Chapter 2 Flashcards
What is language?
consists of a system of symbols and rules
What is psycholinguistics?
the scientific study of the psychological aspects of language
What are the properties of language?
language is symbolic and structured
grammar
semantics
form/transfer metal representations that have meaning
generativity
displacement
How is language symbolic and structured?
use of sounds, signs, gestures
allows for forming and transferring mental representations
How does language have grammar?
the set of rules for how symbols can be combined into communication
How does language have semantics?
the meaning of words and sentences
How does language have generativity?
combine symbols to generate an infinite messages
How does language have displacement?
can communicate about things not physically present
What is the surface structure of language?
ways symbols are combined
syntax and grammar
What is the deep structure of language?
underlying meaning of combined symbols
semantics: rules for connecting the symbols
What are phonemes?
smallest units of sound recognized as separate
building blocks of language
about 44 phonemes in the English language
What are morphemes?
smallest unit of meaning
combination of phonemes
more than 100,000 morphemes
What is the role of bottom-up processing?
individual elements of a stimulus are combined to form a unified perception
What is the role of top down processing?
sensory information is interpreted in light of existing knowledge, concepts, ideas, and expectations
What are pragmatics?
the social context of language
a knowledge of the practical aspects of using language
context matters (esp. social context), clarity, tone
What are the biological foundations of language?
all languages have a common deep structure
infants (1-3 months age): vocalize entire range of phonemes
6-12 months: discriminate sounds specific to native language
What is the social learning process?
evidence against operant conditioning (children learn words quickly, parent don’t correct grammar)
language acquisition system (LASS)
social factors in the environment facilitate language learning
What is the developmental timeline and sensitive periods of language development in children?
all children go through the same stages
cooing: 0-4 months
babbling: 5-12 months
single words: 9-18 months
telegraphic speech: 18-30 months
What is bilingualism?
learning a second language
learned best +spoken most fluently when acquired in sensitive period
measuring your ability to ignore irrelevant details
What are linguistic influences on thinking?
how we think
how efficiently we categorize experiences
how much detail we attend to
perceptions
decisions
conclusions
What is the “waggle dance” observed in bees?
direction of food: shows path relative to the sun based on angle
distance of food: the length of the dance, from beginning to end
quality of food: vigor of the dance, more vibration means better food
What are Hockett’s Design Features of language?
vocal auditory canal: (language is produced through the vocal tract and transmitted as sound, language is perceived through the auditory channel
displacement: language can be used to communicate things not present in time and space
learnability: user of one language can learn to use different language
What does language look like in ants?
chemical communication: pyrazine and pheromones
body language: touching, trophallaxis
auditory communication: calls to other ants
What does language look like in vervet monkeys?
have 3 different types of vocalizations depending on the predator (eagles, leopards, snakes)
What is propositional thought?
expresses a statement
What is imaginal thought?
consists of images that we can see, hear, or feel
What is motoric thought?
relates to mental representations of motor movements
What are prototypes?
most elementary method of forming concepts
What are the stumbling blocks of reasoning?
distraction by irrelevant information: failure to focus on relevant information
belief bias: abandon logical rules for personal beliefs
emotions and framing: idea that the same information can be structured or presented in different ways
What are the four steps of problem solving?
- Framing (try to look at the problem in a different way)
- Generating Solutions (determine which procedures and explanations will be considered, which solutions are consistent with evidence that’s been observed)
- Testing the solution
- Evaluating Results
What are algorithms?
automatically generate correct solutions
What is a heuristic?
general problem solving strategies
What is a schema?
mental blueprint, developed by our experience
What is a mental set?
tendency to stick to solutions that have worked in the past
What affect do uncertainty and heuristics have on problem solving and decision making?
judgements and decisions are based on availability of information in memory
tend to remember events that are important to us, but they can lead our decision making astray
What is wisdom?
rich factual/procedural knowledge about life
understanding of lifespan contexts
awareness of relativism of values and priorates
recognize and manage uncertainty
What is a mental image?
originates inside brain, not external stimulus
What is mental rotation?
way to study mental images
What is metacomphrehension?
accuracy in judging what you do and don’t know
What is metamemory?
awareness and knowledge of memory abilities
