Psyco1

Summary

In this psycholinguistics course, students explore the history and development of the field, divided into formative, linguistic, connective, and cognitive periods. The course delves into human language's unique characteristics compared to animal communication, such as the use of vocal-auditory channels and arbitrary symbols. It also covers various subdisciplines of psycholinguistics, including theoretical, developmental, social, educational, experimental, and applied, and their relevance to language learning and cognitive sciences.

Takeaways

• 📚 The term 'psycholinguistics' was first used in the 1920s but became recognized as a discipline after a seminar at Cornell University in 1951.
• 📈 The development of psycholinguistics can be divided into four periods: formative, linguistic, connective, and cognitive.
• 🔍 The formative period was characterized by psychology and linguistics as separate disciplines, while the linguistic period in the 1950s and 1960s marked the formal emergence of psycholinguistics as an interdisciplinary field.
• 🧠 The connective period in the 1970s and 1980s focused on developing and testing various models of language processing, with an emphasis on cognitive aspects and the biological basis of language in humans.
• 🌐 The current psycholinguistic period is marked by the integration of psycholinguistics with cognitive science, neuroscience, and computational linguistics, reflecting a broader field of inquiry into the nature of knowledge and mental representations.
• 🏫 Psycholinguistics has expanded into several subdisciplines, including theoretical, developmental, social, educational, neurolinguistics, and experimental psycholinguistics, each focusing on different aspects of language and cognition.
• 🐝 Animal communication systems, such as the honeybee's waggle dance, are compared with human language to explore the possibility of animal language and attempts to teach animals human language.
• 🗣 Human language is distinct from animal communication systems, utilizing a vocal-auditory channel and arbitrary symbols that do not have a direct connection to the messages they convey.
• 🤔 Psycholinguistics examines the cognitive and biological underpinnings of language acquisition and use, considering the genetic and evolutionary aspects of language development in humans.
• 📝 The course material covers the history, concepts, and scope of psycholinguistics, its implementation in language teaching, and the various subdisciplines that contribute to our understanding of language and cognition.

Q & A

What does the term 'psycholinguistics' refer to?

Psycholinguistics refers to the study of the psychological and cognitive processes underlying language, including how language is perceived, produced, acquired, and understood.

When was the term 'psycholinguistics' first used?

The term 'psycholinguistics' appears to have first been used in the 1920s, but the birth of psycholinguistics as a discipline is often associated with a seminar at Cornell University in 1951.

What are the four periods of development in the field of psycholinguistics?

The four periods of development in psycholinguistics are the formative period, the linguistic period, the connective period, and the cognitive-psycholinguistic period.

How did the linguistic period in psycholinguistics evolve?

During the linguistic period in the 1950s and 1960s, psycholinguistics emerged as an interdisciplinary field driven by developments in linguistics and psychology, shifting from behaviorism to mentalism, influenced by Noam Chomsky's work.

What is the focus of the connective period in psycholinguistics?

The connective period in the 1970s and 1980s focused on developing and testing various models of language processing and acquisition.

How does the cognitive-psycholinguistic period differ from previous periods?

The cognitive-psycholinguistic period is characterized by the integration of psycholinguistics with cognitive science, neuroscience, and computational linguistics, focusing on the nature of knowledge and mental representations.

What are the subdisciplines of psycholinguistics mentioned in the script?

The subdisciplines of psycholinguistics mentioned are theoretical psycholinguistics, developmental psycholinguistics, social psycholinguistics, educational psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, and experimental psycholinguistics.

How does human language differ from animal communication systems?

Human language differs from animal communication systems in several ways, including the use of vocal-auditory channels, arbitrary symbols, and the complexity of its structure and use.

What is an example of animal communication mentioned in the script?

An example of animal communication mentioned is the honey bee's use of the waggle dance to inform other bees about the location of food sources.

What are the characteristics of human language as compared to animal communication?

Characteristics of human language include the use of vocal-auditory channels, arbitrary symbols, and the ability to convey abstract concepts and complex ideas.

What is the role of biology in language development as discussed in the script?

The role of biology in language development is that it provides the genetic and neurological basis for language acquisition and growth, suggesting a strong connection between language and human biology.