An Investigation of Sex Differences in Word Ratings Across Concre

7/24/2019 An Investigation of Sex Differences in Word Ratings Across Concre

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th Psyhga rd, 2008, 58, 465474

AN INVESTIGATION OF SEX DIFFERENCESIN WORD RATINGS ACROSS CONCRETE, ABSTRACT,

AND EMOTION WORDS

lsa M. Bau

Pepperdine University

Jan Aaba

University at Albany, State University of New York

Researchers have often overlooked the relationships between sex and ratings

of word characteristics, such as concreteness, context-availability, imageabil-

ity, and emotionality. The current study investigated whether or not sex dif-

ferences exist in such ratings for abstract, concrete, and emotion words. The

results indicated that females rated concrete words as more emotional in nature.However, sex differences did not emerge in the ratings of abstract and emotion

words. These findings indicate that sex differences can be demonstrated both

across word types and across scales; they also emphasize the need to revise the

standard models of word processing and representation so as to address issues

related to sex differences.

rsah suds hav fn addssd sx dffns n gnvpsss n ms f nua abs, suh as vba, mahmaa, andspaa xps (.g., Bun, Hnnng, & Hafz, 2005; capan, cawfd,

Hyd, & rhadsn, 1997; caan, Psma, & Vh, 2006). th sus fhs suds ypay nda ha mas pfm b han fmas nasks dawng upn spaa, mahmaa, and mhana sks. Fmas,n h h hand, ypay pfm b han mas n vba funy,ppua spd, and spng asks (Buns & Nbk, 2005; Hashman,Hampsn, & Bnbaum, 1983). rsahs hav xamnd sx dffns ngnv abs n ms f ban ganzan, fndng ha h s gaaazan n adu mas f vba and spaa funns as mpad whfmas (Hashman a. 1983). Hwv, sahs hav n nvsgadwhh mas and fmas fm sma mna psnans wh gad

ths wk was fundd by a Fauy rsah Awad gand h snd auh by h

Unvsy a Abany, Sa Unvsy f Nw Yk. W a gafu Nah Banff, cna

Man, and Amy Sy f h asssan wh daa n. W as hank w annymus

vws and Jffy Jhnsn f hpfu mmns n a pvus vsn f hs pap.

cspndn nnng hs wk an b sn h fs auh a h Dpamn f

Psyhgy, Pppdn Unvsy, 24255 Paf cas Hghway, Mabu, cafna, 90263 va

n ma a [email protected].


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466 BAUer AND AltArriBA

anguag. Sx dffns may xs n bh ban ganzan and nms f h mna psnan f vaus nps. Ahugh pvusgnv suds hav nvsgad sx n an ngn and banaazan, sahs nsd n wd psnan and mmyhav fad nga sx vaabs n h suds. th pups f hpsn sudy s addss hs appan vd n h au.

A a ha v, vaus mds f wd psnan n mmyhav fusd n h gn faus f wd psnan ass humanswhu spfyng any dffns ha may xs as a funn f sx. Fxamp, mds ha mpy h hy f spadng avan xpanhw ad wds faa h pssng f n anh n pmng asksay, f v, dsuss hw dffns may mg n h daa as a funnf sx (s Hun & es, 2004, f a dsussn f xan mds f wdpsnan n human mmy). if an wd yps, and pauay

hs ha psn mn, ba dffng haass quasdpndng upn h sx f h papan, hn sahs shud akhs vaab n aun whn fmuang h xpmna smuand dawng nusns fm h sus. Phaps an wd yps,mna psnans, and, spfay, faus f hs wds, may bsd dffny n human mmy dpndng upn sx. th un wksks xp hs pssb dffn, hby nfmng mds f wdpsnan n mmy and addng ga spfy hs mds, ashy amp apu hw ndvduas nd, s, and v wdsfm mmy.

A nvnna way f nvsgang h psnans f vauswd yps s hugh h mpmnan f papans angs angdffn dmnsns (s f xamp, rubn & Fndy, 1986). By angwds adng h haas mpnns, ndvduas an vah dg whh hs wds pssss vaus quas (.g., mnay,magaby, and pasannss). Addnay, h faus mpnnsf wds, as masud hugh wd angs, pvd a way dsbh mna psnan f hs wd yps by apung h dg whh wd gups pssss dffn, masuab quas. Fau-basdand dsbud mds f wd psnan n mmy (.g., d G,

1992, 1993) a b nfmd hugh h us f daa dvd fm sasha masu h dsnvnss f dffn wd asss, basd n manangs. Pubshd wd nms nud Pav, Yu, and Madgans (1968)nnss, magy, and manngfunss wd angs, rubn and Fndys(1986) avaaby, gdnss, and mnay wd angs, and Ghy andlgs (1980) magy, nnss, famay, and ambguy wd angs,

jus nam a fw. Avag angs f spaa wd gups hav bn usd dsngush hs gups n a vay f dmnsns, and many f hsfndngs hav bn pady pad wh dffn xmpas fm ahwd gup and wh dffn samps f papans (s Aaba & Bau,

2004, and Aaba, Bau, & Bnvnu, 1999, f fuh dsussn).th m wd yp fs whh a wd an b assfd as a

n, absa, mn wd. in ang sa suds, papansa askd a a s f wds n a paua abu (.g., nnss,nx avaaby, mnay, magaby). F xamp, a papanmay b psnd wh a s f 10 n nuns and b askd a ahwd n an magaby sa whh angs fm 1 7. th papan


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467lANGUAGe AND SeX

wud b nfmd ha a ang f 1 wud nda dffuy n fmng amna mag f h smuus wds fn, whas a ang f 7 wudnda as n fmng an mag. Sas ypay usd n h aunud nnss, nx avaaby, magaby, and mnay(.g., Bnjafd & Muknhm, 1989; camps, 1990; camps & Asga, 1988;camps & Su, 1991; d G, 1992; Fndy, Fankn, Hffman, & rubn,1982; Pav a., 1968; Yu, 1968). cnnss sas ypay askpapans a ah wd n a sa fm absa n (.g., Pav a., 1968). cnx avaaby sas addss hw asy dffu s fh papan a a umsan n whh h manng f h wdwud appa. emnay sas ask h papans a hw mnah wds manng s, fm n a a mna vy mna.

Pvus sah has addssd sx dffns f wd abus whangs suh as hs jus dsbd. Hwv, h sus f h suds vay.

Sm suds hav fund n sx dffns f nnss (camps, 1990;Fndy a., 1982), magaby (camps, 1990; Fndy a., 1982), mnay (camps, 1990; camps & Gnzaz, 1992). in nas, Bnjafdand Muknhm (1989) hav dmnsad sx dffns f sm wdabus. thy fund ha mn pvd sgnfany hgh nnssss han wmn. thy as pd ha fmas pvd sgnfanyhgh magaby ss han mas (Bnjafd & Muknhm, 1989).

Ahugh hs suds pvd n a vdn f agans sxdffns n wd haass, dffn wd yps (.., absa,n, mn) may va h psn f sx dffns n wd

abus. th sahs f h afmnnd suds dd n spaah wds usd n h xpmns by wd yp, n dd hy mmn nwhh wd yps a nudd n h xpmns. Addnay, pvussahs nvsgang sx dffns hav n nudd h nx-avaaby sa n h suds.

rn sah by Aaba and Bau (2004) suggsd ha wdsshud b spaad by wd yp and ha h nx-avaaby sashud b nudd. Aaba and Bau askd 78 papans a hsam absa, n, and mn wds n n f h 7-pn sas:nnss, nx-avaaby, and magaby. thy fund sgnfan

dffns bwn a h wd yps n ah sa. th sus f hang sudy ndad ha n wds a as mag and as pa n nxs, fwd by mn wds and hn by absa wds.on nnss, n wds vd h hghs angs fwd bymn wds, and hn by absa wds. ths fndngs suggs haabsa, n, and mn wds a pssd dffny. AhughAaba and Bau (2004) nvsgad ny nnss, nx-avaaby,and magaby angs, h psn sudy nuds an mnay sa.i as xamns pssb sx dffns. th addn f h mnaysa s mpan baus pvus sahs (.g., Pav, 1971; Pav

a., 1968; Yu, 1968) fund ha wds wh an vauav mpnn(.g., v, gf) w ad w n nnss and hgh n magaby.ths fndngs suggs ha wd yps may dff n ms f nnss,snsy xpn (magaby), and affv xpn (mnay).th addn f an mnay sa s as apppa gvn ha pvussahs fad fnd sx dffns f angs n h mnaysa (camps, 1990; camps & Su, 1991). Hwv, hs fau fnd


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sx dffns n mnay ud b du h sahs fau anayz h daa n ms f spaa wd yps (.., absa, n, andmn). thus, spaa wd gups shud b xamnd n spaa sas,f bh mas and fmas, f a mp pu f h psnanahaass f dffn wd yps n human mmy.

th psn sudy, hf, mbns h das bhnd h pvusyd suds and xamns whh h a sx dffns n h angs fabsa, n, and mn wds n nnss, nx-avaaby,magaby, and mnay sas. Dffns a pdd mg nh angs f vaus wd yps, and pauay f n wds, snhs a m ky b sgnfany ad hgh magabyangsa fa ha has bn pvusy nkd sx dffns n hau (f., Bnjafd & Muknhm, 1989).

Knwdg f h pps ha haaz absa, n, and

mn wds gand fm hs sudy may faa h dvpmn fmhds f adng and anguag aqusn, an b usfu n mna hahsngs, and has mpans f fuu sah n sx dffns n wdpsnan.

Mhd

Participants

A a f 192 papans (96 mas and 96 fmas) fm h Unvsy

a Abany, Sa Unvsy f Nw Yk k pa n hs sudy f paafufmn f a us qumn. eah papan was a nav engshspak.

Materials

th absa, n, and mn wds w assfd a p basdn nmav daa (.g., Fndy a., 1982; Pav a., 1968) usng hsam assfan pdu pvus sahs usd (.g., Aaba &Bau; 2004; Aaba a., 1999; Basda, 1987). cn wds w

panay dfnd as wds whs manngs dn smhng maaand psn an aua hng. Absa wds w panay dfnd aswds whs manngs fd smhng nsdd apa fm smmaa bj (and n assfd as mn wds). t b assfd asan mn m, h wd ndd an affv manng and pasannss/unpasannss ausa mpnns. Wh hs pana dfnns, 144wds (48 absa, 48 n, and 48 mn wds) w sd. th48 n and absa wds w sd fm Aaba a. (1999);Basda (1987); cha, Snh, and Nudng (1987); and Nsn andShb (1992). th 48 mn wds w sd fm Aaba a.

(1999); c, ony, and Fss (1987); Shav, Shwaz, Ksn, and ocnn(1987); and Whss (1989; s h appndx). ths h wd yps wmahd n fquny and ngh. th wds whn ah wd yp wandmzd and ypd n ss.

Procedure

An qua numb f mas and fmas w andmy assgnd


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469lANGUAGe AND SeX

a h smu n n f h fwng fu 7-pn sas: nnss,magaby, nx-avaaby, mnay. H, 24 mapapans and 24 fma papans pvdd angs n ny a sngsa. th sas angd fm 1 7, wh a 1 ndad absa,dffu mag, w nx avaab y, n a a mna. A sf 7 ndad n, asy fm an mag, hgh nx avaaby, mna. th nsuns f ah sa nudd xamps, hbypvdng h papans wh anhs f h angs. A nsunsusd n hs sudy a sma hs ha pvus sahs havusd (.g., Aaba & Bau, 2004; Aaba a., 1999; camps, 1990; dG, 1992; Fndy a., 1982; Ghy & lg, 1980; Pav a., 1968;Shwannfuga, Akn, & luh, 1992). Whn papans a askd adffn wd yps n a vay f sas, h abus f hs dffnwd yps and pssb sx dffns n wd psnan an b

xpd. Addnay, h fndngs may pa h sus f pvussuds; .g., n wds a ad as m n and magabhan absa wds (.g., Bnjafd & Muknhm, 1989; Fndy a.,1982; Ghy & lg, 1980; Pav a., 1968; rubn & Fndy, 1986;tga & Bag, 1978).

rsus

th spaa 2 4 anayss f vaan (ANoVAs) assssd ffsf sx (ma vs. fma) and sa yp (nnss, nx-avaaby,magaby, mnay) n papans angs f ah f h h wdyps (absa, n, and mn). tab 1 dspays man angs.

Table 1Mean Rating for Abstract, Concrete, and Emotion Words as a Function of Sexand Scale Type

Scale Abstract Concrete Emotion

Context Availability

M 4.48 (1.07) 5.33 (.99) 4.87 (1.11)

F 4.41 (.94) 5.17 (1.12) 4.80 (1.13)

Concreteness

M 3.75 (.99) 5.94 (.97) 3.88 (1.17)F 3.37 (.76) 6.18 (.89) 3.41 (.99)

Imageability

M 3.01 (.99) 6.46 (.78) 4.80 (1.13)

F 2.51 (.82) 6.64 (.46) 4.87 (1.11)

Emotionality

M 3.14 (.99) 1.55 (.46) 5.65 (.82)

F 3.42 (.76) 3.40 (.99) 5.92 (.90)

Note. Context-availability, concreteness, imageability, and emotionality ratings were ona scale from 1 to 7 (1 = low, 7 = high). Standard deviations are in parentheses.

F h absa wds, h ANoVA vad a sgnfan man ff fsa yp:F (3, 184) = 28.79, MSE= 23.86, 2= 0.319, p< .05. ths fndngsuggss ha papans a h wds dffny basd n h abuha a sa masus. Ps h mpasns vad sgnfan dffnsn angs bwn a pssb pas f sas xp bwn nnssand mnay.


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F h mn wds, h 2 4 ANoVA vad a sgnfan manff f sa yp: F(3, 184) = 33.51, MSE= 36.90, 2= 0.35, p< .05. Ps hmpasns vad a sgnfan dffn n angs bwn a pssbpas f sas xp bwn nx avaaby and magaby.

F h n wds, h sus a as fws: a sgnfan manff f sa yp, F(3, 184) = 213.43, MSE = 159.01, 2 = 0.77, p < .01; asgnfan man ff f sx, F(1, 184) = 17.81, MSE= 13.27, 2= 0.08, p

An Investigation of Sex Differences in Word Ratings Across Concre

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