=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-1347/paper22
|storemode=property
|title=Metaphorical priming in a lexical decision task in high functioning autism
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1347/paper22.pdf
|volume=Vol-1347
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/networds/ChahbounVSEV15
}}
==Metaphorical priming in a lexical decision task in high functioning autism==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1347/paper22.pdf
Metaphorical priming in a lexical decision task in
high functioning autism
Chahboun1, S., Vulchanov1, V., Saldaña2, D., Eshuis, R.1 and Vulchanova1, M.
1Language Acquisition and Language Processing Lab, NTNU, Norway.
2Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva, University of Seville, Spain.
1 Introduction: we need to be able to “decode” the
intentions and ideas of person to whom
The difficulties experienced by autistic we are talking. The findings from this
individuals with regard to study showed that metaphor
communication and language are comprehension is impaired in
widely known and well documented. individuals with autism.
Individuals with High functioning
autism (ASD) are distinguished by Our hypothesis in this study is that this
relative preservation of linguistic and deficient metaphorical ability might
cognitive skills. However, problems depend, not only in the type of
with pragmatic language skills have figurative expression (regarding the
been consistently reported across the novelty or conventionality of it), but
autistic spectrum, even when structural also on the way these expressions are
language is intact. Many studies perceived. This is especially relevant
establish failure to understand for individuals with ASD who need
metaphors, idioms and other forms of specific ways of integrating inputs, such
figurative language (Gold & Faust, as the ways in which the type of
2010; Vulchanova, Talcott, Vulchanov instruction can drastically change the
& Stankova, 2012). Figurative language reading comprehension in this
takes many forms, conceptual population (Micai, Vulchanova &
metaphors being one of the most Saldaña 2015). In the current study, we
common. On the cognitive level, test responses to metaphorical
conceptual metaphors are the mental expressions and whether or not
representations we establish in order to metaphors solicit priming for literal or
map between two domains (Lakoff & rather the appropriate figurative
Johnson 1980; Fauconnier 1985; interpretation in high-functioning
Vulchanova, Saldaña, Chahboun & children and adolescents with ASD.
Vulchanov 2015). In other words, the
logic of one conceptual domain is These tests are carried out through a
applied to another. cross modal priming task. Priming is a
process occurring outside conscious
Several studies have shown impaired awareness, and thus differs from direct
figurative language in ASD populations. retrieval. It is an effect of retrieval from
One of the first studies in figurative implicit memory, creating a heightened
language in autism for instance was that sensitivity to certain stimuli. In general,
of Happé (1995). She used 3 types of priming effects are found between
expressions: synonyms, similes, and lexical items which share a semantic
metaphors. The underlying assumption component or a semantic association.
of this study is that, in order to For example, angel is recognized
understand these kinds of expressions, quicker, if it is followed by wings than,
Copyright © by the paper’s authors. Copying permitted for private and academic purposes.
In Vito Pirrelli, Claudia Marzi, Marcello Ferro (eds.): Word Structure and Word Usage. Proceedings of the NetWordS Final
Conference, Pisa, March 30-April 1, 2015, published at http://ceur-ws.org
102
say, table. Here we exploit priming to modality of presentation of the stimuli
reveal how metaphorical expressions (auditory vs. written) has an effect on
are associated with figurative as their processing, as already established
opposed to literal interpretations in in on-going research (Chahboun,
individuals with ASD. We are also Vulchanov, Saldaña & Vulchanova,
interested in whether or not the 2015).
2 Method: Responses were collected with a
response box; response accuracy (ACC)
2.1 Participants: and reaction times (RTs) were
Two age groups of high-functioning measured by the E-prime software. The
ASD participants (N=48) and controls stimuli included 36 prime expressions
(N=39) were included (all native classified into 3 different types: novel
speakers of Spanish),each group has 2 metaphors, conventional metaphors and
age ranges free combinations (non- metaphorical
Group 1: Age range 10-12. expressions), all comprising a noun and
Control group (N=18) and ASD group a modifier. The target words were
(N=26). semantically related to the prime
Group 2: Age range 16-20. expressions. On half of the instances for
Control group (N=21) and ASD group each group of expressions, targets were
(N=22). related to the figurative interpretation of
the prime, the remaining half were
Participants and their legal tutors related to the literal meaning (cf.
(usually the parents) provided written Figure1.)
consent for entry into the study. Most of
the individuals had participated in an In a pilot study with 150 adult native
earlier study (Chahboun et al 2015). speakers of Spanish, we determined the
degree of familiarity of the metaphors.
The diagnosis of ASD was confirmed This allowed us to verify the
according to the Autism Diagnostic conventionality of the metaphors or
Observation Schedule (ADOS) and also their novelty, and their inclusion in the
with the Autism Quotient (AQ). test stimuli. The same number of filler
expressions (N=36) were added,
We also made sure the participants do
respectively as primes, and non-words
not have any structural language deficit.
served as targets. Thus, each participant
In addition to measuring the general IQ
responded in total to 72 trials, 36 in each
with the Weschler Scale (WISC IV or
modality: visual modality (stimuli
WAIS) we measured the participants’
presented orthographically) and
receptive vocabulary (British Picture
auditory (stimuli presented auditorily).
Vocabulary Scale), their grammatical
The experiment was designed as a
language level (CEG: Test of
lexical decision task on the target word.
comprehension of grammatical
structures) and theory of mind.
2.2 Apparatus and Stimuli:
Stimuli were displayed on a color
monitor controlled by E-prime software
implemented on a Dell compatible
laptop.
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3 Preliminary results:
The data of both the control and
experimental group (N=19) were
analysed with R. A linear mixed model
analysis on RTs revealed a significant
interaction between presentation
modality and conventionality of the
metaphors (p<.05), with poorer
performance of the ASD group when
the prime was presented auditorily.
Furthermore, there was an interaction
Figure 1: Examples of the targets between group and age, with younger
semantically related used: Literal or groups taking more time to respond.
metaphorical relation Finally, the results showed a significant
interaction between modality, type of
2.3 Procedure: target and age. The younger groups’
Each participant was tested individually performance was slower when the
in a single session. Participants either prime was presented auditorily, and
saw the prime expression on a computer when the target relationship with the
screen or heard it via loud-speakers. prime was figurative.
The timing of the specific stimulus Regarding accuracy, with a generalized
events on each trial was as follows: (1) linear mixed model (R) we found
The prime is presented as visual text on significant interactions depending on
the screen or auditorily via the loud- the modality of the prime. The ASD
speakers (depending on the groups were less accurate in the
experimental block ); (2) a fixation auditory modality, in contrast with the
point is presented followed by a delay control groups. Moreover, the results
of 400 ms as a latency; (3) a target is show a significant interaction between
presented as word or non-word; (4) conventional metaphors and age in both
Finally, participants have to decide groups. There was a significant
whether the target is a word or not in interaction between the type of target,
Spanish (cf. Figure 2.). modality and age. Finally, a main effect
of group, a main effect of age and an
interaction of age and group were
observed The typically developing
participants were more accurate in both
age ranges. In both the experimental
and the control group, the older
participants performed better than the
younger ones, and the difference in
performance between the age ranges in
the ASD group was greater than in the
control group.
Figure 2: Sequence of events for the
trials of the experiment.
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4 Conclusions: References:
Most of the available literature and Chahboun, S., Vulchanov, V., Saldaña,
previous studies, using a range of D., Eshuis, H. & Vulchanova, M.
different methodologies, consistently (2015). Contextual and visual cues in
demonstrate that figurative language is the interpretation of idioms in high
demanding for ASD populations. functioning autism. Manuscript in
preparation.
In particular, metaphors present a Fauconnier, G. (1985). Mental spaces.
difficulty in terms of processing for the Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
ASD group. The preliminary results of Gold, R. & Faust, M. (2010). Right
this study confirm our earlier findings Hemisphere Dysfunction and
that the auditory modality is more Metaphor Comprehension in Young
demanding for the ASD group. Adults with Asperger Syndrome.
Surprisingly, the significant effect we Journal of Autism and
found for accuracy was confined to the Developmental Disorders, 40, 7,
conventional metaphors. An 800-811.
explanation can be sought in the Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980).
difference between conventional Metaphors we live by. Chicago:
and novel metaphors. University of Chicago Press.
Conventional metaphors are less Micai, M., Vulchanova, M., & Saldaña,
transparent, making them more D. (2015). Can targeted instructions
problematic compared to novel change the reading strategy of
metaphors, as these might be processed children with ASD? An eye link
without the need for prior familiarity. study. Manuscript in preparation.
Vulchanova, M., Talcott, J.,
These results support the findings in Vulchanov, V., and Stankova, M.
Chahboun et al (2015), where a similar (2012). Language against the odds,
effect was found for idioms contra or rather not: The Weak Central
novel metaphors. Idioms are similar to Coherence hypothesis and language.
conventional metaphors in that both Journal of Neurolinguistics, 25,
types of expression are less transparent 1,13-30.
than both literal expressions and novel Vulchanova, M., Saldaña, D.,
metaphors. Chahboun, S., & Vulchanov, V.
Acknowledgments: (2015): Figurative language
processing in atypical populations:
This project has received funding from The ASD perspective. Frontiers in
the European Union’s Seventh Human Neuroscience, special issue
Framework Programme for research; The Metaphorical Brain.
technological development and doi:10.3389/fnhum.2015.00024.
demonstration under grant agreement
no 316748.
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