Reward Is Assessed in Three Dimensions That Correspond to the Semantic Differential by John G. Fennell and Roland J. Baddeley. (Fennell JG, Baddeley RJ (2013) Reward Is Assessed in Three Dimensions That Correspond to the Semantic Differential. PLoS ONE 8(2): e55588. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055588)
Abstract:
If choices are to be made between alternatives like should I go for a walk or grab a coffee, a ‘common currency’ is needed to compare them. This quantity, often known as reward in psychology and utility in economics, is usually conceptualised as a single dimension. Here we propose that to make a comparison between different options it is important to know not only the average reward, but also both the risk and level of certainty (or control) associated with an option. Almost all objects can be the subject of choice, so if these dimensions are required in order to make a decision, they should be part of the meaning of those objects. We propose that this ubiquity is unique, so if we take an average over many concepts and domains these three dimensions (reward, risk, and uncertainty) should emerge as the three most important dimensions in the “meaning” of objects. We investigated this possibility by relating the three dimensions of reward to an old, robust and extensively studied factor analytic instrument known as the semantic differential. Across a very wide range of situations, concepts and cultures, factor analysis shows that 50% of the variance in rating scales is accounted for by just three dimensions, with these dimensions being Evaluation, Potency, and Activity [1]. Using a statistical analysis of internet blog entries and a betting experiment, we show that these three factors of the semantic differential are strongly correlated with the reward history associated with a given concept: Evaluation measures relative reward; Potency measures absolute risk; and Activity measures the uncertainty or lack of control associated with a concept. We argue that the 50% of meaning captured by the semantic differential is simply a summary of the reward history that allows decisions to be made between widely different options.
“Semantic Differential” as defined by Wikipedia:
Semantic differential is a type of a rating scale designed to measure the connotative meaning of objects, events, and concepts. The connotations are used to derive the attitude towards the given object, event or concept.
Invented over 50 years ago, semantic differential scales, ranking a concept on a scale anchored by opposites, such as good-evil, has proven to be very useful.
What the scale was measuring, despite its success, was unknown. (May still be, depends on how persuasive you find the author’s proposal.)
The proposal merits serious discussion and additional research but I am leery about relying on blogs as representative of language usage.
Or rather I take blogs as representative of people who blog, which is a decided minority of all language users.
Just as I would take transcripts of “Sex and the City” as representing the fantasies of socially deprived writers. Interesting perhaps but not the same as the mores of New York City. (If that lowers your expectations about a trip to New York City, my apologies.)