Cognition, Language, and Intelligence

This section covers cognition, language, problem-solving, intelligence, and creativity, along with measures of intelligence and the source of intelligence.

Cognition: The mental process encompassing information, sensations, emotions, memories, thoughts, and behavior.
- Information and sensations are perceived by the brain, filtered through emotions and memories, and processed into thoughts.

Concepts: Categories of linguistic information, images, ideas, or memories that help to see relationships among different experiences.
- Can be classified as complex/abstract versus concrete.
Prototype: The best example or representation of a concept.
- Example Question: Is lasagna a “salad” or a “sandwich”?

Natural Concepts: Developed through direct or indirect experience.
- Example: Our concept of snow.
Artificial Concepts: Defined by a specific set of characteristics.
- Example: Properties of geometric shapes (e.g., squares, triangles).

Schema: A mental construct that organizes related concepts and leads to assumptions about persons, objects, or situations.
- Example: Assumptions made about a “doctor” or “marriage.”
Role Schema: Assumptions about behaviors of individuals in specific roles.
- Example: The expected behavior of a “librarian.”
- Variability in these assumptions can happen across cultures and countries.
- Schemata dictate behavior and may result in ingrained habits (e.g., facing forward in an elevator).
Event Schema (Cognitive Script): A collection of routine or automatic behaviors.

Referenced Work: "The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language" by Steven Pinker.
- Argues for innate human capacity for language.
- Engages with Noam Chomsky's idea of universal grammar but refutes the notion that evolutionary theory can't elucidate language instinct.

Language: A communication system utilizing words and organized rules to transmit information.
- Lexicon: The words used in a language.
- Grammar: The rules governing meaning derivation from the lexicon.
- Phoneme: The smallest recognizable sound unit (e.g., /ah/, /eh/).
- Morphemes: The smallest units of language that convey meaning.
Construction of language involves:
- Semantics: Meaning derived from morphemes and words.
- Syntax: Arrangement of words into sentences.

Noam Chomsky: Suggested that mechanisms for language acquisition are biologically driven through a concept termed the language acquisition device.
- Indicates that language can develop without formal instruction, beginning even in the womb.
- Challenges behaviorism, noting that linguistics development shows universal patterns across cultures.
Critical Period: The time frame early in life where language acquisition is most effective.
- Absent language exposure during this critical period can hinder full language acquisition capabilities.

Genie was discovered at age 13, raised under severe isolation and abuse.
- She had no spoken language at the time of her discovery.
- Despite receiving help, she could learn vocabulary but struggled with grammar, exemplifying the impact of language deprivation during the critical period.

0–3 months: Reflexive communication.
3–8 months: Reflexive communication and interest in others.
8–13 months: Intentional communication and sociability.
12–18 months: First words.
18–24 months: Simple two-word sentences.
2–3 years: Sentences containing three or more words.
3–5 years: Complex sentences and conversations, with age-related loss of ability to differentiate phonemes.

Is the relationship between language and thought bidirectional?
- Linguistic Determinism: The idea that language influences thought processes.
- Example: In George Orwell’s 1984, the language structure is manipulated to restrict freedom of thought and dissent against the government.
Current perspective holds that while language and thought are related, the strong influence of language on thought isn't universally supported.