Finding the Locus of Semantic Satiation: An Electrophysiological Attempt

Frenck-Mestre, Cheryl; Besson, Mireille; Pynte, Joël

doi:10.1006/brln.1997.1756

Cited by 15 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(99 reference statements)

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“…The third recent study, by Frenck-Mestre, Besson, and Pynte (1997), utilized a different approach to studying semantic satiation. Instead of measuring the effects of massed word repetition on such measures ofperformance as mean reaction time and accuracy, they looked for neurophysiological correlates of satiation.…”

Section: Recent Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The amplitude, latency, and scalp topography of the various deflections (i.e., components) of the ERP can provide important evidence about the neural mechanisms underlying a variety of cognitive processes (Hillyard & Picton, 1987;Rugg & Coles, 1995). Frenck-Mestre et al (1997) focused on the N400 component, a negative deflection in the ERP waveform that typically peaks approximately 400 msec after stimulus onset (Kutas & Hillyard, 1980). The N400 component, likely a complex of related subcomponents (see e.g., Holcomb, Kounios, Anderson, & West, 1999;Kounios, 1996;Kounios & Holcomb, 1994), was of particular interest to these investigators, because it has been shown to be sensitive to semantic factors in a variety of tasks (for reviews, see Kounios, 1996;Kutas & van Petten, 1994;Osterhout & Holcomb, 1995).…”

Section: Recent Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although a definitive theory ofthe N400 does not yet exist, a number of researchers have argued that this component reflects a mechanism that attempts to integrate a piece of information into its semantic context (e.g., Kounios, 1996;Osterhout & Holcomb, I995)-hence, the larger amplitude in response to a word such as dog that does not fit well. Frenck-Mestre et al (1997) reasoned that if semantic satiation were truly semantic, satiation should diminish the magnitude of the N400 effect (defined as the difference in N400 amplitude to words that fit and do not fit their context). In their task, a category word was presented visually, followed either by the number 3 or by 30 which indicated the number of times the word was to be pronounced.…”

Section: Recent Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the locus of the semantic satiation effect: Evidence from event-related brain potentials

2000

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The present study sought to determine whether semantic satiation is merely a by-product of adaptation or satiation of upstream, nonsemantic perceptual processes or whether the effect can have a locus in semantic memory. This was done by measuring event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in a semantic word-detection task involving multiple presentations of primes and critical related and unrelated words in three experiments involving visual (Experiment 1) and auditory (Experiments 2A and 2B) stimuli. Primes varied in their type case (Experiment 1) or pitch (Experiment 2B) in order to discourage sensory adaptation. Prime satiation and relatedness of the primes to the critical word had interacting effects on ERP amplitude to critical words, particularly within the time-window of the N400 component. Because numerous studies have indicated a role for the N400in semantic processing, modulation ofthe N400relatedness effect by prime satiation (with little or no contribution from perceptual adaptation) suggests that semantic memory can be directly satiated, rather than the cost to semantic processing necessarily resulting from impoverishment of perceptual inputs.When a word is repeatedly produced or perceived, many people experience what has become known as the semantic satiation effect, a subjective and temporary loss of the meaning of that word. Early research by adherents of the introspectionist school analyzed the phenomenal qualities of semantic satiation (e.g., Severance & Washburn, 1907). More recent research has shown that such repetitive priming inhibits performance in semantic verification tasks (Smith, 1984; Smith & Klein, 1990). RECENT STUDIESThree significant recent studies have sought to answer important questions concerning the locus and nature of the semantic satiation effect. Balota and Black (1997) examined semantic satiation in younger and older adults in a series of semantic verification experiments. Their basic paradigm required participants to make speeded judgments about whether two visually presented words were Preparation of this report was supported by NIMH Grant MH57501 to 1.K. and NICHD Grant HD25889 to P.J.H. Correspondence concerning this article may be sent to 1. Kounios at the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 400A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228 (e-mail: jkounios@ psych,upenn.edu), or to P.1.Holcomb, Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 (e-mail: pholcomb@tufts. edu).semantically related (e.g., royalty-queen) or not (e.g., royalty-box) after 2, 12, or 22 visual presentations ofone of the members of the pair. They found evidence of semantic satiation, defined as a diminution ofthe difference in mean reaction time and accuracy between responses to related and unrelated pairs. Specifically, they reported that (I) the relatedness effect decreased with more repetition in younger participants (particularly for related pairs of relatively low strength of association-e.g., royaltyduke), whereas older participants d...

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Section: Recent Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Recent Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Recent Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the locus of the semantic satiation effect: Evidence from event-related brain potentials

2000

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“…Although a number of studies have supported the semantic satiation hypothesis (Balota & Black, 1997;Kanungo & Lambert, 1963;Lewis & Ellis, 2000;Lindquist, Barrett, BlissMoreau, & Russell, 2006;Pilotti, Antrobus, & Duff, 1997;Pynte, 1991;Smith, 1984;Smith & Klein, 1990), other studies have failed to support it (Cohene, Smith, & Klein, 1978;Esposito & Pelton, 1969, 1971Frenck-Mestre, Besson, & Pynte, 1997;Neely, 1977). However, it has been suggested that certain tasks used to detect semantic satiation may not be adequate to do so.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, studies using the category membership decision task (CMDT) have reliably detected semantic satiation effects (Lewis & Ellis, 2000;Lindquist et al, 2006;Pilotti et al, 1997;Pynte, 1991;Smith, 1984;Smith & Klein, 1990; although see Frenck-Mestre et al, 1997). In this task, a category name (e.g., animal) is verbally repeated either a few or many times, after which the participant makes a rapid decision as to whether a target word (e.g., dog) is a member of the category.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Verbal Repetition in the Reappraisal of Contamination-Related Thoughts

Watson

Burley

Purdon

2010

Behav. Cogn. Psychother.

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a therapeutic approach that emphasizes the alteration of the relationship one has towards one's thoughts, rather than attempting to change the content of thoughts. It seeks to promote the awareness of thinking as an ongoing relational process through cognitive defusion techniques. The verbal repetition of thoughts is a technique that has recently been shown in a single-case alternating treatment designs study to significantly reduce the believability and distress associated with self-relevant negative thoughts (Masuda, Hayes, Sackett, & Twohig, 2004). The present study compared the effects of verbal repetition with brief imaginal exposure and no intervention in reducing the believability, distress, and meaningfulness associated with contamination-related thoughts. Individuals with high levels of obsessive-compulsive symptoms identified three distressing contamination-related thoughts and made ratings of belief, distress, and meaningfulness for each thought, using 100-mm visual analogue scales. They were then randomly assigned to receive verbal repetition, imaginal exposure, or no intervention, after which they completed ratings at post-intervention and one-week follow-up. Participants also completed a category membership decision task to determine whether verbal repetition and/or imaginal exposure produces semantic satiation, a temporary loss of the literal meaning of words. Significant reductions in belief, distress, and meaningfulness were observed following verbal repetition at post-intervention and there was some maintenance of these gains one week later. In contrast, no significant reductions were observed at post-intervention following either imaginal exposure or no intervention. However, significant reductions in ratings of belief and distress were observed one week later following imaginal exposure. A semantic satiation effect was iv observed for only verbal repetition, and although there was no evidence that this effect was associated with reductions in appraisal ratings at post-intervention, there was some indication of a relationship with follow-up appraisal ratings. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to cognitive-behavioural theories of obsessivecompulsive disorder.v Acknowledgements

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