The structure of situation models as revealed by anaphor resolution

dc.contributor.authorVarma, S.
dc.contributor.authorJanssen, A.
dc.date.issued2019
dc.descriptionData source: Supplementary data, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2018.09.002.
dc.description.abstractThis paper investigates the structure of situation models as revealed by the process of anaphor resolution. The situation model for a text combines the meanings of its individual sentences with inferences generated from prior knowledge into an overall understanding of the text. We conceptualize situation models as implemented by collections of traces in episodic long-term memory that are retrieved based on their similarity to cues in working memory. Traces encode both contextual (i.e., spatial and temporal) and semantic information, providing structure to situation models. Four predictions were derived regarding the retrieval of antecedent traces during anaphor resolution. Experiment 1 evaluated the contextual structure of situation models, finding evidence for temporal gradients but not spatial gradients. Experiment 2 evaluated their semantic structure, finding an interaction between (a) the semantic similarity of anaphors and antecedents and (b) the interference caused by non-antecedent referents. These findings have implications for the representation of space and time in situation models, the continuity of working memory and long-term memory, and the conceptualization of situation models.
dc.identifier.citationLanguage Sciences, 2019; 72:104-115
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.langsci.2018.09.002
dc.identifier.issn0388-0001
dc.identifier.issn1873-5746
dc.identifier.orcidJanssen, A. [0000-0001-7583-0074]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11541.2/146828
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relation.fundingUniversity of Minnesota 21251
dc.rightsCopyright 2018 Elsevier
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2018.09.002
dc.subjectsituation models
dc.subjectanaphor resolution
dc.subjectexemplar models
dc.subjectsemantics
dc.titleThe structure of situation models as revealed by anaphor resolution
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished
ror.mmsid9916506090101831

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