Chapter 2 - The Science & Theory of Language Development Flashcards
1
Q
what do infants bring to the task of language learning?
A
- some propose that infants arrive preprogrammed to acquire language
- others argue that infants learn through their experiences and not born with innate capabilities
- this is the nurture vs. nature or nativist vs. empiricist debate
- most language theories lie in the middle of the continuum
2
Q
what mechanisms drive language acquisition?
A
- some propose that processes people use to learn language are domain specific
- others contend that people use processes that are domain general
- modularity - how the brain is organized for various cognitive processes
- strict modularity: domain-specific
- nonmodularity: domain-general
3
Q
what types of input support the language learning system?
A
- some suggest that increasing knowledge of social conventions and a child’s desire to interact with others are the most important supports
- others propose that it is most important that children are exposed to language. when children simply hear more and more language, they use this “positive evidence” that other people provide to make assumptions about the structure of their native language
4
Q
nurture-inspired theories (empiricist)
A
- humans gain all knowledge through experience
- extreme empiricist position = blank slate
5
Q
nature-inspired theories (nativist)
A
- much knowledge is innate and genetically transmitted rather than learned by experience
- extreme nativist position = language system is in place at birth
6
Q
Skinner’s Behaviorist Theory
A
- NURTURE-INSPIRED
- all learning is the result of operant conditioning (behaviors that are reinforced become strengthened and behaviors that are punished become suppressed)
- language is not a special behavior, but is just like any other behavior that humans learn
- children learn language as adults reinforce their verbalizations
7
Q
Vygotsky’s Social-Interactionist Theory
A
- NURTURE-INSPIRED
- stressed the importance of social interaction in language development
- argued that all concepts are introduced first in a social context and in time, these concepts are internalized to a psychological or internal level
- viewed language as being part of general cognition until about the age of 2 when language becomes independent
- zone of proximal development: the difference between a child’s actual developmental level and his or her level of potential development
8
Q
Piaget’s Cognitive Theory
A
- NURTURE-INSPIRED
- known for observational studies on his own 3 children’s development and theories on genetic epistemology
- emphasis on stages of learning and development
- achievements of one stage must occur before a child can move on to the next stage
- believed language was DOMAIN-GENERAL ability
- cognition hypothesis: language is an ability that reflects developments in other areas of growth; children are egocentric; cognitive development gives way to language achievements
- didn’t view language as a specific faculty, but as an ability that affects development in other areas of growth
9
Q
Intentionality Model of Language Acquisition
A
- NURTURE-INSPIRED
- children’s abilities develop in tandem (one after another)
- the child is responsible for driving language learning forward (this differs from other nurture-inspired theories)
- children learn language when they must express themselves to share information
- children must express intention to learn language
10
Q
Competition Model
A
- NURTURE-INSPIRED
- children acquire language forms that they hear frequently and reliably early in life and then they acquire forms that they rarely hear or hear inconsistently
- multiple language forms compete with one another until the input strengthens the correct representation and the child no longer produces an incorrect form
- overgeneralization
11
Q
Usage-Based Theory
A
- NURTURE-INSPIRED
- children learn language because they have reason to talk
- emergence of intentionality during the first year of life
- “intention reading:” child’s ability to recognize the intentions and mental states of others
- corresponding to the increasing capacity of the infant to engage communicatively with others
- emphasizes the social nature of language
12
Q
Nature-Inspired Theories
A
- Fodor’s Modularity THeory
- Universal Grammar
- Bootstrapping theory
- Connectionist theories
13
Q
Nurture-Inspired Theories
A
- Skinner’s Behaviorist Theory
- Vygotsky’s Social Interactionist Theory
- Piaget’s cognitive theory
- intentionality model of language acquisition
- competition model
- usage-based theory
14
Q
Fodor’s Modularity Theory
A
- language is an innate capacity
- organization of the brain’s cognitive infrastructure as comprising a series of highly-specified modules, including modules for various aspects of language processing
- innate capacity that is localized to domain-specific processors that are encapsulated in their functions from other processors
- processors operate independently and do not share information
- multiple language modules
15
Q
universal grammar theory
A
- one language mode
- system of grammatical rules and constraints consistent across all the world’s languages
- language acquisition depends on an innate, species-specific module that is dedicated to language, and not other forms of learning
- language acquisition device
- born with linguistic competence; mistakes and omissions in speech are indicative of performance difficulties and not a lack of competence
