Can We Interpret Implicitness?

Abstract

This study investigates whether cognitive styles have an effect on the interpretation of implications hidden in speech and examines the Event-Related Potential (ERP) pattern of this effect. In the first study (104 participants), a Cognitive Style Analysis (CSA) test, an interpretation task (meaning), Indirectness Scale, Cultural Communication Scale-Turkish (CCS-TUR), and information collection forms were used as data collection tools. In the second study (29 participants), an interpretation task (implicitness) and the EEG-ERP system were used. In the meaning interpretation task, the analyses revealed that individuals with an Analytic CS tendency preferred interpretations containing implications less than individuals with Holistic CS. In addition, it has been observed that individuals with an Analytic CS tendency focus their attention more when asking questions for the texts in the implicitness interpretation task according to the ERP patterns. This may be an indication that brain function is physically different in all individuals when interacting with each other.

Keywords

• cognitive style
• analytic cognitive style
• holistic cognitive style
• speech context
• event-related potential