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Lan and c0m > W1 - Intro: animal language & language and thought > Flashcards

W1 - Intro: animal language & language and thought Flashcards

1
Q

Why is studying psycholinguistics significant in understanding human behavior?

A

It reveals how humans acquire, use, and understand language, essential to identity, relationships, and cognition.

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2
Q

According to Beattie & Ellis, what happens in communication?

A

A transmitter encodes, and a receiver decodes information.

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3
Q

What are the two primary types of communication?

A

Verbal and non-verbal.

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4
Q

Give examples of verbal communication.

A

Spoken and written language, dialects, and constructed languages.

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5
Q

Give examples of non-verbal communication.

A

Body language, gestures, and tone.

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6
Q

What is one key element that defines a language?

A

A structured symbolic system governed by rules (grammar).

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7
Q

Approximately how many languages exist worldwide?

A

Between 3,000 and 8,000.

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8
Q

What percentage of languages are European?

A

3%.

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9
Q

What percentage of the population speaks English as a first or second language?

A

20%.

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10
Q

Which design feature of Hockett refers to specific meanings of words?

A

Semanticity.

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11
Q

What does ‘arbitrariness’ mean in Hockett’s design features of language?

A

No inherent connection between most words and their meanings.

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12
Q

Which feature allows language to reference things beyond immediate context?

A

Displacement.

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13
Q

Define ‘productivity’ in language.

A

The ability to create infinite expressions with finite words and sounds.

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14
Q

Which Hockett feature allows for lying?

A

Prevarication.

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15
Q

What does ‘reflexiveness’ in language allow speakers to do?

A

Refer to language itself, like discussing grammar.

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16
Q

What does sound symbolism suggest?

A

Certain sounds may carry specific meanings (e.g., ‘Kiki’ for sharp sounds).

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17
Q

Give an example of an animal communication system.

A

The bee waggle dance.

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18
Q

Why don’t dolphins use syntax like humans?

A

They lack syntactic flexibility, focusing only on immediate communication.

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19
Q

What language-like behavior do songbirds exhibit?

A

Babbling, left-hemisphere specialization, and a critical learning period.

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20
Q

What unique language skill did Kanzi the bonobo demonstrate?

A

Advanced comprehension of human language and commands.

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21
Q

What aspect of the brain is similar between apes and humans?

A

Enlarged Broca’s area.

22
Q

Why can’t apes produce complex speech?

A

Their vocal anatomy differs from humans.

23
Q

How are apes taught to communicate with humans?

A

Using sign language or lexigrams.

24
Q

What did the Gua (1933) study conclude about language acquisition?

A

Gua learned words but couldn’t produce language.

25
Q

What did Washoe achieve in American Sign Language studies?

A

Learned 85 signs, combining them meaningfully (e.g., ‘water bird’).

26
Q

What is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis?

A

The idea that language influences thought.

27
Q

What does linguistic determinism suggest?

A

Language limits and constrains thought.

28
Q

How does linguistic relativism differ from linguistic determinism?

A

It suggests language influences thought without strictly limiting it.

29
Q

How did Boroditsky’s (2001) research support linguistic relativity?

A

Showed spatial and temporal encoding differences in English and Mandarin speakers.

30
Q

How did Brown & Levinson’s (1993) research illustrate spatial encoding differences?

A

Tenejapan speakers used allocentric ordering; Dutch speakers used egocentric.

31
Q

What critique does Steven Pinker offer against linguistic determinism?

A

Thought can exist independently of language (mentalese).

32
Q

What is ‘mentalese’?

A

A hypothetical universal cognitive system for thought.

33
Q

How does language shape spatial encoding in different languages?

A

Through egocentric (e.g., left, right) vs. allocentric (e.g., north, south) frames of reference.

34
Q

How do English and Mandarin speakers differ in temporal encoding?

A

English uses a horizontal time frame; Mandarin uses a vertical one.

35
Q

What did the Ildefonso case demonstrate about language and thought?

A

He had thoughts before learning language, challenging linguistic determinism.

36
Q

What does the Hopi language controversy suggest about linguistic determinism?

A

Lack of specific tenses doesn’t imply inability to understand time.

37
Q

How can language impact problem-solving, as shown by Glucksberg & Weisberg?

A

Specific language descriptions can help avoid functional fixedness.

38
Q

Why is language diversity considered important?

A

Each language provides unique cognitive and cultural insights.

39
Q

How did Carmichael et al. (1932) show that language affects recall?

A

People reinterpreted images differently based on word labels provided.

40
Q

What did the candle task experiment reveal about language and problem-solving?

A

People were more creative when items were described separately.

41
Q

Why do chimpanzees struggle with language as compared to children?

A

Their communication lacks spontaneous creativity and syntactic structure.

42
Q

How do children’s language skills differ from chimps in terms of curiosity?

A

Children frequently ask questions, showing curiosity and engagement.

43
Q

What is the significance of temporal displacement in children’s language?

A

They naturally reference past, present, and future events.

44
Q

What concept explains that language shapes perception without dictating it?

A

Linguistic relativism.

45
Q

In the context of linguistic determinism, why is translation considered challenging?

A

New words or ideas would be hard to create if thoughts depended on language alone.

46
Q

How does functional fixedness illustrate the impact of language on problem-solving?

A

Describing items differently can prevent rigid thinking, enhancing creativity.

47
Q

What role does ‘allocentric’ framing play in languages like Tzeltal?

A

They describe spatial relations based on directions (e.g., uphill, downhill).

48
Q

What frames of reference does English use for spatial encoding?

A

Both egocentric and allocentric.

49
Q

Why do Mandarin speakers find it easier to think of time vertically?

A

Language primes them to conceptualize ‘next’ as ‘down’ and ‘previous’ as ‘up’.

50
Q

How does the universal cognitive framework (mentalese) theory challenge linguistic determinism?

A

Suggests thought exists beyond language, allowing for complex ideas without words.

Lan and c0m (6 decks)

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