CHAPTER TWO

Question 1

What are the four layers of developmental systems?

Answer 1

Environment
Behaviour
Neural Activity
Genetic activity

Question 2

T/F: the four levels of dev. operate on seperate plains

Answer 2

False

Question 3

What are critical/sensitive periods?

Answer 3

Times in dev where children are considered my susceptible to the influence of environ. experiences

Question 4

The suggestion that there are neurons that become specialized for various functions based on location and experience is what?

Answer 4

Neurological preparedness

Question 5

What is the outside layer of the brain called?

Answer 5

The Cerebral Cortex

Question 6

What does the cerebral cortex control?

Answer 6

Higher mental functions ie planning and reading

Question 7

What is under the cerebral cortex?

Answer 7

The subcortical structures

Question 8

What area of the brain controls primitive functions (ie breathing, eating, balance)?

Answer 8

The subcortical structures

Question 9

What does the left hemisphere control?

Answer 9

Logical functions (analyzing, talking)

Question 10

What does the right hemisphere control?

Answer 10

Creative functions (drawing, gesture)

Question 11

What is the Broca’s Area?

Answer 11

Front part of the left hemisphere near the part of the cortex that controls movement

Question 12

What is Broca’s Area’s role in language?

Answer 12

Speech Production (Formation of words and sentences, prepping for speech production)

Question 13

What is the Wernicke’s Area?

Answer 13

Area behind Broca’s, next to primary auditory cortex

Question 14

What is Wernicke’s Area’s role in language?

Answer 14

Speech comprehension (Lexical storage, word meaning, selection of words)

Question 15

Define neuroplasticity

Answer 15

Ability of parts of the brain to take over functions they do not “ordinarily” serve

Question 16

What helps to explain why differing levels of aphasia recovery appear in children?

Answer 16

Neuroplasticity

Question 17

What evidence of neuroplasticity supports CPH?

Answer 17

Supports that biologically determined periods exists during which lang acquisition must occur then if at all

Question 18

What does CPH stand for?

Answer 18

Critical Period Hypothesis

Question 19

What does CPH claim?

Answer 19

That a person can only achieve native-esque fluency in a lang before a certain age

Question 20

Are children or adults more likely to recover normal lang function if suffering impairment?

Answer 20

Children (before puberty)

Question 21

T/F: children have a neurological advantage in learning languages

Answer 21

True

Question 22

How many langs can children under 9 learn?

Answer 22

up to three

Question 23

T/F: Children can be L1 level fluent in up to three langs under 9

Answer 23

True

Question 24

Why does lang development slump at puberty?

Answer 24

The brain loses plasticity

Question 25

What proves CPH?

Answer 25

"wild" or "feral" children who are unable to develop lang due to missing the critical window

Question 26

How do Empiricists deny CPH when faced with wild children evidence?

Answer 26

Not a nurturing environ Trauma Potential pre-existing dev or cog impairments (often reason for abandonment)

Question 27

What is a pigin?

Answer 27

a simplified communication method that's used when people who don't speak the same language need to interact

Question 27

What is a creole?

Answer 27

a natural language that develops when two or more languages mix and simplify, and then become fully developed with their own grammar and vocabulary

Question 27

T/F: Deaf children disprove CPH

Answer 27

False

Question 28

What is the main difference between a pigin and a creole?

Answer 28

a creole is a fully developed natural language that evolves over generations, while a pidgin is a simplified language that's typically used as a second language

Question 29

T/F: lang is not specific to humans

Answer 29

False

Question 30

T/F: Animals have the capacity for lang

Answer 30

False; they have the capacity for comm. but not lang.

Question 31

Which three animals have the highest degrees of communication?

Answer 31

Wolves, chimpanzees and dolphins

Question 32

What is the key difference betwen a human and primate brain (in relation to language capacity)

Answer 32

Human brain is 3 times as large and the cerebral cortex contains twice as many cells

Question 33

Why can't primates acquire language?

Answer 33

Primates are limited in the physiological capabilities due to their brain size

Question 34

List Hockett's nine design features of lang

Answer 34

1. mode of comm 2. Semanticity 3. Arbitrariness 4. Discreteness 5. displacement 6. cultural transmission 7. productivity 8. interchangeability 9. pragmatic function

Question 35

Define mode of communication

Answer 35

A means by which a message is communicated

Question 36

Define semanticity

Answer 36

A speech sound linked to a specific meaning (ie cat meaning cat)

Question 37

Define arbitrariness

Answer 37

No direct link between a signal and a meaning (ie no reason that the word "apple" means shiny red fruit)

Question 38

Define discreteness

Answer 38

Each unit of comm can be spearated into recognizable parts (letters, sounds, signs)

Question 39

Define displacement

Answer 39

describe things that are not physically present (ie object permanenec)

Question 40

Define cultural transmission

Answer 40

leaning of language occurs in social groups

Question 41

Define productivity

Answer 41

ability to create new messages by combining pre-exititing signs (ie "youre the first person to ever say those words in a row)

Question 42

Define interchangability

Answer 42

a speaker can both recieve and broadcast a signal at the same time

Question 43

Define pragmatic function

Answer 43

language is used to serve a purpose/achieve a goal