Abstract

This paper examines the process of understanding referential expressions in language games using the LCA model (Usher & McClelland, 2001). In particular, we focused on the difference between size and color adjectives and tried to find out whether the model could explain the difference in their processing. In Experiment 1, the saccadic latency of size and color adjectives were compared using Sedivy’s (1999) experimental paradigm and it was verified that the difference in latency was related to the information input parameter of the LCA model. Experiments 2 and 3 figured out how contrast affects the saccadic latency of size and color adjectives and verified that the difference in latency was related to the lateral inhibition parameter of the model. This study replicated the results of previous studies and showed that the difference in processing time between the two adjectives is related to the input parameter, whereas the difference in display is related to the lateral inhibition parameter. Along with the significance of the study, the limitations of the analysis and the future direction of research on adjective processing were suggested.