Introduction to Word Association

In psycholinguistics, word association refers to how words are grouped in our brain. When we hear or see a word, we often relate it to another word by meaning or form. For example, when a child hears the word “cat”, they might associate it with “dog” because both are animals.

“We associate words, not concepts, which is why studied text appears in our mind during exams.”

Word Association by Meaning

This occurs when a perceived word is linked semantically to another word.

Types of Word Association by Meaning

• By Synonyms: When a word is associated with another word of similar meaning. Example: “look” → “see” or “watch.”
• By Opposites: When a word is associated with its antonym. Example: “death” → “life.”
• Hyponyms: Words belonging to the same category. Example: “eagle” → “crow.”
• Collocates: Words that frequently appear together. Example: “fork and knife.”

Word Association by Form

When words are associated lexically rather than semantically. Example: Typing “act” instead of “cat” due to similar structure.

“In tip-of-the-tongue moments, we struggle to utter a word because our brain fails to make the correct association.”

Experiment: Word Association Test

Reading words based on their colors is difficult because we focus on word forms rather than semantic meanings.

Lexical Processing

Lexical processing is how words are formed in our brain. Like a computer processes input, our brain processes words before producing speech.

“L1 tasks happen automatically, while L2 speakers need extra effort.”

Neuropsychology and Lexical Processing

Impaired lexicons can cause speech difficulties. According to Levelt (1992), speech production follows a two-stage process:

1. Selecting an abstract lexical form (lemma).
2. Activating a lexeme, which produces the word’s sound.

“Multiple lexicon theories face criticism for redundancy and lack of falsifiability.”

References

• Research Article: Lexical Processes (Word Knowledge): Psychological and Neural Aspects
• Falk, Y. (2001). Lexical-Functional Grammar: An Introduction to Parallel Constraint-based Syntax. Stanford: CSLI.