Work

Words as Windows to Thought

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: Languages differ in how they express thought, leading some researchers to conclude that speakers of different languages perceive objects differently. Others, in contrast, argue that words are windows to thought - reflecting its structure without modifying it. Here, we explore the case study of object representation. Studies of Japanese, Chinese, and English indicate that speakers of these languages do not perceive objects differently, despite their grammatical differences. Syntax provides frames for words that can select among meanings without affecting underlying object perception.

Source: Current Directions in Psychological Science

DOI: 10.1177/0963721410370294

Authors: David Barner, Peggy Li, Jesse Snedeker

Institutions: University of California San Diego, Harvard University

Language: English

Topic: Categorization, perception, and language

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: University of California, San Diego, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Award: Origin of Knowledge: Conceptual Continuity and Change