Abstract
A category-naming task was used to investigate aphasics' word-finding abilities. Aphasics (Broca's, Wernicke's, anomic) and normal controls were asked to provide a list of words within semantic categories (e. g., flower, bird). The analysis of the correct responses within each category showed the following results:
1) While the mean number of words aphasic group and aphasic sub-groups responded to was significantly lower than normals, no difference was found among aphasic sub-groups.
2) No difference in the ratio of the number of different words to all responses was found among aphasic sub-groups, and between aphasic sub-groups and normals.
3) In aphasic sub-groups and normals, the words which occurred with considerable frequency in all responses were similar to the words which occurred with considerable frequency in the first three words in order of response.
4) Among aphasic sub-groups, some of the same words were found in the words occurring with considerable frequency in all responses. Those same words were similar to the words occurring with considerable frequency in normals.
Taken together, these results suggest that the nature of the internal structure of semantic categories may be relatively common among aphasics, and between aphasics and normals.
