8. Associative Method in the research of Cognitive Linguistics: the essence of the method; procedure of the associative experiment; results value.

Essence:

Method of psychology, psycholinguistics; introduced on the first steps of empirical psychological research by V.Vundt: the study of semantics which is differentiated as objective semantics (which is fixed in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books) and subjective (associative meanings of people as peculiarities of their perception of the phenomena which have their linguistic names; i.e. responses (associations) to the stimuli (lexical representatives of the phenomena)).

Procedure:

Recipients (those who are tested) are given a certain set of words-stimuli to give their associative answers to each stimulus (the first thought, association is significant). Time is limited: for recipients to catch and write in the first association but not a thought-out version.

The results then are collected and studied. Identical answers are counted. Those (that) which are (is) presented in the biggest number forms the nucleus of the semantic field of a studied concept. Associations presented in a fewer number form the closest periphery of a concept. Then follows the associations which form the next layer of the periphery and thus to the associations which are presented in the fewest number and form the farthest layer of the periphery.

Building structure of the Semantic field of a concept helps to understand its content, its structure and comprehend hierarchy of conceptual values in the World Picture of the recipients.

Types:

1) Free associative experiment: recipients are not given any limits for their reactions presenting (as many as they want, in the form they want. For example: show your associations to the following words…);

2) Directed associative experiment: recipients are offered to give associations of a certain grammar or semantic class (for example: add an adjective to each of the following nouns);

3) Linking associative experiment: recipients are asked to give several associative responses to each of the given stimuli (for example: during 20 seconds to give 10 associations).

Results’ interpretation:

There are two general types of associations distinguished:

As for the type of semantics:

1) Objective semantics (which is fixed in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books);

2) Subjective (associative meanings of people as peculiarities of their perception of the phenomena which have their linguistic names; i.e. responses (associations) to the stimuli (lexical representatives of the phenomena)).

As for the relations of language signs:

1) Syntagmatic (different grammar classes are joined and thus form a certain basis for future utterance): reflect speaking relations;

2) Paradigmatic (of the same grammar class): reflect language relations.

Results’ value: Analysis of associations and their correspondence with the stimuli can allow to define:

1) the word-stimulus (on the ground of known associations);

2) the degree of thinking eccentricity or typicality (typical or extraordinary responses and peculiarity of them);

3) the level of education (variety of vocabulary);

4) the direction of education (syntagmatic (humanitarian) or paradigmatic (technical) associations);

5) belonging to a certain culture (for example, associations to the stimulus ‘bread’: Russian – salt, French – wine, Uzbek – tea (A.A.Zalevska));

6) peculiarities of historical development (for example, the level of stereotypical associations has increased (because of MEDIA): 1910 – 46%; 1954 – 60% nowadays – 80% typical responses throughout the world), etc.

Results of associative experiments are processed and published in the specific associative dictionaries, which helps to figure out a typical national character or World Picture etc.

For example, associative experiment: stimulus – ‘Life’ (influence of a language on associations: correlation of a language and a culture).