Cognition

Refers to the way in which information is
processed and manipulated in remembering,
thinking, and knowing.
 Includes: Memory, Thinking, and
Language
 Mental processes
Language




A form of communication that is based on a
system of symbols.
Spoken, written, or signed
 Includes body language/gestures
How we communicate our culture
Language is:
 A) Symbolic- represents
 B) Semantic- meaningful
 C) Generative- infinite sayings
 D) Structured- rules
English



The United States
does NOT have an
official language.
The de facto national
language is English.
English is the third
most natively spoken
language in the
world.
Basic Properties of Language
Phonology


A language’s sound
system.
Made up of
phonemes.
Phonemes


The smallest units of
sound in a language.
English has about 44
phonemes
Basic Properties of Language
Morphology


A language’s rules
for word formation.
Made up of
morphemes
Morphemes



The smallest unit of
meaningful sound.
Can be words like a
or the.
Can also be parts of
words like prefixes
or suffixes.
Basic Properties of Language
Syntax


Semantics
A language’s rules
for combining words
to form acceptable
phrases and
sentences.
Rules of the order of
words in a language.


The meaning of
words and sentences
in a particular
language.
Rules by which we
derive meaning in a
language.
Grammar
Basic Properties of Language
Pragmatics

The useful character
of language and the
ability to language to
communicate even
more meaning that
what is said.
Language & Cognition



Language and thinking are intricately
intertwined.
We use language to express our ideas to others.
We think in words and in images.
Language & Cognition
Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis
 Benjamin Whorf (1956) suggested that
language determines the way we think
 Language influences thought
BUT

Research shows that thought also
influences language
Theories of Language Acquisition

Nature vs. Nurture

Behaviorist (Nurture)


Nativist (Nature)


B.F. Skinner
 Learn specific verbal responses through imitation
 Learn language through reinforcement and punishment
 strictly the environment
Noam Chomsky
 Innate capacity to learn the rules of language
 Language Acquisition Device (LAD) : biologically predisposed to
engage in language
Interactionist (Nature and Nurture)

Lev Vygotsky

Learn language by interacting with more advanced speakers.

Cognitive/maturation, social communication, and emergentist theories
Interactionist Theory
Language Development
Language Development

Language Stages
 Babbling Stage
 Holophrastic Stage (one-word stage)
 Overextension: using the same word to describe a lot of
similar objects.
 Underextension: using a broad word to describe a specific
object.
 Two-word Stage
 Telegraphic Speech Stage
 Child speaks like a telegram
 Overgeneralize/Overregulate: when children begin to speak
in longer sentences, they overuse the rules of language.
 Children start to understand jokes (humor)
 Acquire Syntax
Bilingualism


The acquisition of two different languages.
 If you learn English & American Sign Language, you
are considered bilingual!
Does bilingualism inhibit language development?
 Some studies found that bilingual children have
smaller vocabularies, but most argue that
monolingual and bilingual children are largely
similar.
 Some studies have found that bilingual children score
higher on some cognitive abilities tests. Other have
found that they score lower on some cognitive test.
Language & Age

Learning new
languages gets
harder with age.
 PLASTICITY
Language & Animals



Dolphins, sea lions, parrots, chimpanzees
 Vocals apparatus issue
 American Sign Language
Allen and Beatrice Gardener (1969)
 Chimpanzee – Washoe
 160 word vocabulary
Sue Savage- Rumbaugh
 Bonobo – Kanzi
 Symbols on a keyboard
 Receptive language – 72 % of 660 requests