Sound-symbolic association between speech sound and spatial meaning in relation to the concepts of up/down and above/below

• Published in: Language and cognition 2023-12, Vol.15 (4), p.884-903
• Main Authors: Vainio, Lari, Wikström, Alexandra, Repetto, Claudia, Vainio, Martti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1866-9808; 1866-9859
• DOI: 10.1017/langcog.2023.31

Research has shown sound-symbolic associations between speech sounds and conceptual and/or perceptual properties of a referent. This study used the choice response time method to investigate hypothesized associations between a high/low vowel and spatial concepts of up/down and above/below. The participants were presented with a stimulus that moved either upward or downward (Experiments 1 and 2), or that was located above or below the reference stimulus (Experiment 3), and they had to pronounce a vowel ([i] or [æ]) based on the spatial location of the stimulus. The study showed that the high vowel [i] was produced faster in relation to the up-directed and the above-positioned stimulus, while the low vowel [æ] was produced faster in relation to the down-directed and the below-positioned stimulus. In addition, the study replicated the pitch-elevation effect showing a raising of the vocalization pitch when vocalizations were produced to the up-directed stimulus. The article discusses these effects in terms of the involvement of sensorimotor processes in representing spatial concepts.