The sound of soft alcohol: Crossmodal associations between interjections and liquor

PloS One
Bodo WinterLucien Brown

Abstract

An increasing number of studies reveal crossmodal correspondences between speech sounds and perceptual features such as shape and size. In this study, we show that an interjection Koreans produce when downing a shot of liquor reliably triggers crossmodal associations in American English, German, Spanish, and Chinese listeners who do not speak Korean. Based on how this sound is used in advertising campaigns for the Korean liquor soju, we derive predictions for different crossmodal associations. Our experiments show that the same speech sound is reliably associated with various perceptual, affective, and social meanings. This demonstrates what we call the 'pluripotentiality' of iconicity, that is, the same speech sound is able to trigger a web of interrelated mental associations across different dimensions. We argue that the specific semantic associations evoked by iconic stimuli depend on the task, with iconic meanings having a 'latent' quality that becomes 'actual' in specific semantic contexts. We outline implications for theories of iconicity and advertising.

References

Dec 1, 1994·Physiology & Behavior·J I Glendinning
Dec 1, 1993·Perception & Psychophysics·M HollinsF Young
Feb 13, 2001·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·J E SteinerK C Berridge
Feb 24, 2001·Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers : a Journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc·L M Stadtlander, L D Murdoch
Jul 1, 1965·Journal of Experimental Psychology·G EKMANB LINDSTROEM
May 1, 1955·Journal of Abnormal Psychology·R W BROWNA E HOROWITZ
Oct 8, 2003·Acta Psychologica·Delphine PicardAgnès Giboreau
Nov 10, 2009·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Greg K EssickSteve Guest
Jun 1, 2010·Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America·Tamsin M Lindstrom, William H Robinson
Oct 15, 2010·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·Tamsin M Lindstrom, William H Robinson
Jan 26, 2011·Attention, Perception & Psychophysics·Steve GuestKevin Blot
Jun 15, 2011·Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology = Revue Canadienne De Psychologie Expérimentale·Alan Nielsen, Drew Rendall
Oct 25, 2011·Science·John Bohannon
May 31, 2012·The British Journal of Social Psychology·Sally Wiggins
Jan 1, 2012·Perception·Laura WalkerBrian Francis
Aug 27, 2013·Neurocase·Kaitlyn Bankieris, Julia Simner
Dec 21, 2013·Behavior Research Methods·Eyal PeerAlessandro Acquisti
Apr 9, 2014·Emotion·Ralf RummerMartine Grice
May 21, 2014·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Sascha TopolinskiPiotr Winkielman
Dec 17, 2014·Cognition·Kaitlyn Bankieris, Julia Simner
Feb 26, 2016·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition·Peter Walker
Jul 3, 2016·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·W Tecumseh Fitch
Sep 14, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Damián E BlasiMorten H Christiansen
Dec 30, 2016·Cognitive Science·Christina Y TzengLaura L Namy
Oct 17, 2017·LIA·Erica A CartmillSusan Goldin-Meadow
Oct 28, 2017·Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR·Rajka Smiljanic, Rachael C Gilbert
Nov 16, 2017·The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions·Sukhjinder SidhuSarah Murray

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 2, 2021·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Bodo WinterSven Grawunder

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
chips

Software Mentioned

R
Amazon Mechanical Turk
NEXT

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.