The Dynamic Construal and Generation of Abstract Coherence with the Framework of Cognitive Reference Point, Target Concept Point and the Processing Mental Path

Abstract

Langacker’s model of Cognitive Reference Point (CRP) and Wang Yin’s model of Remedied Cognitive Reference Point (RCRP) could be integrated to form a cognitive trinity to construe and generate the text coherence. This trinity framework is composed of cognitive reference point, target concept point and the processing mental path (CTM) within certain semantic domain. This research tested the efficacy of CTM and found it promotes the dynamic construal and generation of local and global coherence in Abstracts of scientific papers. Activating the related information schema and integrating the mental representation with the semantic information embedded in the Abstract sentences, the three-dimensional CTM establishes a cognitive referential framework for Abstract viewers. This CTM framework assists Abstract viewers in efficiently construing and constructing the local and global coherence of Abstracts.