Brief Description

The Ambiguous Words Test consists of a set of incomplete sentences created using 15 ambiguous nouns, 15 verbs, and 15 adjectives. In each of the 45 sentences, the target word (noun, verb, or adjective) is missing, and the participant is asked to choose between two options: one that fits the sentence contextually and one that is unrelated. The selection of the correct answer evaluates the participant’s ability to understand contextual cues and the semantics of the target word.

Ambiguous Words Test [AWT-45]

Description

The Ambiguous Words Test (AWT-45) is a language-based cognitive assessment tool designed to evaluate the ability to interpret word meaning through contextual information. It consists of 45 incomplete sentences based on 15 ambiguous nouns, 15 verbs, and 15 adjectives. In each sentence, the target word is omitted, and the participant is asked to choose between two alternatives: one that is contextually appropriate and one that is unrelated to the sentence.

The task therefore assesses not only lexical knowledge, but more specifically the ability to use contextual cues to resolve lexical ambiguity and identify the intended meaning of a word.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the AWT-45 is to investigate how effectively individuals use contextual information to determine the appropriate meaning of ambiguous words. The original application of the test focused particularly on individuals with chronic schizophrenia, examining possible difficulties in contextual information processing and semantic interpretation.

Scoring Method

Each correct response receives 1 point, whereas each incorrect response receives 0 points. The maximum possible total score is 45. In addition to the overall score, semantic and phonological errors may be recorded separately, allowing a more detailed examination of the type of linguistic processing difficulty observed.

Higher scores generally reflect a greater ability to use sentence context effectively and select the appropriate meaning of ambiguous lexical items.

Validity

The selection of the test items was based on several linguistic and psycholinguistic criteria, including word frequency, imageability of meanings, semantic duality involving literal and metaphorical uses, and evaluation by experts. These criteria support the appropriateness of the selected words for examining contextual and semantic processing.

Reliability

The available description does not provide specific numerical reliability coefficients. However, experimental applications involving both clinical and control groups are reported, offering supporting evidence for the use of the instrument in the assessment of contextual language processing.

For this reason, results are best interpreted in combination with additional linguistic, cognitive, or clinical assessment information rather than as an independent diagnostic indicator.

Data Analysis and Use

The AWT-45 can be used to compare aspects of cognitive and linguistic functioning between healthy individuals and clinical populations. Differences in performance may provide information about possible difficulties in contextual processing, semantic selection, and the decoding of ambiguous verbal information.

The instrument is therefore particularly relevant in research and clinical settings concerned with the relationship between language processing, cognition, and psychopathology. Separate examination of response patterns may also provide additional insight into whether difficulties are primarily associated with semantic interpretation or other aspects of language processing.

References

Bazin, N., Perruchet, P., Hardy-Bayle, M., & Feline, A. (2000). Context-dependent information processing in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 45, 93–101.

Kandylis, P., Pita, R., Skampardonis, A., Lazaridou, I., Kaprinis, S., & Kaprinis, G. (2004). Conceptual framework perception in patients with schizophrenia: A comparative longitudinal study. In N. Makris & D. Deli (Eds.), Cognitive Psychology Today: Bridges for the Study of Mind (pp. 347–360). Typothito-Dardanos.

Roukou, I., Pita, R., Kioseoglou, G., Lazaridou, I., Kaprinis, V., & Karavatos, A. (2003). Perception of ambiguity in the Greek language among schizophrenic patients. Encephalos, 40(3), 99–104.

Titone, D., Levy, D. L., & Holzman, P. S. (2000). Contextual insensitivity in schizophrenia language processing: Evidence from lexical ambiguity. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 761–767.