Theories of Speech Sound Acquisition

Behaviorism

Enviro/parental stimuli causes response

Stimulus response paradigm, positive reinforcement

Distinctive Features Theory

Acknowledges universal order of development process

Described the features of speech sounds (voicing/articulators)

Generative Phonology

1st step of identifying phonological processes

There are rules that all children are born with that influence production

Analyze substitution errors based on distinctive features- does NOT account for omission

Natural Phonology

Established existence of phonological processes as patterns governed by innate rules

Negative progression of child patterns to obtain adult word production

Errors due to simplication of adult form of words due to limitations of the child

Nonlinear Phonology

connection between segmental and suprasegmental (onset/rime+coda)

smaller linguistic units influence speech production

Optimality Theory

Ranks elements of phonology from easiest to hardest

Universal set of constraints of language

markedness vs faithfulness

Sonority Hypothesis

1. degree of voicing

2. oral cavity opening

Level of these (sonority) predicts deletions

Psycholinguistic Models

Mechanisms involved in:

Perception

Storage

Motor Planning

Diary Studies

Parents keep diary of child development

+ detailed info

- cant assume typical development

Large group cross sectional studies

studies divided up into age groups

+ quickly establish norms with data

- single words only, done by parent

Longitudinal studies

Studies small group of children for longer periods of time

+ independent researchers

- small sample size, single word only