A hidden bias in human language challenges 70 years of science
Researchers at the University of Vermont have discovered a surprising pattern in human language that challenges a scientific theory widely accepted for more than 70 years. Their findings suggest that the meaning of words is shaped by something more fundamental than emotion: our understanding of power, danger, and order.
The study, published in Science Advances , introduces a new approach called "ousiometrics," which uses mathematical methods to measure the essential meaning of language. Its most striking finding is that the words people use show a consistent and widespread preference for safety over danger.
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