Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psychology of Language > Psychology of Language Exam 1 > Flashcards

Psychology of Language Exam 1 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards AP® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

What is natural language?

A

The primary form of verbal communication in a human community; innate, typically emerges in early development spontaneously

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

All languages exhibit systematic restrictions. Explain.

A

Languages have rules that are both taught and tacit that instruct the speaker on how to use the language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is tacit knowledge?

A

Non-explicit knowledge about something or a language; knowledge that was not directly taught, but picked up through experience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What do the following examples demonstrate?

Mice-eater vs. rats eater
Who do I wanna visit vs. who do I wanna visit me
Which marble is near the box?

A

That there are unspoken rules about language that one follows without thinking why. Some sentences/phrases sound wrong due to our tacit knowledge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is prescriptive knowledge? How does it differ from tacit knowledge?

A

Governs everyday-use language and how one SHOULD speak; based on explicit instruction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What’s the difference between learning and instruction?

A

Learning can be informal (hearing others) whereas instruction is explicit lessons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Does tacit learning require learning? Does it require instruction?

A

Tacit learning does not require instruction, but it may require informal learning (hearing other people speak)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Does prescriptive knowledge require learning or instruction

A

Requires explicit instruction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Is the English plural rule tacit? Is it learned?

A

It’s tacit. One does not think about putting an -s at the end of certain sentences; toddlers will use it without being taught

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the difference between productive knowledge and memorization?

A

Memorized knowledge is known because it was studied at an earlier date. Productive knowledge comes from understanding a set of rules, such as grammar, and thus understanding what a given phrase or thing means through the implementation of those rules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Can one fully explain our linguistic knowledge as memorization? Why?

A

No; as productive sentences and phrases are created all the time, one could not possibly memorize everything in a language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Knowledge of language is productive and unbounded—explain.

A

There are an infinite number of sentences that can be created that have never been spoken before; if something follows the rules of a language, we may understand it, which gives way to infinite possibilities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How many sentences are there in a language? Explain.

A

There is an infinite number because language is unbounded so an infinite number of combinations of sentences may be created

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What’s the longest sentence in a sentence? Explain.

A

Infinite, as one may keep adding clauses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is grammar?

A

A set of rules followed by a language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define the 4 components of grammar

A

Phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Phonology

A

How languages organize their sounds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Morphology

A

The study of the form of words

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Syntax

A

A set of rules to create sentences

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Semantics

A

The meaning of languages

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How many rules are there in English grammar?

A

A finite number (3500?)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are some of the properties of mental grammar?

A

It is implicit, tacit, and productive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Who has grammar? Do illiterate people have grammar? Explain.

A

Everyone has grammar, even illiterate people; all human communities rely on tacit rules, as language exhibits certain patterns that are productively generalized to novel rules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Language has the capacity for infinite use of finite means. Explain.

A

Human language can generate an infinite number of possible utterances from a finite number of building blocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Contrast the SSSM and language instinct views with respect to what allows humans to have the capacity for language

A

The SSSM dictates that language is passed from adults to children and that children have no innate ability for it. The language instinct argues the opposite, claiming that language is the product of an evolved universal grammar with specialized cognitive systems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is the blank slate hypothesis?

A

We are born as empty slates with no knowledge of anything and all knowledge comes from experience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Explain what generic learning mechanisms are

A

There are no modules/domain-specific systems, the same generic principles/mechanisms apply across domains; you can use one mechanism for many different things (duct tape)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What are mental modules?

A

Within our brain, we have specific areas designated to doing certain things and abiding by certain principles. These modules communicate with one another but are separated. They are innate and universal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Modular and domain-general accounts both assume innateness. How do they differ?

A

Modular accounts assume that the language system as a whole is innate and different mechanisms “know” how to do specific things to produce language, whereas domain-general accounts assume that language and nonlinguistic abilities are innate and use various brain mechanisms differently to achieve their goals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What is universal grammar? What precisely is innate, according to this hypothesis? Is the grammar of English innate?

A

A set of accepted innate linguistic principles that are served by every human language. Knowledge of language is innate and there are innate restrictions on what rules are possible in human language. Specific English grammar rules are not innate (ex. plural rules)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What is the universality of language?

A

Every human community naturally uses language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

What does the universality of language tell us about the status of language as an instinct?

A

All languages share some aspects of their structure, lending support to universal grammar

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Consider the example of Larry: does he use language systematically?

A

Yes, he employs Black English Vernacular (BEV). BEV sounds different from normal English but follows similar rules, such as reduction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What are language universals?

A

Certain principles all natural languages follow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Semanticity

A

Language always follows logical rules

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Arbitrariness

A

Word structure does not look like the word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Discreteness

A

There is a clear beginning and end to words

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Displacement

A

We can talk about things that are not present

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Productivity

A

The ability to produce and comprehend new forms that you’ve never heard before

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Digital Structure

A

A word’s meaning is either “on” or “off” (ex. “big cheese” vs. “cheese”)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Analog Structure

A

A word’s meaning changes continuously with form (ex. gesture of a spiral grows larger to indicate size)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Duality of Patterning

A

2 distinct levels of sounds/elements: meaningless elements that can be combined into meaningful elements (words), which themselves could be combined further

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Are Hocket’s principles/duality of patterning unique to humans?

A

Yes, some properties are found in animals/nature, but all are uniquely human

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Are some of Hocket’s principles found in animal communication?

A

Yes (vervet monkeys, bee dance, etc.)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Which single property is not shared with animal communication?

A

Duality of patterning; animals only have one level of patterning, either form or meaning

46
Q

Which design properties of language did the Vervet monkey calls and bee dance exhibit?

A

Vervet monkeys; symbols and discreteness
Bees; displacement, productivity, and patterning

47
Q

Did the Diana monkeys and Swamp sparrow songs exhibit a pattern? At what level? Do they exhibit duality of patterning?

A

Yes; meaningful elements; no

48
Q

What is universal grammar?

A

A set of accepted innate linguistic principles that are shared by every human (cookie cutter)

49
Q

Is UG learned?

A

Yes, spontaneously and without formal training

50
Q

How does UG constrain the variability of languages?

A

UG says that there are rules that hold true for ALL languages

51
Q

How does UG shape language acquisition?

A

Children everywhere acquire language the same way and without much effort

52
Q

Contrast the predictions of the language instinct and SSSM with respect to how language is acquired: what should happen if no adult language is available to the child?

A

The SSSM indicates that the child will have no language. The UG model indicates that the child will form one on its own

53
Q

Contrast Creoole and Pidgin

A

Creole is an evolved form of Pidgin. Pidgin English is a structureless language that has no seet syntax or grammar. Creole was formed from Pidgin English after a generation of PE speakers used the language and naturally developed UG rules

54
Q

What is Nicaraguan sign language? How did it emerge?

A

A language invented by deaf children in Nicaragua

55
Q

Describe the difference between gestures and NSL signs

A

Gestures don’t have grammar or patterns

56
Q

What is path of motion?

A

The direction of a particular movement (ex. intoo, out of, across, etc.); used in gestures

57
Q

What is manner of motion?

A

The distinct motion described by an action (ex. running, walking, tumbling, etc.); used by signers

58
Q

Describe the emergence of discrete combinatorial signs across cohorts: do combinatorial signs emerge suddenly or gradually?

A

Gradually, as generations evolve the grammar

59
Q

Why are children more likely to inject grammar into their language? Consider the notion of a sensitive/critical period

A

Children are free from previous linguistic experience, which allows for new, logical development unaffected by past learning. Critical period allows for greater freedom and neural plasticity when encoding certain information

60
Q

Why do new languages develop gradually? Does this fact challenge the UG hypothesis?

A

As generations pass, more opportunities for growth appear. Each new generation adds something or edits something in the language. This does not necessarily challenge the UG hypothesis

61
Q

Compare the regenesis of “language” in man and bird

A

Both learn from an older model and the language becomes more refined as generations go on

62
Q

Describe the emergence of song in Zebra Finches

A

Zebra Finches acquire their song from an adult model; without the model, the song is abnormal with lots of repetition. In the experiment, multiple generations are reared in isolation; in each generation, a male “tutor” is selected for the next generation. At first, the song is abnormal, but as each generation learns from the one before, it slowly becomes more normal.

63
Q

How do home signs support the idea of a language instinct?

A

Children who learn language from their parents’ unstructured home signs tend to add natural structure to their own signs, indicating a natural path of development that was not provided for by the parents

64
Q

Transitive Actor

A

Actor in a sentence in which the verb has a direct object (ex. ‘Jimmy’ in ‘Jimmy fed the dog’)

65
Q

Intransitive Actor

A

Actor in a sentence in which the verb does not have a direct object (ex. ‘Mark’ in ‘Mark sneezed’)

66
Q

Patient

A

The recipient of an action (ex. ‘Jane’ in ‘Beth hit Jane’)

67
Q

Are home signers equally likely to produce all role players? Explain the pattern. Why is it significant?

A

Home signers typically omit the transitive actor and more consistently sign the transitive actor and patient. This is significant because they are not taught to do this, yet they almost always do (supports UG)

68
Q

Why are certain signs more likely to be produced? Does the child’s pattern reflect the mother’s signs? The culture?

A

Certain signs adhere more to the rules of UG and natural language. This pattern is more likely to reflect universal grammar, not the mother or culture

69
Q

What are ergative languages?

A

A language in which the transitive actor and the patient have the same function

70
Q

Why is the similarity between home signs and ergative languages significant?

A

Home signs follow the design of ergative languages, supporting UG

71
Q

Discuss the implications of the generic and modularity approaches with respect to the organization of the brain and its control by the genome

A

The generic approach says that the brain may share all of its hardware for language, that is, there is no dedicated system and language is an abstract free-floating ability in the brain. The modularity approach says that there is dedicated areas for language that are always activated and control the skill

72
Q

Language functions are…

A

left-lateralized

73
Q

Discuss the evidence of left-lateralization from healthy individuals

A

When asked to perform language tasks under an fMRI, results show increased blood flow to the left hemisphere

74
Q

Discuss the evidence of left lateralization from split-brain patients

A

Split brain patients are able to consciously process language that’s viewed with the right eye (connected to LH), but cannot process language viewed with the left eye (connected to RH); it appears to be that when left hemisphere/corpus callosum is not intact, linguistic processing is incomplete

75
Q

Identify the 2 major language areas

A

Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area

76
Q

Broca’s area

A

Involved in language production and passive syntax processing; productive functions

77
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

Involved with the detection of familiar sounds and the processing involved with that task; receptive functions

78
Q

What is fMRI?

A

Shows live blood flow in the brain when performing a task

79
Q

What is a baseline? Why is it critical?

A

A control that displays normal activity and it compared to the experimental activity; without a control, it’s very difficult to prove the effectiveness of a task in activating a portion of the brain

80
Q

Explain the involvement in the major language areas in syntactic processing

A

Broca’s: involved with reversible, passive syntaxes
Wernicke’s: involved in general movement

81
Q

What is movement?

A

The changing of a subject’s location between phrases (ex. I helped the girl [that Mary saw at the party.] - embedded sentence needs context from the first recognizable sentence - the direct object ‘the girl’ is who Mary say at the party); transferring ‘the girl’ is movement)

82
Q

How does the brain respond to movement?

A

Greater activation in Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas

83
Q

Explain the role of the major language areas in speech perception

A

Broca’s: does some work with sound discrimination; less involved with speech perception than Wernicke’s
Wernicke’s: engaged most by linguistic stimuli; associated with the understanding of spoken and written language (due to linguistic function of speech)

84
Q

How is the question of the linguistic function of speech addressed by the comparison of speech and nonspeech stimuli—what were the results?

A

1—Participants listen to a tone repeatedly and then suddenly hear speech
2—Participants listen to a tone repeatedly and then suddenly hear nonspeech
Wernicke’s area is activated more in condition 1

85
Q

How do the major language areas process spoken language? Contrast their parts in modality and modularity

A

These areas are specialized to the person who is using them (see PT)
Modality—the areas support the transmission and perception of language via a particular channel (e.g., speech), in a certain modality (spoken)
Modularity—the language areas play a role in the computation of language and their function is linguistic (they comprise a language module)

86
Q

What is the planum temporale and what is its role in hearing people?

A

Part of Wernicke’s area that is engaged by familiar linguistic input

87
Q

Explain the role of the planum temporale in processing sign language. What do these findings imply with respect to its role (modularity)?

A

PT activation is the same when signers view signs; when signers view new signs there is no activation—supports the notion that PT is for familiar language units unique to the individual

88
Q

Explain the role of the planum temporale in processing sign language. What do these findings imply with respect to its role (modularity)?

A

PT activation is the same when signers view signs; when signers view new signs there is no activation—supports the notion that PT is for familiar language units unique to the individual

89
Q

What are double dissociations?

A

When a given feature is affected by one disorder but not the other

90
Q

What’s the difference between single and double dissociations?

A

Single dissociation—shows that the presence of an acquired disability affects only one area of functioning without impairing any other area of functioning
Double dissociations—involve 2 experimental manipulations which have different effects on 2 dependent variables; the lesion of brain structure A impairs function X but not Y, and the lesion of brain structure B impairs function Y but not X

91
Q

What do double dissociations tell us?

A

Linguistic and nonlinguistic functions engage distinct mechanisms of the mind/brain

92
Q

What is Broca’s aphasia?

A

Damage to Broca’s area that results in difficulty with speech production and fluency of speech

93
Q

Describe the syntactic problems of patients with Broca’s aphasia

A

Difficulty with reversible passive syntax—the action of the verb is done to the subject and the transitive actor and patient can be switched (ex. ‘The boy was pushed by the girl’)

94
Q

What is Wernicke’s aphasia?

A

Damage to Wernicke’s area that results in fluent but nonsensical speech production, and difficulties understanding language and movement; difficulty in reception/comprehension

95
Q

Is the difference between the 2 forms of aphasia explained solely in terms of language reception vs. production?

A

No, there is some crossover
Deficits to specific linguistic computations—Broca’s aphasia: deficit to syntactic movement—Wernicke’s aphasia: difficulties in lexical access and discourse

96
Q

What major language areas are implicated in sign language aphasia? What do we conclude from this?

A

Either can be implicated; this supports modularity

97
Q

Does language ability require high intelligence?

A

No

98
Q

What is William’s Syndrome?

A

A disorder involving deficits in IQ, noticeable physical abnormalities, and almost nearly spared speech/comprehension; severely affects intellect but maintains language

99
Q

What is Specific Language Impairment (SLI)?

A

A congenital disorder involving extreme difficulties with basic speech production, grammar, and comprehension, but IQ is spared

100
Q

Explain the role of Broca’s area in processing music. What are the implications?

A

Broca’s area detects deviances in musical sequences; raises the possibility that Broca’s area i used for other tasks—modularity is unsupported

101
Q

Explain some of the complications associated with aphasia

A

Grammatical deficit is not always linked to Broca’s area, sometimes caused by damage to other areas—modularity is unsupported

102
Q

SLI is heterogeneous—explain the problems to the language instinct hypothesis

A

Not everyone in the family is affected

103
Q

Who is the KE family? Why are they special?

A

British family with a genetic language impairment—speech impairment is discovered to be due to genetic mutation, and from which the gene FOXP2, often dubbed the “language gene”, was discovered

104
Q

Describe some of the linguistic and nonlinguistic abnormalities in the KE family

A

Difficulty controlling speech and facial muscles, forming plurals, changing tenses, understanding complex syntactic sentences, distinguishing between words and nonwords, and manipulating phonemes

105
Q

What genes explain the deficits seen in the KE family?

A

FOXP2

106
Q

Is the FOXP2 human protein fixed? Is it unique to humans?

A

FOXP2 is fixed in humans, but it is not unique to humans

107
Q

Are the differences between FOXP2 proteins in humans and other species due to random chance?

A

No, it was the target of natural selection in the past ~200,000 years

108
Q

When did the changes in the human FOXP2 gene emerge?

A

About 200,000 years ago, around the same evolutionary time we split from chimps

109
Q

What are the implications of FOXP2 change in humans?

A

Supports natural selection of language

110
Q

Is FOXP2 a language gene? Is there such a thing?

A

No, FOXP2 codes for other things as well; there is no such thing

111
Q

Summarize the evidence for a language module

A

Sign language aphasia (damage in Broca’s and Wernicke’s produces aphasia in signers)
Double dissociations

112
Q

Summarize the evidence against a language module

A

Broca’s area’s role in music
Language production deficits are not always linked to Broca’s area

Psychology of Language (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions