Natural language use in habitual propositional-type thought (support from Japanese-English and English-Japanese bilingual covert codeswitching data)
The question of whether we think in natural language or in non language-specific Ăâ?MentaleseĂâ? has been a subject of debate for some time in the psychology/philosophy-related disciplines. The answer to this question should bring us a step nearer to understanding the language/thought relationship. In this study, a tentative model of language/thought interaction is outlined in which natural language is assigned a key role in cognition as the format of habitual propositional thought. Three research paradigms were employed to test features of this model. In a preliminary survey, Japanese-English/English-Japanese bilinguals reported being conscious of making covert use of natural language in the form of inner speech, alternately using their languages (covertly codeswitching) in doing so. Two experiments were conducted to empirically verify these self-reports and extend observation beyond the realm of subjects' inner speech. In a word association test, SsĂâ? Japanese semantic networks were equally primed by a task where they covertly organised their thoughts in preparation for delivering a short talk in Japanese as they were after periods of overt Japanese speech. In a second task subjectsĂâ? reaction
Henser, Stephen John
Natural language use in habitual propositional-type thought (support from Japanese-English and English-Japanese bilingual covert codeswitching data). The question of whether we think in natural language or in non language-specific Ăâ?MentaleseĂâ? has been a subject of debate for some time in the psychology/philosophy-related disciplines. The answer to this question should bring us a step nearer to understanding the language/thought relationship. In this study, a tentative model of language/thought interaction is outlined in which natural language is assigned a key role in cognition as the format of habitual propositional thought. Three research paradigms were employed to test features of this model. In a preliminary survey, Japanese-English/English-Japanese bilinguals reported being conscious of making covert use of natural language in the form of inner speech, alternately using their languages (covertly codeswitching) in doing so. Two experiments were conducted to empirically verify these self-reports and extend observation beyond the realm of subjects' inner speech. In a word association test, SsĂâ? Japanese semantic networks were equally primed by a task where they covertly organised their thoughts in preparation for delivering a short talk in Japanese as they were after periods of overt Japanese speech. In a second task subjectsĂâ? reaction
natural_language use habitual propositional type thought support japanese_english english_japanese bilingual covert data question_whether think natural_language non language_specific subject debate time psychology philosophy related discipline answer_question bring step language thought relationship study tentative model language thought interaction outline natural_language assign key_role cognition format habitual propositional thought paradigm employ test feature model preliminary survey japanese_english english_japanese bilingual report conscious make covert use natural_language form inner speech use language conduct empirically verify self reports extend observation beyond realm subject inner speech word_association test japanese semantic network equally prim task organise thought preparation deliver short talk japanese period overt japanese speech second task reaction