Abstract
Language function in patients with impaired declarative memory presents a compelling opportunity to investigate the inter-dependence of memory and language in referential communication. We examined amnesic patients' use of definite references during a referential communication task. Discursively, definite references can be used to mark a referent as situationally unique (e.g., "the game," as in the case of a recently publicized game) or as shared information (e.g., "the game," as in one discussed previously). We found that despite showing normal collaborative learning after repeated referring-as indexed by consistent and increasingly efficient descriptive labels for previously unfamiliar tangram figures-amnesic patients did not consistently use definite references in referring to those figures. The use of definite references seems to be critically dependent on declarative memory, and the engagement of such memory is signaled by language.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 666-673 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Psychological Science |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1 2011 |
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Keywords
- definite reference
- discourse analysis
- language
- memory
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
The use of definite references signals declarative memory : Evidence from patients with hippocampal amnesia. / Duff, Melissa C.; Gupta, Rupa; Hengst, Julie A.; Tranel, Daniel; Cohen, Neal J.
In: Psychological Science, Vol. 22, No. 5, 01.05.2011, p. 666-673.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The use of definite references signals declarative memory
T2 - Evidence from patients with hippocampal amnesia
AU - Duff, Melissa C.
AU - Gupta, Rupa
AU - Hengst, Julie A.
AU - Tranel, Daniel
AU - Cohen, Neal J.
PY - 2011/5/1
Y1 - 2011/5/1
N2 - Language function in patients with impaired declarative memory presents a compelling opportunity to investigate the inter-dependence of memory and language in referential communication. We examined amnesic patients' use of definite references during a referential communication task. Discursively, definite references can be used to mark a referent as situationally unique (e.g., "the game," as in the case of a recently publicized game) or as shared information (e.g., "the game," as in one discussed previously). We found that despite showing normal collaborative learning after repeated referring-as indexed by consistent and increasingly efficient descriptive labels for previously unfamiliar tangram figures-amnesic patients did not consistently use definite references in referring to those figures. The use of definite references seems to be critically dependent on declarative memory, and the engagement of such memory is signaled by language.
AB - Language function in patients with impaired declarative memory presents a compelling opportunity to investigate the inter-dependence of memory and language in referential communication. We examined amnesic patients' use of definite references during a referential communication task. Discursively, definite references can be used to mark a referent as situationally unique (e.g., "the game," as in the case of a recently publicized game) or as shared information (e.g., "the game," as in one discussed previously). We found that despite showing normal collaborative learning after repeated referring-as indexed by consistent and increasingly efficient descriptive labels for previously unfamiliar tangram figures-amnesic patients did not consistently use definite references in referring to those figures. The use of definite references seems to be critically dependent on declarative memory, and the engagement of such memory is signaled by language.
KW - definite reference
KW - discourse analysis
KW - language
KW - memory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79955755825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79955755825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0956797611404897
DO - 10.1177/0956797611404897
M3 - Article
C2 - 21474841
AN - SCOPUS:79955755825
VL - 22
SP - 666
EP - 673
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
SN - 0956-7976
IS - 5
ER -