Thinking and Language. Organizing Our Thoughts…. ( Making cognitive sense out of our world…) CognitionConcept Category Hierarchies We form concepts by…

Thinking and LanguageThinking and Language

Organizing Our Thoughts….Organizing Our Thoughts….((Making cognitive sense out of our world…)Making cognitive sense out of our world…)

CognitionCognition

ConceptConcept

Category HierarchiesCategory Hierarchies

We form concepts by…We form concepts by…DefinitionDefinitionprototypesprototypes

Problem Solving With CognitionProblem Solving With Cognition

Cognitive Problem Solving:Cognitive Problem Solving:AlgorithmsAlgorithmsHeuristicsHeuristicsInsightInsight

Limitations of heuristic judgments…Limitations of heuristic judgments…

Heuristic problem solving: hugely useful, Heuristic problem solving: hugely useful, but sometimes leads us astray…but sometimes leads us astray…

Availability heuristicAvailability heuristic

Representative heuristicRepresentative heuristic

Other Limitations of Heuristic Judgments…Other Limitations of Heuristic Judgments…

OverconfidenceOverconfidence

Belief BiasBelief Bias

Belief PerseveranceBelief Perseverance

FramingFraming

Obstacles to Problem Solving…Obstacles to Problem Solving…

Confirmation BiasConfirmation Bias

FixationFixation

Mental sets / RigidityMental sets / Rigidity

Functional FixednessFunctional Fixedness

Creativity and CognitionCreativity and Cognition

Definition?Definition?

Correlation between intelligence and Correlation between intelligence and creativity???creativity???

Types of CreativityTypes of CreativityConvergent ThinkingConvergent ThinkingDivergent ThinkingDivergent Thinking

Language is….Language is….

“…“…the Jewel in the Crown of Cognition.”the Jewel in the Crown of Cognition.”

“…“…complexity built of simplicity.”complexity built of simplicity.”

Defining LanguageDefining Language

What component distinguishes language What component distinguishes language from other forms of communication?from other forms of communication?Words (spoken, written or signed)Words (spoken, written or signed)

3 Factors of language development:3 Factors of language development:Genetic predisposition, environment, maturationGenetic predisposition, environment, maturation

Language StructureLanguage Structure

3 Building Blocks of Language3 Building Blocks of LanguagePhonemesPhonemesMorphemesMorphemesGrammar (semantics and syntax)Grammar (semantics and syntax)

Language StructureLanguage Structure

PhonemesPhonemes Smallest units of sound in languageSmallest units of sound in language 40 in English language ( 869 in human speech)40 in English language ( 869 in human speech) Do changes in phonemes produce changes in Do changes in phonemes produce changes in

meaning? Why? (Try an example…)meaning? Why? (Try an example…)

MorphemesMorphemes Smallest units of meaning (includes prefixes, suffixes)Smallest units of meaning (includes prefixes, suffixes) 100,000 in English language = 615,000 words in 100,000 in English language = 615,000 words in

Oxford Dictionary!Oxford Dictionary!

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Grammar: System of rules that govern Grammar: System of rules that govern language language SemanticsSemantics: the study of meaning for : the study of meaning for

morphemes, words, sentences..morphemes, words, sentences..o Adding ed suffix = past tenseAdding ed suffix = past tense

SyntaxSyntax: rules for combining words into : rules for combining words into sentencessentenceso adjectives comes before nounsadjectives comes before nouns

Language DevelopmentLanguage Development

MonthMonth StageStage44 Babbles speech sounds Babbles speech sounds (receptive (receptive

language)language)

1010 Babbles household languageBabbles household language1212 one-word stageone-word stage2424 Two-word stage (telegraphicTwo-word stage (telegraphic

speech) speech) (“I hitted my head.”= overgeneralization)(“I hitted my head.”= overgeneralization)

24+24+ rapid development into rapid development into complete complete sentences sentences

Theories of Language Theories of Language DevelopmentDevelopment

Skinner Skinner vs. vs. ChomskyChomsky

B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

Language – Operant Conditioning Language – Operant Conditioning (nurture)(nurture)

AssociationAssociation

pairing objects with wordspairing objects with wordsImitationImitation

Words and syntax modeled by othersWords and syntax modeled by othersReinforcementReinforcement

PraisePraise

Noam ChomskyNoam ChomskyLanguage occurs naturally / Language occurs naturally / NatureNature

Universal grammar underlies all human Universal grammar underlies all human language (nouns, verbs etc.)language (nouns, verbs etc.)

Language Acquisition DeviceLanguage Acquisition Device: : ((switchboxswitchbox) Brain is prewired for universal ) Brain is prewired for universal grammar- thus ready to learn any of 6,000 grammar- thus ready to learn any of 6,000 languages (switches will be set to specific languages (switches will be set to specific language over time)language over time)Surface structure: organization of languageSurface structure: organization of languageDeep structure: meaningDeep structure: meaning

Language DevelopmentLanguage DevelopmentBabies- a built in readiness to learn grammatical Babies- a built in readiness to learn grammatical rules rules

Critical periodCritical periodo Childhood: best / only time to master certain elements Childhood: best / only time to master certain elements

of language (accent etc.)of language (accent etc.)o 22ndnd language: those who learn it early learn it best language: those who learn it early learn it besto (Chomsky: L.A.D.- grammar switches set early)(Chomsky: L.A.D.- grammar switches set early)

o Learning window- closes Learning window- closes graduallygradually after age 7 after age 7

o Hearing children / deaf children: parallel resultsHearing children / deaf children: parallel resultso No language as child / language learning capacity No language as child / language learning capacity

never fully developsnever fully develops

Language and ThinkingLanguage and Thinking

Linguistic Determinism HypothesisLinguistic Determinism HypothesisLanguage Influences how we think…Language Influences how we think…Examples?Examples?

To expand language is to expand the To expand language is to expand the ability to think.”ability to think.”

The Bilingual Advantage…The Bilingual Advantage…

Studies suggest that bilingual children…Studies suggest that bilingual children…Are more advanced in schoolAre more advanced in schoolAre better at following complicated Are better at following complicated

instructionsinstructionsDemonstrate better mental flexibilityDemonstrate better mental flexibilityTend to perform better on tests of creativityTend to perform better on tests of creativity

Language deprived…Language deprived…

2/3 of the world’s children are bilingual2/3 of the world’s children are bilingual

7% of U.S. children are bilingual7% of U.S. children are bilingual

Thinking in ImagesThinking in ImagesExamples?Examples?Procedural memory (mental picture)Procedural memory (mental picture)Mental (visual) simulationMental (visual) simulation

Animal CognitionAnimal Cognition

Washoe and KanziWashoe and Kanzi

WashoeWashoe KanziKanzi

Linguistic Capability?Linguistic Capability?

WashoeWashoe 11stst 4 years: 132 signs 4 years: 132 signs Age 32: 181 signsAge 32: 181 signs ““Baby dead, baby Baby dead, baby

gone, baby finished.”gone, baby finished.”

Equivalent of what Equivalent of what human age?human age?

KanziKanzi Critical PeriodCritical Period Semantic nuances of Semantic nuances of

EnglishEnglish

Vanishing Languages…Vanishing Languages…6,800 languages in the world today6,800 languages in the world today250 spoken by 1,000,000 or more people250 spoken by 1,000,000 or more people600 have speaking populations robust 600 have speaking populations robust enough to last beyond the centuryenough to last beyond the centuryAfrica- birthplace of 1/3 of the world’s Africa- birthplace of 1/3 of the world’s languages- 54 are extinct and 116 are languages- 54 are extinct and 116 are near extinctionnear extinctionSouth America: 640 languages- 80% South America: 640 languages- 80% spoken by 10,000 or lessspoken by 10,000 or lessWhat’s causing accelerated language What’s causing accelerated language extinction???extinction???