PMID: 8961816Nov 1, 1996Paper

Cross-language facilitation, semantic blindness, and the relation between language and memory: a reply to Altarriba and Soltano

Memory & Cognition
D G MacKayM D Miller

Abstract

This comment corrects some inaccuracies, points to some methodological problems, and makes three substantive observations regarding the Altarriba and Soltano (1996) article. First, token individuation theory does not explain what is new and interesting in the Altarriba and Soltano data, namely cross-language semantic facilitation in lists and a list-sentence effect, that is, a large difference in the effect of semantic repetition when identical translation equivalents occurred in sentences versus lists. Second, Altarriba and Soltano's small and nonsignificant semantic blindness effect for translation equivalents in split-language sentences is attributable to the peculiar nature of their materials, procedures, analyses, and experimental design. These problems nullify their conclusion that semantic blindness does not occur, and we discuss several clear cases where semantic blindness has been demonstrated. Finally, we suggest an explanation for Altarriba and Soltano's unexplained effects (cross-language facilitation and the list-sentence effect) and show why these effects are important for the general issue of relations between language and memory.

References

May 1, 1991·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·N Kanwisher
Feb 1, 1990·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·N G Kanwisher, M C Potter
Apr 1, 1994·Psychological Review·R M Shiffrin, R M Nosofsky
Jun 1, 1994·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·J Park, N Kanwisher

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Citations

Feb 14, 1998·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·D M Burke, D G Mackay

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