Language Development

Question 1

Categorical Perception

Answer 1

Continuous changes in sound are perceived in discrete categories
* Ex: bah v. pah

Question 2

Phoneme Perception

Answer 2

1. Young infants can discriminate between all phonemes
2. Phoneme discrimination becomes language specific by 10-12 months
3. Perceptual narrowing: reduced sensitivity to phonemes not encountered frequently, specialized to language heard more often

Question 3

Chapter 10 Study: Conditioned Head Turn

Answer 3

• Researchers activate toy to light up when speech sounds changed only once the infant turns their head in expectation
• Conditions infant to turn head to toy before it is activated at the prompting of a sound change

Question 4

Language Development Patterns

Answer 4

• Comprehension before Production
• Gesture before spoken language

Question 5

Language Milestones

Answer 5

• 6-8 months
  Comprehension: A few words
  Production: Babbling
  *8-12 months
  Comprehension: Narrowing of phoneme perception
  Production: Gestures
  *10-18 months
  Production: First words
  *18-24 months
  Comprehension: more complex sentences
  Production: Two-words together grammatically, vocabulary explosion

Question 6

Key Features of Human Language

Answer 6

1. Grammatical system/complexities
2. Sensitive period (experience expectant process)

Question 7

Universal Grammar

Answer 7

*Mechanisms: Innate grammar principles
*Cognitive Theory: Core Knowledge
*Domain-specific
*Nature-dominant
*Nurture: Environmental input
*Focus: Acquisition of grammar

Question 8

Statistical Learning

Answer 8

*Mechanisms: Basic cognitive abilities
*Cognitive Theory: Information Processing
*Domain-general
*Nature: Learning ability, bias to attend to language
*Nurture: Input for processing
*Focus: Everything

Question 9

Social Pragmatics

Answer 9

*Mechanisms: Social context
*Cognitive Theory: Sociocultural
*Domain-general
*Nature: Basis of social abilities
*Nurture: Social interaction
*Focus: Word-meaning & Grammar