PSYCHOLOGY TEST 2/10/2025 Flashcards
Hypothesis that language determines that way we think (Whorf).
Linguistic determinism
Aphasia in which verbal communication is nonsensical and lacks
meaning; difficulty understanding spoken and written communication
Wernicke’s aphasia
According to Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy.
Basic trust
A theory of the social environment’s influence on human development, using five nested systems (micro, meso, exo, macro chrono).
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory
A style of parenting that is both demanding and responsive
Authoritative
Demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the
present of caregiver, show only temporary distress when the caregiver l
leaves and find comfort in the caregiver’s return
Secure attachment
In a language, the smallest unit (word or part of word) that carries meaning
morpheme
The distress, fear, and unhappiness experienced by young children when they are around individuals who are unfamiliar to them.
Stranger anxiety
Process by which some animals form early strong attachments (Lorenz).
Imprinting
The normal alarm or fear experienced by a young child separated from the person or people to whom he or she is attached.
Separation anxiety
The early speech stage in which a child speaks like a telegram – “go car”
-using mostly nouns and verbs.
Telegraphic speech
A procedure for studying child-caregiver attachment (Ainsworth)
Strange situation
In a language, the smallest distinctive sound unit.
Phoneme
Type of aphasia in which Individual struggles to form words and construct g
correct sentences. Comprehension abilities are relatively preserved.
Broca’s aphasia
A person’s characteristic emotional reactivity or intensity
Temperament
Type of insecure attachment in which individual resists closeness
Avoidant attachment
the stage during which a child speaks mostly single words.
One-word stage
insecure attachment in which clinging behavior is displayed.
anxious attachment
Morality develops through cognitive growth, with reasoning and fairness at its
core (which psychologist supports this), rational moral reasoning
Piaget
Morality is primarily emotional and intuitive, with reasoning often acting as a post-
hoc justification. (which psychologist supports this), emotional moral intuition
Haidt
Who conducted marshmellow experiment?
Walter Mischel
What did the marshmellow test show?
Mischel’s longitudinal studies found that children who were able to delay gratification tended to
have better life outcomes, including:
* Higher SAT scores
* Better stress management
* Healthier relationships
* Greater professional success
Example of phoneme
The word cat has three phonemes: /k/ - /æ/ - /t/.
Example of morpheme
Example: “Unbreakable” has three morphemes:
o un- (not)
o break (root word)
o -able (can be done)
What does Chomsky believe?
Chomsky believes that, regardless of the language, babies have an inborn ability to grasp
phonemes, morphemes, and grammar rules. A child raised in Japan will effortlessly learn
Japanese, while one in France will pick up French—without formal instruction!
Mind-blowing example:
* Even when deaf children aren’t taught sign language, they often create their own
structured “home signs” with consistent grammar rules—suggesting that language
structure is innate!
In short, while experience shapes the language we speak, our brains come pre-equipped with
the ability to organize words, sounds, and meanings—a superpower we often take for granted!
- Babies understand language before they can speak it.
- By 4-6 months, they recognize their own name and familiar words like “mommy” or
“milk.”
Receptive Language (Understanding Words)
Babies move from random sounds to structured speech in stages.
Productive Language (Speaking Words)
Humans have a “critical period” for language learning, which peaks in early childhood (before
puberty).
* The brain is highly plastic in childhood, meaning it can easily form new neural
connections.
* After puberty, brain structures involved in language learning become less flexible,
making it harder to achieve native-like fluency.
The Critical Period Hypothesis (Biological Factor)
Babies are born able to distinguish all phonemes (speech sounds) from any language.
* By ~10 months, they start losing the ability to hear and produce sounds not used in
their native language.
* Adults often struggle with pronouncing sounds that don’t exist in their first language.
Phoneme Recognition Declines with Age (Cognitive Factor)
Adults rely on their first language’s grammar and structure, which can interfere with
learning a new one.
* They translate rather than think naturally in the new language.
Interference from First Language (Cognitive Factor)
Adults fear making mistakes and feel self-conscious, while kids experiment freely.
* Adults have less exposure and less time to immerse themselves in a new language
compared to children.
Social & Emotional Barriers (Psychological & Social Factors)
Language processing is primarily handled by the _____ hemisphere of the brain (in most people).
left
Two well-known areas—________________—are closely linked to specific types
of aphasia (language impairment).
Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area
Broca’s Area is the
Speech Production Center
Wernicke’s Area is the
Comprehension Center
Extreme version of Whorf Hypothesis.
* language determines thought—if you don’t have words for a concept, you can’t think
about it.
Linguistic Determinism - “Language Limits Thought”
- More reasonable and accepted version of the Whorf Hypothesis.
- language shapes how we think, but doesn’t control it.
- People from different linguistic backgrounds may perceive and categorize the world
differently.
Language shapes our experience but doesn’t put up strict barriers—we can still think beyond
words.
Linguistic Relativism – “Language Influences Thought”
Thinking in images? What does this mean. Give an example.
Thinking in images refers to visual or mental imagery—the ability to represent information in our
mind using pictures, rather than words. It’s a way to process thoughts, e.g. mental rehearsal:
athletes imagine themselves performing a skill successfully before actually doing it.
– “The Immediate Circle”
The closest environment, where direct interactions occur.
* Examples: Family, school, friends, teachers,
neighborhood, daycare.
Microsystem
