Psy of Lang

Question 1

Why is it difficult to understand how our brains comprehend language?

Answer 1

Our brains are highly complex with around 86 billion neurons and 1000 trillion synapses

Question 2

Outline Marr’s level of explanation (of what the brain does)

Answer 2

1. Descriptive
2. Algorithm
3. Hardware implementation

Question 3

What is David marr’s level of explanation also known as? (1982)

Answer 3

The tri-level hypothesis

Question 4

How would we be able to fully understand info processing ?

Answer 4

If we are able to explain it at all three levels:
Descriptive
Algorithm
Hardware implementation

Question 5

What does the first level of info processing represent ?

Answer 5

What the system does (descriptive)

Question 6

What does the second level of info processing represents?

Answer 6

The processes used to solve these problems

Question 7

What does the 3rd level of the info system show?

Answer 7

At this level it explains the way the system is physically implemented

Question 8

Who stated that the middle level is reductionist (psy of Lang)

Answer 8

Peebles and cooper 2015

Question 9

What does buckle 2015 argue about info processing

Answer 9

Nicole’s argues that new techniques and tools such as the cortical micro stimulation have allowed neuroscientists to begin constructing causal-mechanistic explanations of the brain

Question 10

What is an example of an algorithm of info processing?

Answer 10

Are there certain rules underlying language ?

Question 11

What is a symbol?

Answer 11

This is a special arbitrary pattern that is used to carry a specific meaning

Question 12

Define language

Answer 12

Language is characterised by a infinite set of utterances from a finite set of elements.

Question 13

The symbols and grammatical rules of language can only be acquired through social interaction, why?

Answer 13

Because symbols and grammar are largely arbitrary

Question 14

Animals don’t use language yet they still

Communicate. Name an example of animal communication

Answer 14

Honeybee dance

Question 15

How many signs did washoe learn?

Answer 15

130

Question 16

Why did nim refute noam Chomsky ?

Answer 16

Because nim learned 125 signs

Question 17

Outline what kanzi (bonobo) learned

Answer 17

Kanzi was able to associate 150 symbols with spoken words and objects.

Question 18

Kanzi’ performance was comparable to a 5 year old true or false

Answer 18

False (2 year old)

Question 19

Why did early behaviourists say language cannot be studied?

Answer 19

Because there is no observable evidence of mental representations

Question 20

What happens to children who don’t receive proper language input ?

Answer 20

They create their own gestural language

Question 21

Using behavioural models how can language be explained?

Answer 21

Stimulus - response

Reinforcement

Question 22

Who proposed to idea of universal grammar

Answer 22

Chomsky

Question 23

Describe what is meant by language is modular

Answer 23

All humans are born with a module

For learning Language known as the language acquisition device

Question 24

How is the LAD helpful?

Answer 24

It’s helpful because it means children don’t need to know the entire grammar when learning a language, they just set parameters for their LAD