Psych 7.2

Language as a Communication System

  • Language is defined as a communication system that utilizes words and systematic rules to organize these words for transmitting information from one individual to another.

  • Not all communication is categorized as language; other species communicate through body language, odors, and vocal sounds.

  • Communication is essential for species that require interaction and social relationships among their peers.

  • Language is often cited as a distinguishing feature that sets humans apart from other species.

Distinctions of Language

  • This section covers:

    • How language stands out as a unique form of communication.

    • The development of language.

    • The impact of language on human cognition.

Components of Language

  • Language (spoken, signed, or written) includes specific components that are essential to its function:

    • Lexicon:

    • Definition: The set of words in a given language, often referred to as the vocabulary.

    • Grammar:

    • Definition: A collection of rules used to convey meaning through the arrangement of the lexicon.

    • Example: In English grammar, most verbs add -ed to indicate past tense.

    • Phonemes:

    • Definition: Basic units of sound in a language; different languages have distinct sets of phonemes.

    • Morphemes:

      • Definition: The smallest language units that carry meaning; phonemes combine to form morphemes.

      • Example: The word "I" functions as both a phoneme and a morpheme.

    • Semantics and Syntax:

    • Semantics:

      • Definition: The process of deriving meaning from morphemes and words.

    • Syntax:

      • Definition: The organizational structure of sentences formed using words.

Applications of Language

  • Language allows us to communicate about:

    • Concrete and abstract concepts.

    • Personal thoughts and future plans.

    • Detailed instructions for various tasks, such as cooking or repairing.

    • Organization and expression of schemata and artificial concepts.

Language Development

  • To master a language is perceived as a complex task; however, young children learn language swiftly.

  • BF Skinner's Theory:

    • Proposed that language acquisition occurs through reinforcement methods.

  • Noam Chomsky's Critique:

    • Challenged Skinner's behaviorist perspective, suggesting that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically predetermined.

  • Observations indicate:

    • Language develops without formal instruction.

    • Patterns of language acquisition are similar across various cultures.

  • Biological Predisposition:

    • Evidence suggests humans have an innate ability to acquire language, especially during early life.

  • Critical Period:

    • Language acquisition is most proficient early in life.

Early Language Learning in Infants

  • Infants begin learning language before birth and show a preference for their mother's voice.

  • Newborns can differentiate languages, preferring sounds of their mother's language.

  • Phoneme Discrimination:

    • Babies can initially discriminate among all phonemes of human languages.

    • By one year, they can differentiate only among phonemes present in their exposure.

  • Babbling Stage:

    • Occurs in early months, characterized by singular repeated syllables.

    • Not typically a means of communication.

    • Children exposed to sign language show hand-babbling as well.

First Words and Early Development Stages

  • A child's first spoken word typically occurs between ages 1-18 months.

  • One Word Stage:

    • During this phase, children can produce only one-word utterances.

    • Their vocabulary usually contains nouns of familiar objects or events.

    • Words may bear significant meaning despite their singularity (e.g., "cookie" could signal identification or a request).

  • As children’s lexicons grow, they begin forming simple sentences at an accelerated rate.

  • Children exhibit an understanding of language rules, as evidenced by overgeneralization:

    • Definition: Application of language rules to exceptions.

    • Example: Saying "gooses" or "mouses" instead of the correct plural forms.

Language and Thought

  • Language connects words to representations of ideas, people, places, and events as influenced by culture and context.

  • Investigative Question: Does language shape thought, or vice versa?

  • Edward Sapir & Benjamin Whorf:

    • Suggested that the language spoken can influence thought and interpretation of experiences.

  • Language-Thought Determination:

    • Example: Languages with multiple words for various forms of love might affect speakers' thoughts about love.

  • Critics argue that this foundational theory lacks empirical support.

  • Psychologists continue to explore how language and thought interact, coining the term linguistic determinism.

Cultural Differences in Language and Thought

  • Research indicates that language can frame cognitive performance:

    • Example of English vs. Mandarin Chinese time perception:

    • English speakers describe time horizontally (e.g., "running behind schedule").

    • Mandarin speakers may describe time in both horizontal and vertical terms (e.g., past as up, future as down).

  • Such differing linguistic practices lead to varying cognitive task performances, demonstrated, for instance, in speed of recognizing temporal relationships.

Color Perception Research

  • A study compared color terminology usage between English speakers and the Dani people of Papua New Guinea.

  • Dani have two basic color words: light and dark, compared to English’s eleven color words.

  • Despite limited vocabulary, the Dani showed equivalent color discrimination abilities to English speakers.

  • Recent findings suggest language may influence perceptual differences in the left brain hemisphere, associated with language processing.

Language development is swift in children, characterized by theories from BF Skinner (reinforcement) and Noam Chomsky (biologically predetermined mechanisms). Infants exhibit early language learning, including phoneme discrimination and babbling. First words typically emerge from ages 1-18 months, leading to vocabulary growth and simple sentence formation.

Language is interconnected with thought, raising the question of whether language shapes thought. The theory of linguistic determinism, supported by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf, suggests language influences thought processes. Cultural differences can frame cognitive performance, as seen in time perception and color terminology, affecting cognitive tasks and discrimination abilities.

Language is a communication system utilizing words and rules to convey information, distinguishing humans from other species. Components include lexicon (vocabulary), grammar (rules for arrangements), phonemes (basic sound units), and morphemes (smallest meaning-bearing units). Language allows communication about concepts, thoughts, and tasks.