Ideographic and Phonographic Languages Share a Common Cognitive Foundation: Evidence from Visual Form Perception

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2025.06.006

Abstract

Abstract: The visual form perception hypothesis proposes that visual form perception, as a type of domain-general cognitive factor, is the common cognitive basis of abilities of both language and mathematics. This hypothesis has been confirmed in ideograms represented by Chinese, but whether it can be extended to phonetic scripts is unclear. This current study measured the unique contribution of visual form perception (measured by arrow form judgement test) to Chinese, English and mathematical abilities (measured by Chinese sentence completion test, English sentence completion test, and arithmetic computation) of Chinese primary school students. The results showed that after controlling for age, gender, intelligence and processing speed, visual form perception played an independent role in all three abilities. The results indicate that visual form perception is the common cognitive basis of both ideographic and phonographic languages, and further improve the scope of the role of visual form perception in language processing.

Key words: visual form perception, language, ideographic characters, phonographic characters, primary school students

摘要： 形状知觉假说认为作为领域一般性认知因素的形状知觉是语言与数学共有的认知基础，已在以汉语为代表的表意文字中得到证实，但可否扩展至表音文字尚不清楚。本研究检验形状知觉(通过箭头形状判断任务测量)在我国小学生的汉语、英语和数学能力(分别通过汉语选词填空、英语选词填空、算术计算测量)中的贡献。结果发现，控制年龄、性别、智力和反应速度后，形状知觉不仅在汉语和数学能力中发挥独立性作用，而且在英语能力中也发挥独立性作用。结果说明形状知觉是表意文字和表音文字共同的认知基础，完善了形状知觉在语言中的作用范围。

关键词: 形状知觉, 语言, 表意文字, 表音文字, 小学生

CLC Number:

B842

CUI Jiaxin, ZUO Yuhan, FENG Jiajia, CUI Zhanling. Ideographic and Phonographic Languages Share a Common Cognitive Foundation: Evidence from Visual Form Perception[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2025, 23(6): 766-773.

崔佳歆, 左钰涵, 冯佳佳, 崔占玲. 表意文字和表音文字具有共同的认知基础：来自形状知觉的证据[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2025, 23(6): 766-773.

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