To be or not to be? Linking linguistic negation and non-linguistic cognition

尽管越来越多的研究将否定作为一种语言运算符进行研究，但关于否定加工的基本问题目前仍未得到解决。这个项目解决了两个主要的研究问题。首先，通过考察语言认知和非语言认知之间的共享机制来探讨认知的连续性问题。第二，关于感觉运动过程在理解复杂语言操作符(即否定)中的作用的问题。因此，本项目旨在澄清认知心理学中的两个核心研究方向，即当前语言理解模型的有效性问题以及与之相关的关于语言和非语言加工机制之间相似性的一般问题。这些问题将通过三个次要的研究目标来解决：(A)非语言机制：否定整合是否依赖于或使用从通常不被视为核心语言过程的其他类型的信息处理中已知的机制？在这里，我们将仔细研究在实验心理学中研究得很好的一般机制(如抑制、控制)是如何在否定加工过程中被激活的。(B)基本否定：否定操作员单独对信息处理有影响吗？这种影响的性质是什么？(C)语言前残留：否定处理是否激活了可能源于语言前否定行为的行为残留的特定方面(例如，推开行为倾向；特定的面部表情)？总体而言，本项目有望通过识别否定整合过程中涉及的具体机制，推动对否定加工的理解。因此，预计本项目将对认知心理学的上述核心问题做出重大贡献。

Despite a growing number of studies investigating negation as a linguistic operator, essential questions regarding negation processing are largely unresolved at present. This project addresses two overarching research questions. First, the question regarding the continuity of cognition by investigating the shared mechanisms between linguistic and non-linguistic cognition. Second, the question regarding the role of sensorimotor processes in the understanding of complex linguistic operators (i.e. negation). Thus, this project aims to contribute to the clarification of two central research strands within cognitive psychology; namely, the question of the validity of the current language comprehension models and the associated general question about the similarity between linguistic and non-linguistic processing mechanisms. These questions will be addressed through three subordinate research objectives: (A) Non-Linguistic Mechanisms: Does negation integration fall back on or use mechanisms that are known from other types of information processing that are not typically regarded as core linguistic processes? Here, it will be closely investigated how general mechanisms well studied within experimental psychology (e.g. inhibition, control) are activated during negation processing. (B) Basic Negation: Does the negation operator alone show any impact on information processing and what is the nature of this impact? (C) Pre-Linguistic Relicts: Does negation processing activate specific aspects of behavioural relicts that potentially stem from pre-verbal actions of negating (e.g. pushing away behavioural tendencies; specific facial expressions)? Overall, it is expected that this project will move the understanding of negation processing forward by identifying specific mechanisms involved during negation integration. Thereby it is expected, that this project provides a significant contribution to the above mentioned central questions in cognitive psychology.