Language and Looking (07-15-10)

Not all languages describe or discuss the physical environment in the same way. The language and words that you are hearing has an influence on what you see, according to recent research by Lupyan and Spivey. This finding is consistent with previous research indicating that sensory perception is influenced by the language being spoken.  For example, an earlier posting in this blog discussed a study of Russian speakers who were more attuned to differences in shades of blue, apparently because their language has distinct words for them, unlike English where modifiers are paced in front of a common base (the word “blue”).  Lupyan and Spivey’s work reinforces the importance of cultural sensitivity in design.

Gary Lupyan and Michael Spivey. 2010.  Making the Invisible Visible:  Verbal But Not Visual Cues Enhance Visual Detection.”  PLoS One, vol. 5, no. 7, http://www.plosone.org.