Language and Thought 

Language conveys information. Grammar is the systematic rules of language, syntax is the structure and order of words. Productivity is the creation of new messages and the connection of unrelated information to form new ideas.

Language Development

Around 3-4 months babies have the ability to connect speech sounds with objects. At 8 months, babies show a declined ability to distinguish between sounds not used in their native language. The critical period of a child occurs between 7 months to five years where children undergo a period of fast acquisition of words. Children need environmental stimulation to promote healthy development. Deaf children that receive cochlear implants before age 2 progress better than children who receive implants after age 2 on languages tests evaluating performance and expression. The critical period is often called the sensitive period which emphasizes more the malleability of the brain during early childhood and can still be molded later in life given proper stimuli.

It is important to note the variations of syntax and grammar across different cultures. Simple two word sentences created by children most often follow object-verb format. Most languages follow subject-object-verb or subject-verb-object format. Babies prefer speech sounds as apposed to non-speech sounds. 6 month old babies can discriminate between phonemes.

B.F. Skinner believed language was influenced by the environment. Verbal behaviour is the operant conditioning of language that is formed through reinforcements.

The language acquisition device is a hypothetical mechanism responsible for language that nativists attempted to find.

Broca’s area is responsible for the motor production of speech and Wernicke’s area is responsible for the comprehension of language. The inability to produce speech is known as aphasia. Broca’s/non-fluent aphasia is the inability to produce language and Wernicke’s/fluent aphasia is the inability to produce meaningful language. Language production takes place in the left hemisphere which can be explained by hemispheric lateralization, some functions are predominantly controlled by one hemisphere.

Words

The mental lexicon is the storage of words and concepts. Prosody is the melody/speech patterns of speech. Phonemes are the smallest sound unit of information. Morphemes is the smallest portion of a word that conveys meaning. Semantics is the meaning of a word. A prototype is the most common form a word assumes when imagined.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, also known as linguistic relativity, theorizes that language influence our perception.

The Wisconsin card sorting task has participants match cards that have different colours and groupings of shapes by a designated rule which is not communicated but feedback was given as the task started. This task is easy, compared to a verbal shadowing of this task where more errors are made. People with Wernicke’s aphasia performed poorly with this task, demonstrating that issues in Wernicke’s area decreases an individuals ability to logically solve rules and integrate feedback.

Mental set is a person’s expectation of how to solve a problem. Functional fixedness is the tendency to view an object as only having one function and neglecting all other potential functions.

An algorithm is a precise set of rules applied to solve a problem.

Heuristics are short-cut rules used to solve a problem quickly. Means-ends heuristics involves envisioning the goal and taking many measures necessary to reach the goal. Representative heuristic involves comparing the problem to a prototype event. Availability heuristics is making a judgement based on how easily and quickly related memories come to mind.

Creativity is the ability to come up with solutions to a problem. The creative process starts with preparation, the gathering of knowledge on the topic. Incubation occurs when working on something unrelated, your memory is processing the information and making connections. The illumination stage is when a solution is found, which often comes as a surprise. Evaluation is the final stage where you judge if you solution is valid.

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek information that confirms our beliefs and dismiss information that does not align with our beliefs. The framing something can change our subjective view of it. Intuition is the reliance on experience and emotions.

System 1 thinking is our automatic way of thinking that relies on emotions and experiences. System 2 thinking uses logic and rational thought which countermands the system 1 thinking.