Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-15T19:45:33.308Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relation of cognitive style to metaphor interpretation and second language proficiency

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Janice Johnson  and
Teresa Rosano
Janice Johnson*
Affiliation:
York University
Teresa Rosano*
Affiliation:
York University
*
Janice Johnson, Psychology Department, York University, 4700 Keele Street, North York, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
Janice Johnson, Psychology Department, York University, 4700 Keele Street, North York, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study examined relationships among measures of language proficiency, cognitive style, and metaphor comprehension. Subjects were university students who were native English speakers or who were enrolled in a course on English as a second language (ESL). Consistent with predictions, native English speakers scored better than ESL students on academic measures of English proficiency, but there were no group differences on level of cognitive sophistication in English metaphor interpretation or on a measure of metaphor fluency (number of metaphor interpretations produced). For ESL students, metaphor fluency was positively related to a measure of English communicative proficiency, whereas a measure of field independence was negatively related with both metaphor fluency and communicative proficiency. These findings on cognitive style are consistent with theoretical predictions that have heretofore found little empirical support in the second language literature.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , April 1993 , pp. 159 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abraham, R. (1983). Relationships between use of the strategy of monitoring and cognitive style. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 6, 17–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Abraham, R. (1985). Field dependence-independence and the teaching of grammar. TESOL Quarterly, 20, 689–702.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alptekin, C., & Atakan, S. (1990). Field dependence-independence and hemisphericity as variables in L2 achievement. Second Language Research, 6, 135–149.Google Scholar
Bialystok, E., & Frolich, M. (1978). Variables of classroom achievement in second language learning. Modern Language Journal, 62, 327–336.Google Scholar
Carter, E. (1988). The relationship of field dependent/independent cognitive style to Spanish language achievement and proficiency: A preliminary report. Modern Language Journal, 72, 21–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Case, R. (1975). Social class differences in intellectual development: A neo-Piagetian investigation. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 7, 244–261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Case, R., & Globerson, T. (1974). Field dependence and central computing space. Child Development, 45, 772–778.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chapelle, C., & Roberts, C. (1986). Ambiguity tolerance and field independence as predictors of proficiency in English as a second language. Language Learning, 36, 27–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cummins, J. (1991). Interdependence of first- and second-language proficiency in bilingual children. In Bialystok, E. (Ed.), Language processing in bilingual children (pp. 70–89). New York: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cummins, J., Swain, M., Nakajima, K., Handscombe, J., Green, D., & Tran, C. (1984). Linguistic interdependence among Japanese and Vietnamese immigrant students. In C., Rivera (Ed.), Communicative competence approaches to language proficiency assessment (pp. 60–81). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Davidson, R., Kline, S., & Snow, C. (1986). Definitions and definite noun phrases: Indicators of children's decontextualized language skills. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 1, 37–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Avila, E., & Duncan, S. (1983). Language Assessment Scales [LAS]. San Rafael, CA: Linguametrics Group.Google Scholar
DeFazio, V. (1973). Field articulation and differences in language abilities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 25, 351–356.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Genesee, F., & Hamayan, E. (1980). Individual differences in second language learning. Applied Psycholinguistics, 1, 95–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Globerson, T. (1983a). Mental capacity and cognitive functioning: Developmental and social class differences. Developmental Psychology, 19, 225–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Globerson, T. (1983b). Mental capacity, mental effort, and cognitive style. Developmental Review, 3, 292–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Globerson, T. (1985). Field dependence/independence and mental capacity: A developmental approach. Developmental Review, 5, 261–273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodenough, D. R., & Karp, S. A. (1961). Field dependence and intellectual functioning. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63, 241–246.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goodman, D. (1971). Cognitive style factors in linguistic performance with ambiguous sentences. Unpublished master's thesis, York University, Toronto.Google Scholar
Guilford, J. P. (1967). The nature of human intelligence. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Hansen, J., & Stansfield, C. (1981). The relationship of field dependent-independent cognitive styles to foreign language achievement. Language Learning, 31, 349–367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen, J., & Stansfield, C. (1982). Student-teacher cognitive styles and foreign language achievement: A preliminary study. Modern Language Journal, 66, 263–273.Google Scholar
Hansen, L. (1984). Field dependence-independence and language testing: Evidence from six Pacific Island cultures. TESOL Quarterly, 18, 311–324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansen-Strain, L. (1987). Cognitive style and first language background in second language test performance. TESOL Quarterly, 21, 565–569.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, X., & Van Naerssen, M. (1987). Learning strategies for oral communication. Applied Linguistics, 8, 287–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, J. (1982). The development of metaphor comprehension: Its mental-demand measurement and its process-analytical models. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, York University, Toronto.Google Scholar
Johnson, J. (1985). [Development of metaphor comprehension in children's first and second languages]. Unpublished raw data.Google Scholar
Johnson, J. (1989). Factors related to cross-language transfer and metaphor interpretation in bilingual children. Applied Psycholinguistics, 10, 157–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, J. (1991a). Constructive processes in bilingualism and their cognitive growth effects. In Bialystok, E. (Ed.), Language processing in bilingual children (pp. 193–221). New York: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, J. (1991b). Developmental versus language-based factors in metaphor interpretation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 470–483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, J., & Pascual-Leone, J. (1989). Developmental levels of processing in metaphor interpretation. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 48, 1–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, J., & Stone, C. A. (1989). Metaphor comprehension by language learning disabled and normally achieving adolescent boys. Learning Disability Quarterly, 12, 251–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lefever, M., & Ehri, L. (1976). The relationship between field independence and sentence disambiguation ability. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 5, 99–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naiman, N., Frohlich, M., Stern, H., & Todesco, A. (1978). The good language learner (Research in Education Series No. 7). Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.Google Scholar
Nippold, M. A., & Fey, S. H. (1983). Metaphoric understanding in preadolescents having a history of language acquisition difficulties. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 14, 171–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oltman, P., Raskin, E., & Witkin, H. (1971). Group Embedded Figures Test. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.Google Scholar
Pascual-Leone, J. (1969). Cognitive development and cognitive style: A general psychological integration. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Geneva.Google Scholar
Pascual-Leone, J. (1989). An organismic process model of Witkin's field-dependence-independence. In Globerson, T. & Zelniker, T. (Eds.), Cognitive style and cognitive development (pp. 36–70). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.Google Scholar
Skehan, P. (1989). Individual differences in second-language learning. New York: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
Snow, C. (1987). Beyond conversation: Second language learners' acquisition of description and explanation. In Lantolf, J. & Labarca, A. (Eds.), Research in second language learning: Focus on the classroom (pp. 3–16). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.Google Scholar
Snow, C. (1991). Language proficiency: Towards a definition. In Appel, G. & Dechert, H. (Eds.), A case for psycholinguistic cases (pp. 63–89). Philadelphia: John Benjamins.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stansfield, C., & Hansen, J. (1983). Field dependence-independence as a variable in second language cloze test performance. TESOL Quarterly, 17, 29–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tucker, G., Hamayan, E., & Genesee, F. (1976). Affective, cognitive and social factors in second-language acquisition. Canadian Modern Language Review, 32, 214–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1981). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised [WAIS-R]. Cleveland: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Whyte, J. (1983). Metaphor interpretation and reading ability in adults. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 12, 457–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Witkin, H., Dyk, R., Faterson, H., Goodenough, R., & Karp, S. (1962). Psychological differentiation. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Witkin, H., & Goodenough, D. (1977). Field dependence and interpersonal behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 84, 661–689.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Witkin, H., (1981). Cognitive styles: Essence and origins. New York: International Universities Press.Google ScholarPubMed
Woodcock, R. W. (1980). Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery, English form. Hingham, MA: Teaching Resources Corp.Google Scholar