Brain Sciences

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11 pages, 341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Executive Functions and Language Skills in Preschool Children: The Unique Contribution of Verbal Working Memory and Cognitive Flexibility

by Marisa G. Filipe, Andreia S. Veloso and Sónia Frota

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030470 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4269

Abstract

The development of language skills requires a range of linguistic abilities and cognitive processes, such as executive functions (EFs, i.e., a set of skills involved in goal-directed activities which are crucial for regulating thoughts and actions). Despite progress in understanding the link between [...] Read more.

The development of language skills requires a range of linguistic abilities and cognitive processes, such as executive functions (EFs, i.e., a set of skills involved in goal-directed activities which are crucial for regulating thoughts and actions). Despite progress in understanding the link between language and EFs, the need for more research on the extent and directionality of this link is undeniable. This study examined whether specific components of EFs account for a significant amount of variance in language abilities above and beyond gender, age, and nonverbal intelligence. The sample comprised 79 typically developing children attending the last year of preschool (M_age = 64.5 months, SD = 3.47). EFs were assessed through tasks that explored three predictor variables: inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. The language outcomes included receptive and expressive language. After controlling for age, gender, and nonverbal intelligence, findings showed that working memory and cognitive flexibility, respectively, explained an additional 16% and 19% of the variance. Inhibition skills did not increase the amount of explained variance in language outcomes. These results highlight the potential added importance of assessing working memory and cognitive flexibility in the prediction of language skills in preschool children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

9 pages, 657 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Role of Response Codes in Masked Priming Lexical Decision Tasks: The Case of Repeated Presentations

by Maria Fernández-López, Ana Marcet and Manuel Perea

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030452 - 6 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1622

Abstract

The masked priming technique is considered a gold standard among experimental psychologists who specialize in the field of visual word recognition. Typically, this method entails a comparison between two or more critical conditions (e.g., the target word MOUSE being preceded by either the [...] Read more.

The masked priming technique is considered a gold standard among experimental psychologists who specialize in the field of visual word recognition. Typically, this method entails a comparison between two or more critical conditions (e.g., the target word MOUSE being preceded by either the identity prime mouse or the unrelated prime fence). It is noteworthy that, unlike other masked priming tasks, prior experiments examining the properties of unrelated primes (e.g., their frequency as words [high or low] or their legality as nonwords [orthographically legal or illegal]) do not have an impact on the processing of the target item. However, two lexical decision studies reported faster responses to target words when the unrelated prime is a word rather than a nonword (i.e., a response congruency effect). One possible explanation for this discrepancy is a difference in methodology, as these two studies are the only ones to have used repeated presentation of stimuli, which could lead to the creation of an episodic memory trace that amplifies response congruency effects. To examine this hypothesis, we used a set of materials that did not show any congruency effect in a previous experiment with unique presentations, except that here we included repeated presentations. Results showed a response congruency effect, with participants responding faster to word targets when they were preceded by an unrelated word prime as opposed to an unrelated nonword prime. These findings suggest that the activation of response codes in masked priming is contingent upon the nature of cognitive resources required for processing the target stimuli. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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20 pages, 2452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Task Demands and Sentence Reading Comprehension among Healthy Older Adults: The Complementary Roles of Cognitive Reserve and Working Memory

by María Teresa Martín-Aragoneses, Gema Mejuto, David del Río, Sara Margarida Fernandes, Pedro F. S. Rodrigues and Ramón López-Higes

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030428 - 1 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2555

Abstract

Ageing entails different functional brain changes. Education, reading experience, and leisure activities, among others, might contribute to the maintenance of cognitive performance among older adults and are conceptualised as proxies for cognitive reserve. However, ageing also conveys a depletion of working memory capacity, [...] Read more.

Ageing entails different functional brain changes. Education, reading experience, and leisure activities, among others, might contribute to the maintenance of cognitive performance among older adults and are conceptualised as proxies for cognitive reserve. However, ageing also conveys a depletion of working memory capacity, which adversely impacts language comprehension. This study investigated how cognitive reserve proxies and working memory jointly predict the performance of healthy older adults in a sentence reading comprehension task, and how their predictive value changes depending on sentence structure and task demands. Cognitively healthy older adults (n = 120) completed a sentence–picture verification task under two conditions: concurrent viewing of the sentence and picture or their sequential presentation, thereby imposing greater demands on working memory. They also completed a questionnaire on cognitive reserve proxies as well as a verbal working memory test. The sentence structure was manipulated by altering the canonical word order and modifying the amount of propositional information. While the cognitive reserve was the main predictor in the concurrent condition, the predictive role of working memory increased under the sequential presentation, particularly for complex sentences. These findings highlight the complementary roles played by cognitive reserve and working memory in the reading comprehension of older adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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11 pages, 464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Eye-Movements in a Text Reading Task: A Comparison of Preterm Children, Children with Dyslexia and Typical Readers

by Paola Bonifacci, Valentina Tobia, Alessandra Sansavini and Annalisa Guarini

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030425 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1937

Abstract

Preterm birth is associated with weaknesses in reading skills that are usually less severe than those of children with dyslexia. To understand the characteristics of reading processes in preterm children, we adopted a cross-population and multi-modal approach comparing eye movements in reading tasks [...] Read more.

Preterm birth is associated with weaknesses in reading skills that are usually less severe than those of children with dyslexia. To understand the characteristics of reading processes in preterm children, we adopted a cross-population and multi-modal approach comparing eye movements in reading tasks among three groups: children with preterm birth, children with a diagnosis of dyslexia, and children with typical development. The study involved 78 participants (10.5 years). Eye movements (number and duration of fixations, amplitude and number of saccades, number of regressions) were recorded during the silent reading of two texts; cognitive and reading standardized tasks were also administered. Children with dyslexia had more fixations and more frequent and smaller saccades compared to the preterm group and children with typical development. They also showed more regressions compared to the control group. Preterm children showed shorter fixations compared to the other groups. Cognitive and reading standardized tasks confirmed severe delays in reading in children with dyslexia and some weaknesses in text reading speed and comprehension in preterm children. These results are discussed with reference to candidate mechanisms that underlie reading processes in preterm children and considering possible implications for research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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39 pages, 1233 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lexico-Semantic Influence on Syntactic Processing: An Eye-Tracking Study with Spanish Relative Clauses

by Esther Álvarez-García and José Manuel Igoa González

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030409 - 26 Feb 2023

Viewed by 2022

Abstract

This paper investigates the interaction between lexicosemantic and syntactic information in sentence processing by examining the online comprehension of Spanish relative clauses (RCs) of both restrictive and non-restrictive types. A corpus study shows that, in Spanish, a RC may be introduced by different [...] Read more.

This paper investigates the interaction between lexicosemantic and syntactic information in sentence processing by examining the online comprehension of Spanish relative clauses (RCs) of both restrictive and non-restrictive types. A corpus study shows that, in Spanish, a RC may be introduced by different function words (called relativizers), which differ in lexical frequency, as well as semantic features. Based on these facts, an eye-tracking experiment was conducted with the aim of analyzing whether lexicosemantic information could influence sentence processing at the early stages. The results report an early influence of lexicosemantic information not only when activating a relativizer but also when integrating it within the syntactic structure. Additionally, the semantic role played by each RC type seems to constrain sentence processing at different regions. Our results favor an interactive view of language processing, according to which language comprehension is guided from the early stages by different kinds of linguistic information rather than syntactic information alone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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14 pages, 991 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ERP and Behavioural Correlates of Prospective Memory in Bilinguals during L1 and L2 Processing

by Cristina López-Rojas, Anikó Csilinkó, Mª Teresa Bajo and Alejandra Marful

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020365 - 20 Feb 2023

Viewed by 2032

Abstract

Language influences how we process information from multiple domains. Thus, working in first (L1) or second language (L2) can modulate bilinguals’ performance on basic activities, such as visual search, decision-making, or reading. However, few studies have explored the role of L1 and L2 [...] Read more.

Language influences how we process information from multiple domains. Thus, working in first (L1) or second language (L2) can modulate bilinguals’ performance on basic activities, such as visual search, decision-making, or reading. However, few studies have explored the role of L1 and L2 processing during an essential ability, such as Prospective Memory (PM). This type of memory allows us to set intentions to perform in the future (e.g., to attend an appointment). Thus, this is a novel study that allows us to explore the influence of bilingual language processing on certain cognitive abilities, which have not been deeply studied yet, such as the recall of future intentions. Thereby, this study aimed to explore the neural and behavioural correlates of bilinguals during L1 and L2 processing in a PM task where participants had to carry out an ongoing task while recovering a prospective intention given a PM cue. Importantly, the nature of the PM cue (focal or non-focal) varied the monitoring demands of the task. Behavioural and Event-Related Potential (ERP) results indicated greater engagement of monitoring processes in the PM task during L2 processing. Specifically, in L2, we found lower accuracy rates in the ongoing task and smaller amplitude differences between the focal and non-focal conditions in the P3b. Altogether, these findings suggest an impairment in prospective processing due to working in L2 contexts, supporting previous research on the impact of the bilingual experience over PM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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18 pages, 735 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of In-Person and Online Recordings in the Clinical Teleassessment of Speech Production: A Pilot Study

by Grégoire Python, Cyrielle Demierre, Marion Bourqui, Angelina Bourbon, Estelle Chardenon, Roland Trouville, Marina Laganaro and Cécile Fougeron

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020342 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2057

Abstract

In certain circumstances, speech and language therapy is proposed in telepractice as a practical alternative to in-person services. However, little is known about the minimum quality requirements of recordings in the teleassessment of motor speech disorders (MSD) utilizing validated tools. The aim here [...] Read more.

In certain circumstances, speech and language therapy is proposed in telepractice as a practical alternative to in-person services. However, little is known about the minimum quality requirements of recordings in the teleassessment of motor speech disorders (MSD) utilizing validated tools. The aim here is to examine the comparability of offline analyses based on speech samples acquired from three sources: (1) in-person recordings with high quality material, serving as the baseline/gold standard; (2) in-person recordings with standard equipment; (3) online recordings from videoconferencing. Speech samples were recorded simultaneously from these three sources in fifteen neurotypical speakers performing a screening battery of MSD and analyzed by three speech and language therapists. Intersource and interrater agreements were estimated with intraclass correlation coefficients on seventeen perceptual and acoustic parameters. While the interrater agreement was excellent for most speech parameters, especially on high quality in-person recordings, it decreased in online recordings. The intersource agreement was excellent for speech rate and mean fundamental frequency measures when comparing high quality in-person recordings to the other conditions. The intersource agreement was poor for voice parameters, but also for perceptual measures of intelligibility and articulation. Clinicians who plan to teleassess MSD should adapt their recording setting to the parameters they want to reliably interpret. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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21 pages, 1235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Are Human Learners Capable of Learning Arbitrary Language Structures

by Yu-Leng Lin

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020181 - 21 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1702

Abstract

The artificial grammar learning paradigm is a classic method of investigating the influence of universal constraints on shaping learning biases on language acquisition. While this method has been used extensively by linguists to test theoretical claims in generative grammar, one of the most [...] Read more.

The artificial grammar learning paradigm is a classic method of investigating the influence of universal constraints on shaping learning biases on language acquisition. While this method has been used extensively by linguists to test theoretical claims in generative grammar, one of the most prevalent frameworks in language acquisition, several studies have questioned whether artificial grammar learning reflects language acquisition enough to allow us to use it to draw inferences about the validity of universal constraints, particularly those arising from phonetic naturalness. The current study tests whether artificial grammar learning shows the effect of one robust phonetic naturalness constraint: the restriction on nasal harmony patterns arising from the sonority hierarchy. Nasal harmony is of particular interest because it is one of the few types of harmony that occurs between consonants and vowels, which is an under-researched topic. The results, contrary to the skeptical concerns, showed that participants (n = 120) could learn an artificial grammar involving a natural pattern, but could not learn one corresponding to an arbitrary/phonetically unmotivated pattern in the same way or to the same degree. This study contributes epistemic support to the large body of work using artificial grammar experiments to test phonological operations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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12 pages, 495 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Psychological Reality of Chinese Deliberate Metaphors from the Reception Side: An Experimental Approach

by Juanjuan Wang, Jiajun Du, Ting Zheng and Yi Sun

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020160 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1835

Abstract

While the psychological reality of deliberate metaphors remains in ongoing doubt, this study attests to their psychological reality in the Chinese language. Based upon the definition and main tenets of deliberate metaphor, we propose three hypotheses: Compared with non-deliberate metaphors, addressees pay more [...] Read more.

While the psychological reality of deliberate metaphors remains in ongoing doubt, this study attests to their psychological reality in the Chinese language. Based upon the definition and main tenets of deliberate metaphor, we propose three hypotheses: Compared with non-deliberate metaphors, addressees pay more attention to deliberate metaphors’ source domains, display a greater tendency to adopt the source domain’s perspective, and spend more time on processing deliberate metaphors. Using Chinese deliberate metaphors as testing materials, we conducted an experiment with 70 Chinese university students whose native language was Chinese. The results confirmed our hypotheses. Compared with non-deliberate metaphors, Chinese deliberate metaphors drew more attention and brought about more perspective changes. Additionally, processing deliberate novel metaphors consumed more time than processing non-deliberate metaphors, thus providing supportive evidence for the psychological reality of Chinese deliberate metaphors. However, less time taken on deliberate conventional metaphors than non-deliberate metaphors might have been caused by our experiment’s task design. In a nutshell, our study statistically proves the psychological reality of Chinese deliberate metaphors from the reception side. Future studies may check our findings with a similar experimental paradigm in other languages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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9 pages, 293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of the Pragmatic Intervention Programme in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Language Disorder

by Tatiana Pereira, Ana Margarida Ramalho, Ana Rita S. Valente, Pedro Sá Couto and Marisa Lousada

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(12), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121640 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4811

Abstract

Purpose: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) frequently face pragmatic impairments which may result in learning, socialization, and mental health difficulties, therefore early intervention is crucial. In Portugal, the Pragmatic Intervention Programme (PICP) has been recently developed and [...] Read more.

Purpose: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) frequently face pragmatic impairments which may result in learning, socialization, and mental health difficulties, therefore early intervention is crucial. In Portugal, the Pragmatic Intervention Programme (PICP) has been recently developed and validated, but its effects are unknown. This study aims to determine the effects of the PICP on preschool-age children with ASD or DLD with pragmatic impairments. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial has been conducted. The children (n = 20) were assigned to the intervention (n = 11) or the control group (waiting list) (n = 9). Each child attended 24 PICP-based intervention sessions provided by a Speech and Language Therapist in kindergarten. The primary outcome measure was a Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) rated by parents and kindergarten teachers. Secondary outcomes include parent/teacher-reported communication skills (Escala de Avaliação de Competências Comunicativas) and an assessment of the child’s general language ability (Teste de Linguagem—Avaliação da Linguagem Pré-Escolar). Results: GAS results show that all the children in the intervention group made progress. Statistically significant differences between pre- and post-intervention assessments were found for all secondary outcomes. Conclusions: The main findings suggest that the PICP improves language in preschool-age children with ASD and DLD with pragmatic difficulties. Further research is needed to analyse the effects of the PICP for each neurodevelopmental disorder individually. These results are crucial and will contribute to future research and evidence-based practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

13 pages, 6120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environment Context Variability and Incidental Word Learning: A Virtual Reality Study

by Francisco Rocabado, Jorge González Alonso and Jon Andoni Duñabeitia

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(11), 1516; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12111516 - 8 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2409

Abstract

Previous research has shown that changes in the scenarios in which something is learned and recalled, respectively, may result in a subpar performance in memory recollection. The current study aimed to evaluate how changes in the visuo-perceptual environmental learning context impact incidental vocabulary [...] Read more.

Previous research has shown that changes in the scenarios in which something is learned and recalled, respectively, may result in a subpar performance in memory recollection. The current study aimed to evaluate how changes in the visuo-perceptual environmental learning context impact incidental vocabulary learning. To this end, a highly immersive virtual reality setting was created, and participants were required to read eight distinct stories visually presented to them. A novel word was delivered twice in every paragraph and embedded in each story. Stories could be displayed either in a high variability condition, where each paragraph was shown in a new environment context (four different classrooms) or in a low variability condition, where each paragraph was shown in the same context. The findings obtained across four assessment tasks (free recall, recognition, picture matching, and sentence completion) demonstrated that significant visuo-perceptual variability did not bring about any disadvantages in word learning. Thus, perceptual information from a physically diverse environment could provide a variety of instructional and educational beneficial possibilities in the absence of a learning disadvantage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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18 pages, 1724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Habituation of Auditory N1 in Spoken Word-Forms Is Modulated by Phonological Information

by Jinxing Yue, Peng Wang, Jiayin Li, Zhipeng Li, Xia Liang and Yifei He

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(10), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12101279 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2120

Abstract

Short-term auditory habituation is typically reflected by decreased but recoverable amplitudes of the N1 component of event-related potentials to repeated stimuli. It remains less well understood whether and how N1 habituation is modulated by the human cognition. The current study aims to further [...] Read more.

Short-term auditory habituation is typically reflected by decreased but recoverable amplitudes of the N1 component of event-related potentials to repeated stimuli. It remains less well understood whether and how N1 habituation is modulated by the human cognition. The current study aims to further test for the potential modulatory roles of phonological information carried by spoken word-forms. Two phonological variables, namely lexicality (real versus pseudoword-form) and usage frequency (high versus low frequency), are considered and combined factorially, yielding four types of monosyllabic Mandarin spoken word-forms. Each type consists of 10 items (i.e., word-forms). The stimuli were passively presented to native Mandarin speakers in trains of five (S1–S5), while their EEG was recorded. The peak amplitudes of N1 to the same type of speech stimuli were calculated for each position by averaging the trains extracted from the EEG recording. Then, the N1 habituation was quantified for the two electrodes of interest (C3 and C4) in each repetitive presentation position (S2–S5). The results showed that the N1 habituation in low-frequency pseudo word-forms was consistently greater than in low-frequency real word-forms and high-frequency pseudo word-forms, respectively, at the fourth presentation (S4). The results suggest the first evidence that different types of phonological information (i.e., lexicality and usage frequency) modulate N1 habituation, interactively. Sensory filtering is proposed as a candidate mechanism for mediating between the processing of phonological information and the short-term habituation of auditory N1. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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Review

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10 pages, 471 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cognitive Gain in Digital Foreign Language Learning

by Blanka Klimova and Marcel Pikhart

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(7), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13071074 - 15 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2339

Abstract

This systematic review examines the potential of digital language learning in contributing to students’ cognitive gains. The study reviews existing research on the relationship between digital language learning and cognitive benefits, with a focus on enhanced problem-solving skills, memory, and multitasking ability. The [...] Read more.

This systematic review examines the potential of digital language learning in contributing to students’ cognitive gains. The study reviews existing research on the relationship between digital language learning and cognitive benefits, with a focus on enhanced problem-solving skills, memory, and multitasking ability. The research questions explored in this study are (1) does digital language learning contribute to cognitive gains in foreign language education? and (2) what are the pedagogical implications for cognitive improvement in digital foreign language education? The study employs the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology to identify and analyze relevant research articles. The results of the review suggest that working with printed texts may be more effective for cognitive gains compared to electronic texts. Additionally, implementing more senses through digital language education appears to be beneficial for cognitive gains. Thus, several pedagogical implications emerge for promoting cognitive improvement in digital foreign language education. Firstly, it is crucial to implement techniques and strategies that best align with students’ language needs in a digital learning environment, whether it involves pen-and-paper activities or a flipped classroom approach. Secondly, exposing students to a variety of techniques that engage multiple senses can have a positive impact on cognitive gains. Finally, providing students with feedback is essential to maintain their motivation and foster continued progress in their foreign language studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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18 pages, 307 KiB

Open AccessReview

Parsers and Grammars: A Tutorial Overview from the Linguistics Building

by Carlos Acuña-Fariña

Brain Sci. 2022, 12(12), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121659 - 3 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1360

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the relationship between grammars and processing systems in light of the various forms of experimental research (especially of an electrophysiological nature) that has been conducted in the last fifteen years or so. First, the notion [...] Read more.

The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the relationship between grammars and processing systems in light of the various forms of experimental research (especially of an electrophysiological nature) that has been conducted in the last fifteen years or so. First, the notion of ‘processing strategy’ or ‘heuristics processing’ is considered followed by a discussion of structures of great morphosyntactic complexity that parsing systems seem to tackle by simply respecting complex grammatical laws, instead of by resorting to shortcuts. Then, grammatical illusions and what these can teach us about the processing of grammar are considered. It is argued that illusions allow us to discern a few explanatory principles that may redefine the way we see parser–grammar relations. Among these is the idea that how long illusions last in the online-to-offline transition depends in part on their ‘templatability’, that is, the ease with which they become gestaltic templates. Another key idea is that some apparent illusions are in fact nothing more than grammar contemplated at work as in slow motion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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26 pages, 1447 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Analysing Deception in Witness Memory through Linguistic Styles in Spontaneous Language

by Sara Solà-Sales, Chiara Alzetta, Carmen Moret-Tatay and Felice Dell’Orletta

Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020317 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2516

Abstract

The act of lying and its detection have raised interest in many fields, from the legal system to our daily lives. Considering that testimonies are commonly based on linguistic parameters, natural language processing, a research field concerned with programming computers to process and [...] Read more.

The act of lying and its detection have raised interest in many fields, from the legal system to our daily lives. Considering that testimonies are commonly based on linguistic parameters, natural language processing, a research field concerned with programming computers to process and analyse natural language texts or speech, is a topic of interest on this front. This study aimed to examine the linguistic styles of simulated deception and true testimonies collected with the aim of studying witness memory. Study participants were asked to act as a witness of a crime by retelling the story they had just read. Cognitive interviewing techniques were used to collect testimony under two conditions: truth and simulated deception. A sample of 48 participants volunteered to participate in the study. Analyses of the linguistic indicators and content were carried out. Specifically, we performed a comparison of testimonies of the same participant by condition to analyse the variation between (i) lexical and (ii) linguistic features and (iii) content and speech characteristics (disfluencies) depending on the narrative condition. Concerning lexical properties, adjectives were the most-varying grammatical category between truthful and deceptive testimonies. Furthermore, in the linguistic analysis, we observed that truthful testimonies were generally longer than deceptive ones in terms of the number of words and sentences and also characterised by more articulated sentence structures, and these differences were also statistically significant. Regarding the analysis of the content, cognitive criteria (details) and admitting lack of memory were more present in truthful statements. By providing an objective measure, these results are of interest in developing NLP tools for assessing the credibility of testimonies in forensics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Psycholinguistics and Cognition in Language Processing)

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