The general/specific breakdown of semantic memory and the nature of superordinate knowledge: Insights from superordinate and basic-level feature norms

Author: Marques, J. Frederico

Source: Cognitive Neuropsychology, Volume 24, Number 8, December 2007 , pp. 879-903(25)

Publisher: Psychology Press, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

The deterioration of semantic memory usually proceeds from more specific to more general superordinate categories, although rarer cases of superordinate knowledge impairment have also been reported. The nature of superordinate knowledge and the explanation of these two semantic impairments were evaluated from the analysis of superordinate and basic-level feature norms. The results show that, in comparison to basic-level concepts, superordinate concepts are not generally less informative and have similar feature distinctiveness and proportion of individual sensory features, but their features are less shared by their members. Results are in accord with explanations based on feature connection weights and/or concept confusability for the superordinate advantage cases. Results especially support an explanation for superordinate impairments in terms of higher semantic control requirements as related to features being less shared between concept members. Implications for patients with semantic impairments are also discussed.

Keywords: Semantic memory; Superordinate knowledge; Memory deterioration; Feature norms

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02643290701789436

Affiliations: 1: Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

Publication date: 2007-12-01

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