Superordinate referring expressions in abstraction: Introducing the concept-level reference game

We study referential communication about concepts at different levels of abstraction in an interactive concept-level reference game. To better understand processes of abstraction, we investigate superordinate referring expressions (animal). Previous work identified two main factors that influence speakers’ choice of referring expressions for concepts: the immediate context and the basic-level effect, i.e. a preference for basic-level terms such as dog. Here we introduce a new concept-level reference game that allows us to study differences in the basic-level effect between comprehension and production and to elicit superordinate referring expressions experimentally. We find that superordinate referring expressions become relevant for groups of objects. Further, we reproduce the basic-level effect in production but not in comprehension. In conclusion, even though basic-level terms are most readily accessible, speakers tailor their expressions to the context, allowing the listener to identify the target concept.

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Recommended citation: Kobrock, Kristina, Uhlemann, Charlotte & Gotzner, Nicole (2024). “Superordinate referring expressions in abstraction: Introducing the concept-level reference game.” Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society 2024.