语义表征具身理论:情绪在概念表征中的作用

Embodied Theory of Semantic Representation: A Key Role of Emotion in Conceptual Representation

概念如何被表征是认知科学的热点问题,其中抽象概念如何表征是当前具身认知最具争议性的话题之一。与前期概念隐喻理论(强调意象图式)和知觉符号理论(强调情境内省信息)的观点不同,语义表征具身理论强调情绪经验信息在抽象概念表征和加工中的作用。具体而言,具体概念的表征主要来自感觉运动信息,而抽象概念的表征主要来自情绪经验信息和语言信息。研究证明,抽象概念的高情绪经验信息能够促进词汇的加工,且这一促进作用受词汇情绪效价的调节。未来研究应进一步考虑影响情绪经验信息发挥作用的因素,比如语言信息的丰富性、情绪唤醒或个体的情绪状态等。

Conceptual representations are a hot topic in cognitive science. How abstract concepts are represented is one of the controversial issues of embodied cognition. Although much is known about the representation and processing of concrete concepts, knowledge of what abstract concepts might be is severely limited. The Metaphor Representation Theory proposes that abstract concepts are viewed as originating in ＂image schemas＂ （i.e., the use of a concrete conceptual domain of knowledge to describe an abstract conceptual domain）. For example, we use language concerning ＂throwing and catching＂ to describe ＂communication of ideas＂. The Perceptual Symbols Theory proposed that abstract concepts are represented by multimodal mental simulations and are more likely than concrete concepts to be framed against events unfolding over time, to involve introspection, and to require a focusing of attention on specific aspects of the event simulation. In short, these two theories suppose that ＂image schemas＂ or ＂situations＂ contribute to the representation and processing of abstract concepts. Recently, the Embodied Theory of Semantic Representation proposed by Vigliocco et al. （2009） supposed that ＂emotional experiential information＂ plays a crucial role in the representation and processing of abstract concepts. A core and novel element of this proposal is the idea that both concrete and abstract concepts are composed of both experiential information （sensory, motor, and emotional/affective） and linguistic information. According to this hypothesis, concrete and abstract semantic representations differ in terms of whether sensory, motor, or affective information has the greatest weight, with sensory-motor information being more preponderant for concrete words and affective information playing a greater role for abstract words. In short, differences between concrete and abstract words arise because of a statistical preponderance of sensorimotor information underlying concrete words versus a preponderance of affective information underlying abstract words. Some behavioral and fMRI studies by Vigliocco and his colleagues provided straightforward evidence for the relationship between emotionality and word concreteness, suggesting that emotional valence ratings significantly predicted concreteness ratings. More valenced words tend to be more abstract, whereas neutral words tend to be more concrete. Regarding abstract words, emotionality ratings predicted the modulation of the blood oxygenation level-dependent （BOLD） signal in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, an area associated with emotional processing. Additionally, recent studies also indicated that word concreteness has an impact on the processing of emotional words, and found an interaction between concreteness and emotion valence in lexical decision tasks, immediate serial recall tasks and so on. In short, previous research suggests that a critical role of affective experiential information underlying abstract words is influenced by their emotional valence. Thus, future studies should focus on the factors of emotion experiential information in the processing of words, such as the richness of linguistic information, emotional arousal or individual＇s emotional state.