Cognition and language Flashcards
Phonology
The actual sound of language.
For example there are about 40 speech sounds or phonemes in English
Categorical perception
Being able to learn subtle differences between speech sounds represent a change in meaning or not. Being able to distinguish one sound from another
Morphology
The structure of words. Many words are composed of multiple building blocks called morphemes.
For example. Re-, or pre-, or -ed
Semantics
Association of meaning with a word. Understanding the difference between “woman” and “mommy” for example
Syntax
Refers to how words are put together to form sentences. Noticing the effects of word order
Pragmatics
Dependence of language on context and pre-existing knowledge
The manner in which we speak may differ depending on the audience and our relationship to that audience
Prosody
Rhythm, cadence and inflection of our voices
9-12 months
Babbling
12 to 18 months
Learn about one new word per month
18 to 20 months
“Explosion of language” and combining words
2 to 3 years
Longer sentences (3 words or more)
5 years
Language rules largely mastered
Nativist (biological theory) of language
There is an innate ability and capacity in children to learn language.
When is the critical period of language acquisition
Between 2 years and puberty
Learning (behaviorst) theory
Language acquisition by operant conditioning. Babies have a strong preference for phonemes in the language spoken by their parents. Language acquisition through reinforcement
Social interactionist theory
Focuses on the interplay between biological and social processes. Language is driven by a child’s desire to communicate and behave in a social manner.
Broca’s area
Located in the inferior frontal gyrus of the frontal lobe, controls the motor function of speech
Wernicke’s area
Located in the superior temporal gyrus of the temporal lobe, is responsible for language comprehension
What connects Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area?
Arcuate fasciculus: a bundle of axons that allows appropriate association between language comprehension and speech production
Aphasia
Deficit of language production or comprehension
Can have either Broca’s or Wernicke’s Aphasia
Conduction aphasia
The patient is unable to repeat something that has been said because the connection between Broca’s and Wernicke’s area are compromised
Piaget’s 4 stages of cognitive development
- 0-2 years: Sensorimotor stage
- 2-6/7: Pre-operational stage
- 7-11: Concrete operational stage
- 12-up: Formal operational stage
0-2 years Piaget
Sensorimotor stage
Gather information about the world through senses and moving
Learn how to move and how to use their senses
2-7 Piaget
Pre-operational stage
Pretend play, imagination
Use symbols for things
Learn sybmolization
7-11 Piaget
Concrete operational
Conservation stage
Able to learn math
12 up Piaget
Formal operational stage
Form abstract thoughts
Learn consequences
Learn how to reason
What is assimilation?
Incorporating information into a schema that you already have.
What is accommodation?
Changing and creating new schema’s.
A child calls a raccoon a dog, they then have to learn that it’s not a dog, but a raccoon.
What is a schema?
Mental framework that develops from our experiences
Availability vs representativeness in decision making
Availability is things already in your mind
Representativeness is thinking of a prototype of a certain idea
2 main theories of intelligence
- Intelligence is a single unified array of skills (G factor theory)
- Intelligence is multiple unique sets of skills
