Schwanenflugel, P. J., & Stowe, R. W. (1989). Context availability and the processing of abstract and concrete words in sentences. Reading Research Quarterly, 24(1), 114-126.

Schwanenflugel, P.; Stowe, R.

1989

Schwanenflugel, P. J., & Stowe, R. W. (1989). Context availability and the processing of abstract and concrete words in sentences. Reading Research Quarterly, 24(1), 114-126.

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Studied the influence of a sentence context on the processing of abstract (AB) and concrete (CON) words, using a total of 38 native English-speaking college students. In Exp 1, Ss completed a word-naming task in which AB and CON words were presented in a meaningful or neutral sentence context. In Exp 2, Ss judged whether AB and CON words were meaningful sentence completions; the words were presented in a meaningful or nonmeaningful context. Results supported a context availability view: AB words were comprehended more slowly than CON words when presented in nonsupportive contexts because it was more difficult to retrieve the associated contextual knowledge necessary for comprehension.

In sum, the results of this experiment most closely conform to the context availability view of concreteness effects in comprehension. As in the naming task, the slowed processing typically associated with abstract words was not displayed when the words were presented in a supportive context. Thus, given that the results of this experiment largely resemble those of the previous naming experiment, the locus of concretenss effects appears to be early in processing. Also, the facilitation of a supportive context in eliminating concreteness effects appears early in processing. Subjects do not appear to access sensory, imaginal information, even when the task also required comprehending the meaning of words.

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