Definition
Verbal fluency is a cognitive function that facilitates information retrieval from memory. Successful retrieval requires executive control over cognitive processes such as selective attention, selective inhibition, mental set shifting, internal response generation, and self-monitoring. Tests of verbal fluency evaluate an individual’s ability to retrieve specific information within restricted search parameters (Lezak, Howieson, Loring, Hannay, & Fischer, 2004). The two most common parameters are (1) semantic fluency, tested by asking the examinee to generate semantic category exemplars (most commonly names of animals); and (2) phonemic fluency, assessed by asking the examinee to generate words beginning with a single letter, most commonly F, A, and S.
Historical Background
Verbal fluency has been studied in healthy and clinical populations since at...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References and Readings
Barry, D., Bates, M. E., & Labouvie, E. (2008). FAS and CFL forms of verbal fluency differ in difficulty: A meta-analytic study. Applied Neuropsychology, 15, 161–166.
Benton, A. L., & Hamsher, K. dS. (1978). Multilingual Aphasia Examination. Iowa City IA: AJA Associates.
Benton, A. L., Hamsher, K. dS., Rey, G. L., & Sivan, A. B. (1994). Multilingual Aphasia Examination (2nd ed.). Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Borkowski, J. G., Benton, A. L., & Spreen, O. (1967). Word fluency and brain damage. Neuropsychologia, 5, 135–140.
Bousefield, W. A., & Sedgewick, C. H. W. (1944). An analysis of sequences of restricted associative responses. Journal of General Psychology, 30, 149–165.
Cardebat, D., Doyon, B., Puel, M., Goulet, P., & Joanette, Y. (1990). Formal and semantic lexical evolution in normal subjects: Performance and dynamics of production as a function of sex, age and educational level. Acta Neurologica Belgica, 90, 207–217.
Crowe, S. F. (1998). Decrease in performance on the Verbal Fluency Test as a funtion of time: Evaluation in a young healthy sample. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 20, 391–401.
Delis, D. C., Kaplan, E., & Kramer, J. H. (2001). The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System. San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation.
Fabbro, F., (2001). The bilingual brain: Bilingual aphasia. Brain and Language, 79(2), 201–210.
Gierski, F., & Ergis, A-M. (2004). Verbal fluency: Theoretical considerations and new approaches. L'Anee Psychologique, 104, 331–360.
Heaton, R. K., Miller, S. W., Taylor, M. J., & Grant, I. (2004). Revised comprehensive norms for an expanded Halstead-Reitan Battery. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.
Jones, S., Laukka, E. J., & Backman, L. (2006). Differential verbal fluency deficits in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Cortex, 42, 347–355.
Kennedy, M. R. T., Wozniak, J. R., Muetzel, R. L., Mueller, B. A., Choiou, H.-H., Pantekoek, K., et al. (2009). White matter and neurocognitive changes in adults with chronic traumatic brain injury. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 15(1), 130–136.
Kertesz, A. (2006). Western Aphasia Battery - Revised (WAB-R). San Antonio TX: The Psychological Corporation.
Lezak, M. D., Howieson, D. B., Loring, D. W., Hannay, H. J., & Fischer, J. S. (2004). Neuropsychological Assessment (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
Loonstra, A. S., Tarlow, A. R., & Sellers, A. H. (2001). COWAT metanorms across age, education and gender. Applied Neuropsychology, 8, 161–166.
Lorenzen, B., & Murray, L. (2008). Bilingual aphasia: A theoretical and clinical review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 17, 299–317.
Marrero, M. Z., Golden, C. J., & Espe-Pfeifer, P. (2002). Bilingualism, brain injury, and recovery: Implications for understanding the bilingual and for therapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 22(3), 465–80.
Mitrushina, M., Boone, K., Razani, J., & D’Elia, L. (2005). Handbook of normative data for neuropsychological assessment (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
Paradis, M. (Ed.). (1995). Aspects of bilingual aphasia. New York: Pergamon (Elsevier Science Ltd.).
Spreen, O., & Benton, A. L. (1969). Neurosensory Center Comprehensive Examination for Aphasia. Victoria: Neuropsychology Laboratory, University of Victoria.
Stuss, D. T., Alexander, M. P., Hamer, L., Palubo, C., Dempster, R., Binns, M., Levine, B., & Izukawa, D. (1998). The effects of focal anterior and posterior brain lesions on verbal fluency. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 4, 265–278.
Thurstone, L. L., & Thurstone, T. G. (1962). Primary Mental Abilities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this entry
Cite this entry
Patterson, J. (2011). Verbal Fluency. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1423
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1423
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science