The Good the Bad and the Ugly: a study on the gradient judgement of non-optimal and optimal candidates

Optimality Theory has been the dominating theoretical framework in phonology. Experimental research has found supporting evidence for the psychological reality of its parameters. This study proposes a combination of an artificial grammar learning task and a grammaticality judgement task to explore the mental representation of the constraint hierarchy in more detail. 19 Native Dutch speakers participated in this study, of which two were excluded. During the artificial grammar learning task participants implicitly learned a grammar. The stimuli were constructed using an OT-analysis of reduplication. During the GJT task, participants were asked to rate non-optimal and optimal candidates. By looking at the gradient judgement of the candidates, the learned constraint hierarchy can be analysed. After further investigation, a correction on the constructed OT-analysis was necessary. The reanalysed data revealed a relation between the responses and the simplified strata hierarchy. This...Show moreOptimality Theory has been the dominating theoretical framework in phonology. Experimental research has found supporting evidence for the psychological reality of its parameters. This study proposes a combination of an artificial grammar learning task and a grammaticality judgement task to explore the mental representation of the constraint hierarchy in more detail. 19 Native Dutch speakers participated in this study, of which two were excluded. During the artificial grammar learning task participants implicitly learned a grammar. The stimuli were constructed using an OT-analysis of reduplication. During the GJT task, participants were asked to rate non-optimal and optimal candidates. By looking at the gradient judgement of the candidates, the learned constraint hierarchy can be analysed. After further investigation, a correction on the constructed OT-analysis was necessary. The reanalysed data revealed a relation between the responses and the simplified strata hierarchy. This relation showed similarities to the previously researched acquisition of initial state grammar. A multitude of challenges had to be overcome during the completion of this experiment. These challenges might contribute to the development of a well-defined methodology to further explore the psychological reality of OT.Show less

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The Good the Bad and the Ugly: a study on the gradient judgement of non-optimal and optimal candidates