W10 Talking Flashcards
What theory suggests that language acquisition occurs similarly to other learned behaviors?
Behaviourism/Learning Theory.
Who is a key figure associated with Behaviourism in language acquisition?
B.F. Skinner.
What are the three kinds of learning identified in Behaviourism?
Classical conditioning, imitation + operant conditioning, and social learning.
In Behaviourism, how is classical conditioning described?
Repeated associations between an object, a response, and a word leading to word understanding.
How does imitation and operant conditioning contribute to language acquisition?
Infants imitate adult utterances, which are then reinforced, and parents shape the child’s responses.
What is social learning in the context of language acquisition?
Children observe and imitate others to be like admired models, not just for rewards.
What is a major weakness of the Behaviourism theory?
Children often produce language they have never heard before.
What strengths does the Learning Theory of language acquisition possess?
Imitation and praise can enhance early language development.
What do Connectionist models assert about language acquisition?
Language is learned through a general associative learning mechanism based on input.
How do Connectionist models simulate language learning?
By using computer programs that mimic human information processing with input-output connections.
What is the continuity hypothesis regarding babbling?
Babbling is a direct precursor to speech, with a wide range of sounds narrowing down to native sounds.
What characterizes a child’s first words?
They are often phonologically simplified and usually refer to interactable objects.
What is the “vocabulary spurt”?
A rapid acquisition of new words, typically occurring around 18-20 months of age.
What are the lexical principles that help children learn names for objects?
Whole-object assumption, taxonomic constraint, and mutual exclusivity assumption
What is a common error children make in word usage?
Overextension and underextension of words.
What do children learn about syntactic categories through early language development?
They may allocate words to innate syntactic categories or notice regularities in language usage.
What is “telegraphic speech”?
Early two-word combinations that often follow a simple structure, such as possession or action.
What does the Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) measure?
The average number of morphemes per utterance, used to track language development
How do children typically form negative statements in early language?
By initially placing “no” or “not” before the utterance, then integrating negative markers into sentences.
What is the significance of individual differences in language acquisition?
Children may exhibit variations in learning styles, such as being more referential or expressive.
