Second language word association: Processes, methodologies and models

Racine, John Paul 2018. Second language word association: Processes, methodologies and models. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This thesis examines processing in the bilingual mental lexicon by way of word association (WA) studies. The research reported here was designed to address three sets of key issues. Firstly, these studies attempt to establish whether or not WA methodology is a viable means of exploring the bilingual mental lexicon. Research questions to be addressed here concern the validity of current categorization schemes (i.e., whether they comprehensively account for all WA response data) and whether post-task interviews are necessary or useful in disambiguating responses. The second set of issues to be addressed here arise from the focus on cognitive processes in the lexicon. Research questions here are designed to address gaps in the literature concerning whether researchers are justified in conceptualizing subjects’ responses as evidence of underlying cognitive styles. These questions will be addressed by implementing underused and never before utilized methods. Methods employed include restricted association tasks and an unconventional priming manipulation intended to alter response types(as opposed to altering speedof response, the conventional measure for inferring that priming has occurred). The final set of issues to be addressed here concerns the identification of the determinants of WA behaviour. Based on the results of the current studies, I will present a “dynamic” model of the WA process. The model attempts to account for the interplay among respondents’ cognitive styles, features of the presented cues, and the influences of the experimental methodologies within which they meet.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	English, Communication and Philosophy
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	31 May 2019
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2023 14:03
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/123026

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