correspondence hypothesis

A view which attracted considerable PSYCHOLINGUISTIC interest in the 1960s, especially with reference to language ACQUISITION studies; also known as the derivational theory of complexity (DTC). It states that the number or sequence of RULES used in the GRAMMATICAL DERIVATION of a SENTENCE corresponds to the amount of psychological processing that takes place in SPEECH PRODUCTION and SPEECH PERCEPTION. Evidence in its favor came from several experiments which showed that the time it took for speakers to process sentences with more COMPLEX derivations was longer than their less complex counterparts (e.g. PASSIVES as opposed to ACTIVES, NEGATIVES as opposed to AFFIRMATIVES). Further experimental evidence, in the late 1960s, was less convincing, however, and methodological problems were raised (e.g. how one separates out effects due to length and meaning, as well as TRANSFORMATIONAL history); there have also been radical theoretical changes in the notions of transformation involved. As a result, the correspondence hypothesis is no longer influential as a research PARADIGM.