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Novel conceptual combination can dynamically reconfigure semantic memory networks

We do not simply have concepts; we use concepts. And, the way in which we use concepts can dynamically change the relations among them. One way to shed light on this dynamic nature is to examine how the novel processing of concepts—in our case, interpreting unfamiliar nominal compounds—might reconfigure semantic memory networks. We used network science tools to characterize properties of participants’ semantic networks (e.g., connectivity), and we compared these networks before and after participants constructed novel conceptual combinations. Furthermore, we contrasted combinations in which one attribute of one concept is used to describe another (attributive) with those in which a relation is identified to link two concepts (relational). We found that relational, but not attributive, combinations increased connectivity and lowered structure in the network. We suggest that constructing relational interpretations of compounds requires the generation of novel contexts, thus leading to greater restructuring of the semantic network.