Pollyanna and Congruence Dynamics: From Yang and Yin to and or but

Abstract

In this lecture we will begin at the beginning—the ancient Chinese metaphysics of Yang and Yin—where some of the most basic principles of human thinking were first (I believe) described. Then we will explore the simplest expressions of Yang and Yin in human thinking and talking—the dynamics of primitive affective Positiveness vs Negativeness, or what I will call Pollyannaism. We will then move on to more complex expressions of Yang and Yin in cognizing and sentencing—the dynamics of Congruence vs Incongruence, or what I will call Psycho-logic. And in both of these explorations we will, of course, be primarily interested in how these dynamics function in psycholinguistic theory and are tested in research. Finally we will inquire into the finer semantic details of cognitive congruence/incongruence relations as they are postulated to operate in this APG within the constituents of simplexes and between the clauses of complexes.