Objective
Research objectives and content
The present research proposal will address the deficiency of picture naming norms for the development of picture naming in young children. The deficiency becomes even more of a concern as estimated age of vocabulary acquisition (age-of-acquisition) occupies an increasingly important theoretical place in the analysis of lexical processing for normal adults and aphasic populations. We wish to extend a published project of Davidoff and Masterson (1996) so that we can examine the knowledge base of the child that underlies successful naming. Tests will be devised to assess the status of the stages in the neuropsychological model of object knowledge proposed by Davidoff and de Bleser (1993). We wish to implicate the mediation stage between processing of the pictorial concept (pictogen) and word production in understanding the developmental differences between naming depictions of transitive and intransitive verbs. We argue that appearance and other sensory based knowledge is important for the production of nouns whereas action and function knowledge are more important for the production of verbs. The argument structure for transitive verbs allows the co-activation of temporal lobe sites of (many) nouns. An alternative hypothesis that the transitive-intransitive difference in the acquisition of names to pictures relies on incorrect matching of items will also be examined. Tests will be devised to assess the status of object recognition (pictogens), imagery and types of object knowledge. From the results of these tests a deeper understanding will emerge of the principles underlying the development of object naming. Training content (objective, benefit and expected impact)
The basic plan during the visit is to train postgraduates at the University of Potsdam on the recalibration of tests already available at the University of Essex. After calibration, the tests can be administered alongside the picture naming task. The postgraduates will use the material for the successful completion of their doctoral programme. Postgraduates will also present their work at departmental meetings and at international conferences.
Links with industry / industrial relevance (22)
Treatment of children and patients accredited by health insurance.
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
RGI - Research grants (individual fellowships)Coordinator
14476 Golm
Germany