Language & Communication Flashcards
What is spoken language?
A socially acquired system of sound patterns with meanings agreed on by the members of a group.
What are the advantages of language?
- Frees us from the constraints of the here and now.
- Allows us to communicate with others about expeirences we do not directly share.
- Enables us to transmit, preserve, and create culture.
What are the two concepts of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
- Linguistic reality.
- Linguistic determinism.
What is linguistic reality?
Each culture experiences events differently from another culture.
What is linguistic determinism?
Language of a given culture actually causes that culture to perceive events differently from other cultures.
What evidence supports the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
Inuit (indigenous group) have about 20 names for snow, whereas there are only 2-3 in english.
Describe Rosch’s (1972) Dani Tribe study.
If the Whorfian hypothesis was correct, language should influence memory for colour.
- Compared colour perception between Americans and members of the Dani tribe of New Guinea.
- Dani tribe only has 2 names for colour; one for dark/cold colours and one for light/warm colours.
- For each trial, participants were presented with single colour chips for 5 seconds.
- After 30 second, the participants had to choose the same colour chip from an array of 40 coloured chips.
- Participants performed equally well on this task.
What did the Rosch (1972) Dani tribe study conclude?
Differences in language do not necessarily translate into different perceptual experiences.
What are the six bases of social power (French & Raven, 1965)?
- Reward power.
- Coercive power.
- Legitimate power.
- Referent power.
- Expert power.
- Informational power.
What is reward power?
The ability to give positive consequences or remove negative consequences in response to specific behaviour.
What is coercive power?
The ability to give negative consequences or remove positive consequences in response to specific behaviour.
What is legitimate power?
An individuals status or position in group gives them the right to exercise power over those with a lower status or with less authority.
What if referent power?
Individuals identify with or want to be like or liked by this person.
What is expert power?
Having special knowledge and skills that are desirable or needed.
What is informational power?
Having resources or information that are useful and are not available elsewhere.
How can people tell what we are really thinking?
- Body language
- Gazing to the right.
- Scratching neck.
- Tone of voice.
- Gaze.
- Gestures.
- Movements.
These all unintentionally communicate our attitudes and emotions.
How much impact do facial expressions have on communication?
Facial expressions account for 55% of the impact of what we say, words only account for 7%.
What did Argyle et al. find?
Nonverbal communication is more powerful than words in communication of interpersonal attitudes.
- It is not what you say, but in the way you say it.
What did Ekman (1980) find?
At least 6 facial expressions are culturally universal:
- Happiness.
- Surprise.
- Fear.
- Anger.
- Disgust.
- Sadness.
Why are hand gestures important?
Hand movements are linked closely to meaning in accompanying speech.
What is the equilibrium hypothesis?
We seek to maintain a desirable level of intimacy in our interactions and will adjust gaze and proximity.
- People regulate intimacy.
- E.g., If squeezed closely on train, one might avoid eye contact and look away.
What are the stages of interaction (Knapp, 1984)?
- Initiating.
- Experimenting.
- Intensifying.
- Integrating.
- Bonding.
- Differentiating.
- Circumscribing.
- Stagnating.
- Avoiding.
- Terminating
1-5 = Relationship coming together.
6-10 = Relattionship coming apart.
What is sociolinguistic competence?
Language performance must be appropriate to the social and cultural context otherwise mutual understanding won’t occur.
What is linguistic intergroup bias?
Members of a group share a linguistic intergroup bias.
- We favour those who speak like us.
