psych 250 exam 3 - language development

what are the three main theoretical perspectives on language acquisition?

• nativist (noam chomsky): language is innate; children are born with a language acquisition device (LAD)

• behaviorist (b.f. skinner): language is learned through reinforcement and imitation

• social interactionist (lev vygotsky): language develops through social interaction and scaffolding

what is chomsky’s language acquisition device (LAD)?

an innate biological mechanism that allows children to learn grammar and language rules quickly and efficiency

what is the key idea behind the behaviorist theory of language?

children learn language through reinforcement, imitation, and conditioning

what is the core idea of the social interactionist perspective?

language learning is driven by social interaction, communication, and support from caregivers

what are the critical features of language?

• phonemes (sounds)

• morphemes (smallest units of meaning)

• syntax (grammar rules)

• semantics (meaning)

• pragmatics (social use of learning)

what are phonemes?

the smallest units of sound that distinguish meaning in a language

what are morphemes?

the smallest units of meaning (example: “un-”, “-ed”)

what is syntax?

rules governing how words are arranged into sentences

what is semantics?

the meaning of words and sentences

what is pragmatics?

how language is used in social contexts

what is the relationship between auditory perception and language learning?

infants must hear and distinguish sounds (phonemes) between they can map them to meaning. Early auditory perception enables later vocabulary development

what is categorical perception in infants?

the ability to distinguish between different speech sounds (phonemes)

what is perceptual narrowing?

infants lose the ability to distinguish non-native phonemes and become specialized in their native language

why is perceptual narrowing important?

it increases efficiency in learning the native language but reduces sensitivity to other languages

what is the trajectory of language development (perception)?

• early: distinguish all phonemes

• later: specialize in native language sounds

what is the trajectory of language development (production)?

cooing → babbling → first words → two-word speech → sentences

what is cooing?

early vowel-like sounds (around 2 months)

what is babbling?

repetitive consonant-vowel sounds (around 6 months)

what is the one-word stage?

single words used to express full ideas

what is telegraphic speech?

two-word combinations that convey meaning (example: “want juice”)

how do children map words onto referents?

by using cognitive constraints and social cues to connect words to objects or actions

what is fast mapping?

the ability to learn a new word’s meaning after minimal exposure

what is the mutual exclusivity assumption?

children assume each object has only one label

what is the whole object assumption?

children assume words refer to entire objects, not parts

what is the taxonomic assumption?

children assume words refer to categories of similar objects

what role does joint attention play in word learning?

helps children identify what object or action a word refers to by following gaze or pointing

what is the poverty of the stimulus problem?

children learn complex grammar despite receiving limited and imperfect input, suggesting innate language abilities

why does poverty of the stimulus support nativist theory?

because environmental input alone cannot explain how quickly and accurately children learn language

what role do gestures play in language development?

gestures precede speech and predict vocabulary growth; they help children communicate before speaking

how do gestures support language learning?

they reinforce meaning, guide attention, and help bridge communication gaps

what are social tools for language learning?

• child-directed speech (CDS)

• joint attention

• scaffolding

• turn-taking

what is child-directed speech (CDS)?

simplified, slower, and exaggerated speech used with children

what is scaffolding in language learning?

caregivers adjust support based on the child’s level of understanding

why is social interaction more effective than passive exposure?

children learn language better through live interaction than through TV or recordings

what are key facts about bilingualism in children?

• does NOT confuse children

• leads to cognitive flexibility

• vocabulary may be split across languages but total knowledge is similar

what is code-switching?

switching between languages within a conversation

what are cognitive benefits of bilingualism?

better executive function, attention, and problem-solving skills

what did steven pinker argue about language?

language is an instinct, biologically built into humans

what are pinker’s claims about word morphology?

children learn rules for forming words, not just memorized forms

what is overregularization and how does it support pinker’s theory?

errors like “goed” show children are applying rules, proving they understand grammar rather than memorizing words