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Linguistic modality effects in semantic processing in deaf individuals

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Resumo:This dissertation was developed in the context of semantic processing in deaf individuals. The main goal of this study was to explore linguistic modality effects on semantic processing in individuals with auditory sensory modality deprivation, i.e. deaf individuals. Sensory systems are essential in order to perceive and conceptualize our semantic knowledge about the world and how we interact with the environment. Despite neurological studies that report that changes in the neural complex compensate the absence of a given sensory modality, existing studies that focus on the assessment of semantic processing in deaf indviduals reveal low results of performance when compared with hearing individuals. Looking for the possible causes of this poor performance, it was verified that most existent studies analysing semantic processing in deaf individuals were performed using a written linguistic modality and not in the linguistic modality which is considered the most adequate to the sensory capabilities of the deaf, i. e. sign language. Therefore, an exploratory study was developed focused on linguistic modality effects in semantic processing in deaf individuals and in comparison with a control group represented by hearing individuals. To explore this new research proposal, three semantic tasks were developed which were comparatively analysed among three linguistic modalities (sign language, oral language and written language). The findings from this study suggest that there are significant effects from linguistic modality when semantic processing is performed between the two distinct modalities (sign and written linguistic modalities) used by the deaf individuals and also between the deaf group and hearing group (on sign, oral and written linguistic modalities). These results reveal the relevance of linguistic modality when studying semantic processing, providing evidence that semantic processing is effected by the kind of linguistic modality used.
Autores principais:Moita, Mara
Assunto:Surdez Modalidade (Linguística) Processamento semântico Linguagem gestual Teses de mestrado - 2012
Ano:2012
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:dissertação de mestrado
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Universidade de Lisboa
Idioma:português
Origem:Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
Descrição
Resumo:This dissertation was developed in the context of semantic processing in deaf individuals. The main goal of this study was to explore linguistic modality effects on semantic processing in individuals with auditory sensory modality deprivation, i.e. deaf individuals. Sensory systems are essential in order to perceive and conceptualize our semantic knowledge about the world and how we interact with the environment. Despite neurological studies that report that changes in the neural complex compensate the absence of a given sensory modality, existing studies that focus on the assessment of semantic processing in deaf indviduals reveal low results of performance when compared with hearing individuals. Looking for the possible causes of this poor performance, it was verified that most existent studies analysing semantic processing in deaf individuals were performed using a written linguistic modality and not in the linguistic modality which is considered the most adequate to the sensory capabilities of the deaf, i. e. sign language. Therefore, an exploratory study was developed focused on linguistic modality effects in semantic processing in deaf individuals and in comparison with a control group represented by hearing individuals. To explore this new research proposal, three semantic tasks were developed which were comparatively analysed among three linguistic modalities (sign language, oral language and written language). The findings from this study suggest that there are significant effects from linguistic modality when semantic processing is performed between the two distinct modalities (sign and written linguistic modalities) used by the deaf individuals and also between the deaf group and hearing group (on sign, oral and written linguistic modalities). These results reveal the relevance of linguistic modality when studying semantic processing, providing evidence that semantic processing is effected by the kind of linguistic modality used.