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Are valence and arousal related to the development of amodal representations of words? A computational study.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Are valence and arousal related to the development of amodal representations of words? A computational study.
Authors: Martínez-Huertas JÁ; Department of Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain., Jorge-Botana G; Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Behavioral Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain., Martínez-Mingo A; Department of Social Psychology and Methodology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain., Iglesias D; Department of Social Psychology and Methodology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain., Olmos R; Department of Social Psychology and Methodology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Source: Cognition & emotion [Cogn Emot] 2025 Nov; Vol. 39 (7), pp. 1465-1473. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Nov 21.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Routledge Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8710375 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1464-0600 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 02699931 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Cogn Emot Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: 2013- : London : Routledge
Original Publication: Hove, UK ; Hillsdale, USA : L. Erlbaum Associates, [c1987-
MeSH Terms: Arousal* , Emotions* , Semantics* , Language Development*, Humans ; Female ; Male ; Computer Simulation ; Language ; Adult
Abstract: In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the amodal (semantic) development of words and two popular emotional norms (emotional valence and arousal) in English and Spanish languages. To do so, we combined the strengths of semantics from vector space models (vector length, semantic diversity, and word maturity measures), and feature-based models of emotions. First, we generated a common vector space representing the meaning of words at different developmental stages (five and four developmental stages for English and Spanish, respectively) using the Word Maturity methodology to align different vector spaces. Second, we analyzed the amodal development of words through mixed-effects models with crossed random effects for words and variables using a continuous time metric. Third, the emotional norms were included as covariates in the statistical models. We evaluated more than 23,000 words, whose emotional norms were available for more than 10,000 words, in each language separately. Results showed a curve of amodal development with an increasing linear effect and a small quadratic deceleration. A relevant influence on the amodal development of words was found only for emotional valence (not for arousal), suggesting that positive words have an earlier amodal development and a less pronounced semantic change across early lifespan.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Development; emotional valence; emotions; semantics; words
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20231121 Date Completed: 20251024 Latest Revision: 20251024
Update Code: 20251024
DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2023.2283882
PMID: 37987756
Database: MEDLINE
Description
Abstract:In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the amodal (semantic) development of words and two popular emotional norms (emotional valence and arousal) in English and Spanish languages. To do so, we combined the strengths of semantics from vector space models (vector length, semantic diversity, and word maturity measures), and feature-based models of emotions. First, we generated a common vector space representing the meaning of words at different developmental stages (five and four developmental stages for English and Spanish, respectively) using the Word Maturity methodology to align different vector spaces. Second, we analyzed the amodal development of words through mixed-effects models with crossed random effects for words and variables using a continuous time metric. Third, the emotional norms were included as covariates in the statistical models. We evaluated more than 23,000 words, whose emotional norms were available for more than 10,000 words, in each language separately. Results showed a curve of amodal development with an increasing linear effect and a small quadratic deceleration. A relevant influence on the amodal development of words was found only for emotional valence (not for arousal), suggesting that positive words have an earlier amodal development and a less pronounced semantic change across early lifespan.
ISSN:1464-0600
DOI:10.1080/02699931.2023.2283882