Chat with AIExam 8: B: Language,thinking,and Reasoning
Theoretical perspectives seeking to explain the development of language fall within both nature and nurture orientations.Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of the nature-based perspectives,as well as those based on nurture.
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VerifiedAnswers will vary but should contain the following for full credit.
--Nature: Children appear to have inborn ability for syntax and vocalization,which supports the nativist account,specifically Chomsky's language acquisition device.Brain structures such as Broca's area and Wernicke's area are specific to language production and comprehension,respectively.Stages of language development,such as babbling,appear to be relatively universal in terms of the developmental timeline.Also,children,unlike adults,appear to be able to recognize and produce phonemes from languages other than that of their parents.A weakness is the lack of falsifiability of the nativist account.
--Nurture: Children mimic,especially if reinforced.Specifics of acquisition vary according to culture and native language exposure.Over time,and unless they learn a second language,children lose the ability to recognize and produce phonemes from languages other than that used by their caregivers.The capacity in language for infinite generativity supports our use of language in novel ways that can vary according to circumstances.A key component in understanding language is the use of context to infer meaning.
What is linguistic determinism? Describe and explain the sources of evidence that provide reason for us to doubt linguistic determinism.
(82) VerifiedAnswers will vary but should contain the following information for full credit.
--The view that all thinking is represented linguistically is called linguistic determinism.One of the best-known examples of how language can influence thought is the belief that Inuits have about a thousand words for snow.Linguistic determinists argue that having so many words for snow enables Inuits to perceive incredibly subtle distinctions among types of snow.
--Reasons to doubt linguistic determinism:
a)One of the earliest tests of linguistic determinism used a drug called curare,which paralyzes the muscles and skeleton but leaves the patient conscious.After his vocal tract was completely immobilized but before the drug had taken complete effect,the subject could wrinkle his forehead in response to questions,confirming his ability to understand spoken speech.After the drug had worn off,he accurately reported events he'd observed and could report thoughts and sensations he experienced while paralyzed.
b)Later evidence was more conclusive.First,contrary to the predictions of linguistic determinism,children can perform many complex cognitive tasks long before they can talk about them.For that reason,psychologists have developed cognitive performance tests for infants and children that minimize testers' reliance on verbal instructions and verbal responses.
Discuss the ways in which cognitive economy may be implicated in various forms of discrimination.
(78) VerifiedAnswers will vary but should contain the following for full credit.
--Because the principles of cognitive economy encourage us to conserve our cognitive abilities,we make generalizations based on previous experiences and knowledge and categorize,not just objects,but also persons.
--Just as we do not have to treat each encounter with an object as completely new,we also do not approach other people without preconceived notions about them according to their characteristics.
--Our tendency to categorize and develop schemas can make thinking very efficient,but it can also lead us to overgeneralize in ways that may lead to stereotyping and discrimination.
How might we apply the concept of generativity to investigations of plagiarism?
(78) Compare and contrast the four theoretical accounts of language acquisition.
(79) Discuss the differences between human and nonhuman animal communication.Identify the most frequent purpose for animal communication and provide two examples where nonhuman animal communication was used for purposes other than the most frequent purpose.
(71) Cognitive economy serves an adaptive function for humans but does so at a price.Discuss the benefits and potential liabilities of cognitive economy.
(78) What are the three hurdles to problem solving? Identify,briefly describe,and provide an example of each.
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