W1 - Intro: animal language & language and thought Flashcards
Why is studying psycholinguistics significant in understanding human behavior?
It reveals how humans acquire, use, and understand language, essential to identity, relationships, and cognition.
According to Beattie & Ellis, what happens in communication?
A transmitter encodes, and a receiver decodes information.
What are the two primary types of communication?
Verbal and non-verbal.
Give examples of verbal communication.
Spoken and written language, dialects, and constructed languages.
Give examples of non-verbal communication.
Body language, gestures, and tone.
What is one key element that defines a language?
A structured symbolic system governed by rules (grammar).
Approximately how many languages exist worldwide?
Between 3,000 and 8,000.
What percentage of languages are European?
3%.
What percentage of the population speaks English as a first or second language?
20%.
Which design feature of Hockett refers to specific meanings of words?
Semanticity.
What does ‘arbitrariness’ mean in Hockett’s design features of language?
No inherent connection between most words and their meanings.
Which feature allows language to reference things beyond immediate context?
Displacement.
Define ‘productivity’ in language.
The ability to create infinite expressions with finite words and sounds.
Which Hockett feature allows for lying?
Prevarication.
What does ‘reflexiveness’ in language allow speakers to do?
Refer to language itself, like discussing grammar.
What does sound symbolism suggest?
Certain sounds may carry specific meanings (e.g., ‘Kiki’ for sharp sounds).
Give an example of an animal communication system.
The bee waggle dance.
Why don’t dolphins use syntax like humans?
They lack syntactic flexibility, focusing only on immediate communication.
What language-like behavior do songbirds exhibit?
Babbling, left-hemisphere specialization, and a critical learning period.
What unique language skill did Kanzi the bonobo demonstrate?
Advanced comprehension of human language and commands.
What aspect of the brain is similar between apes and humans?
Enlarged Broca’s area.
Why can’t apes produce complex speech?
Their vocal anatomy differs from humans.
How are apes taught to communicate with humans?
Using sign language or lexigrams.
What did the Kellog (1933) study conclude about Gua and language acquisition?
Gua learned words but couldn’t produce language.
What did Washoe achieve in American Sign Language studies?
Learned 85 signs, combining them meaningfully (e.g., ‘water bird’).
What is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis?
The idea that language influences thought.
What does linguistic determinism suggest?
Language limits and constrains thought.
How does linguistic relativism differ from linguistic determinism?
It suggests language influences thought without strictly limiting it.
How did Boroditsky’s (2001) research support linguistic relativity?
Showed spatial and temporal encoding differences in English and Mandarin speakers.
How did Brown & Levinson’s (1993) research illustrate spatial encoding differences?
Tenejapan speakers used allocentric ordering; Dutch speakers used egocentric.
What critique does Steven Pinker offer against linguistic determinism?
Thought can exist independently of language (mentalese).
What is ‘mentalese’?
A hypothetical universal cognitive system for thought.
How does language shape spatial encoding in different languages?
Through egocentric (e.g., left, right) vs. allocentric (e.g., north, south) frames of reference.
How do English and Mandarin speakers differ in temporal encoding?
English uses a horizontal time frame; Mandarin uses a vertical one.
What did the Idlefonso case demonstrate about language and thought?
He had thoughts before learning language, challenging linguistic determinism.
What does the Hopi language controversy suggest about linguistic determinism?
That its debateable as Lack of specific tenses doesn’t imply inability to understand time. and so language doesnt limit thought
How can language impact problem-solving, as shown by Glucksberg & Weisberg?
Specific language descriptions can help avoid functional fixedness. eg box of tacks vs box and tacks
Why is language diversity considered important?
Each language provides unique cognitive and cultural insights.
How did Carmichael et al. (1932) show that language affects recall?
People reinterpreted images differently based on word labels provided.
What did the candle task experiment reveal about language and problem-solving?
People were more creative when items were described separately.
Why do chimpanzees struggle with language as compared to children?
Their communication lacks spontaneous creativity and syntactic structure.
How do children’s language skills differ from chimps in terms of curiosity?
Children frequently ask questions, showing curiosity and engagement.
What is the significance of temporal displacement in children’s language?
They naturally reference past, present, and future events.
What concept explains that language shapes perception without dictating it?
Linguistic relativism.
In the context of linguistic determinism, why is translation considered challenging?
New words or ideas would be hard to create if thoughts depended on language alone.
How does functional fixedness illustrate the impact of language on problem-solving?
Describing items differently can prevent rigid thinking, enhancing creativity.
What role does ‘allocentric’ framing play in languages like Tzeltal?
They describe spatial relations based on directions (e.g., uphill, downhill).
What frames of reference does English use for spatial encoding?
Both egocentric and allocentric.
Why do Mandarin speakers find it easier to think of time vertically?
Language primes them to conceptualize ‘next’ as ‘down’ and ‘previous’ as ‘up’.
How does the universal cognitive framework (mentalese) theory challenge linguistic determinism?
Suggests thought exists beyond language, allowing for complex ideas without words.
