Distinctive versus Common Feature Knowledge across Three Levels of Importance: Relationship with Word Retrieval Performance in People with Aphasia

Wallace, Sarah E. and Mason-Baughman, Mary Beth (2012) Distinctive versus Common Feature Knowledge across Three Levels of Importance: Relationship with Word Retrieval Performance in People with Aphasia. [Clinical Aphasiology Paper]

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Abstract

Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) is a well established intervention technique for improving word retrieval in people with aphasia. This technique uses features of target words to activate semantic networks and thereby improve word retrieval as supported by the spreading activation theory of semantic processing (Collins & Loftus, 1975). Variations of this intervention technique have been successful at improving word retrieval of some people with aphasia (e.g., Boyle, 2004; Coelho, McHugh, & Boyle, 2000; Peach & Reuter, 2010; Wambaugh & Ferguson, 2007). As part of an effort to increase the effectiveness of semantic treatments such as SFA, semantic feature knowledge of people with aphasia has been examined in depth (Cox, 2009; Germani & Pierce 1995; Mason-Baughman, 2009; Mason-Baughman, 2010; Vecchi, 1994). For purposes of this research, feature knowledge refers to the ability to identify that a feature belongs to a particular target word during a sorting task as described below. To develop understanding of the semantic knowledge of people with aphasia, researchers have primarily examined two aspects of features: importance and distinctiveness.

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