p = .03). Moreover, greater age was positively correlated with having written AD at inclusion (21% among retired compared to 2% among young adults) and with the propensity to write AD after our intervention (logistic regression, p = .001). Other factors tested (frequency of consultations, gender, level of education) had no effect on participants' ACP engagement.ConclusionsWhen distributed without specific counselling, the tool increased reported ACP engagement, although effect sizes remain modest. Further studies are needed to investigate whether the app could generate greater ACP engagement if used by professionals in dedicated ACP consultations.

Dataset Information

Syntactic flexibility and planning scope: the effect of verb bias on advance planning during sentence recall.

Publications

Syntactic flexibility and planning scope: the effect of verb bias on advance planning during sentence recall.

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