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1 Evolutionary Order of Basic Color Term Acquisition Not Recapitulated by English Or Somali Observers in Non-Lexical Hierarchica

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1 Evolutionary Order of Basic Color Term Acquisition Not Recapitulated by English Or Somali Observers in Non-Lexical Hierarchica Evolutionary Order of Basic Color Term Acquisition Not Recapitulated by English or Somali Observers in Non-Lexical Hierarchical Sorting Task Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Aimee Violette Graduate Program in Vision Science The Ohio State University 2019 Thesis Committee Delwin T. Lindsey, PhD, Advisor Angela M. Brown, PhD Andy Hartwick, PhD 1 Copyrighted by Aimee Violette 2019 2 Abstract The connection between language and color has long been examined through studies of color naming. It is well-established that speakers of different languages have different numbers of basic color terms and that additional color terms are acquired in a predictable order. Berlin & Kay (1969) argued that color lexicons evolve over time, and that much of the diversity observed in the color lexicons languages of pre-industrial cultures occurs because these languages are at different stages of a highly constrained evolutionary sequence. The present study tests and extends a study by Boster (1986), who employed a non-lexical binary sorting task, in which English speakers sequentially divided a palette of 8 colors into 2, 3, …, 7, 8 piles. Boster claimed that the resulting progression of color sorting patterns mimicked the patterns of color term evolution proposed by Kay and McDaniel (1978). This claim suggests that this particular non- lexical representation of color in humans guides color term evolution and that this representation can be examined by color sorting. The purpose of the experiments described in this thesis was to test Boster’s claims. In Study I, I re-analyzed Boster’s results, and found that, while general trends in the data were consistent with his hypothesis, no individual subject followed the expected order of color sorting. In Study II, English-speaking subjects sorted a palette of 30 simulated Munsell color samples on an iPad that were far more diverse in terms of hue, saturation and lightness than the one used by Boster. Study III repeated the iPad sorting ii task using a palette of test colors consisting of 25 chromatic samples that spanned the color circle but were similar in saturation and lightness. Study III also explored cross- cultural differences in the mental representation of color by comparing color sorting in English- and Somali-speaking subjects. The results of Experiments II and III revealed that subjects did not create successive color categories that closely follow patterns of color term evolution proposed by Kay and McDaniel (1978), although there were common and principled patterns which individuals did follow. There was variation in the strategies adopted by same- language subjects and differences across languages. Differences in sorting strategies were present between sample color sets, suggesting task dependency. The results of my research do not support Boster’s view that color sorting taps a mental representation that guides the evolution of basic color categories that was described by Kay & McDaniel. iii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my parents, Sharon and Dave Violette, who have believed in me and ceaselessly supported my academic pursuits from day one. The Reader Rabbit computer games they purchased for me in preschool really set a strong foundation. Carolyn Chakuroff was also an integral part of this experience. West coast “writing workshops”, children’s cooking competition shows, and herb shopping made a stressful project into a surprisingly fun process that I will remember happily. My final dedication is to Jake Sander who kept me human and thankfully knew to solve my seemingly-insurmountable stress with a pile of blankets. iv Acknowledgments This thesis would not have been possible without Del Lindsey and Angela Brown’s passion to teach me about this whole new area of science. Furthermore, the colorful figures within this thesis would not be possible without Del’s Mathematica expertise. Thank you to Labs of Life at COSI and Care Point East for allowing us to recruit subjects. v Vita 2011………………………………. Pewaukee High School 2014………………………………. Biology, The University of Minnesota Twin Cities 2015 to present……………………. Doctor of Optometry student, College of Optometry, The Ohio State University 2015 to present……………………. Candidate for Masters of Science in Vision Science, College of Optometry, The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Vision Science vi Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Vita ..................................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... x List of Figures .................................................................................................................... xi Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Early study of language and perception .......................................................................... 2 The rise of Universalism ................................................................................................. 5 Boster (1986) Study ...................................................................................................... 12 The World Color Survey and beyond ........................................................................... 15 New Interpretations of the Evolutionary Model ........................................................... 17 Quantitative WCS Analysis .......................................................................................... 21 Color Naming Motifs .................................................................................................... 24 Color Term Evolution ................................................................................................... 27 Hadza Color Naming .................................................................................................... 28 Project Overview .......................................................................................................... 32 Study I: Retrospective Analysis of Boster (1986) ............................................................ 34 Methods......................................................................................................................... 34 Review of Boster’s Methods ..................................................................................... 34 Analysis of Individuals’ Sorting Data....................................................................... 36 Results ........................................................................................................................... 38 Prevalence of sorting patterns ................................................................................... 38 Similar to Expected Trajectory ................................................................................. 40 Lightness -based sorting strategy .............................................................................. 41 Other observed sorting strateies ................................................................................ 43 Study II: English-speaker 30-Color Sort........................................................................... 46 Methods......................................................................................................................... 47 vii Subjects ..................................................................................................................... 47 Apparatus .................................................................................................................. 47 Procedure .................................................................................................................. 48 Stimuli ....................................................................................................................... 49 Statistical Analysis .................................................................................................... 50 Results ........................................................................................................................... 51 Overall patterns ......................................................................................................... 51 Individuals’ sorting patterns ..................................................................................... 53 Study III: 25-Color Sort .................................................................................................... 57 Methods......................................................................................................................... 58 Subjects ..................................................................................................................... 58 Apparatus .................................................................................................................. 59 Procedure .................................................................................................................
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