All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What does syntax refer to in language?
Answer: The rules for combining words into sentences. Grammar rules that determine proper sentence structure and word order.
Flashcard 2: Define overgeneralization in language development.
Answer: Applying rules of grammar too widely. Example: saying 'goed' instead of 'went' for past tense.
Flashcard 3: What does bilingualism refer to?
Answer: The ability to speak two languages fluently. Can provide cognitive benefits and enhanced mental flexibility.
Flashcard 4: Which communication disorder involves difficulty in producing speech?
Answer: Broca's aphasia. Results from damage to the brain's speech production center.
Flashcard 5: What is fast mapping in language development?
Answer: Rapid learning of new words with minimal exposure. Enables vocabulary explosion during early childhood development.
Flashcard 6: What role does Wernicke's area play in communication?
Answer: Involved in language comprehension. Damage here causes fluent but meaningless speech with poor understanding.
Flashcard 7: Identify a key feature of pidgin languages.
Answer: Simplified grammar and vocabulary for communication. Develops when groups need basic communication without shared language.
Flashcard 8: What is the definition of language in psychology?
Answer: A system for communicating with others using signals with grammar rules. Distinguishes language from simple communication by emphasizing structured rules.
Flashcard 9: What is an expressive language skill?
Answer: Ability to produce spoken or written language. Includes speaking fluency and writing composition abilities.
Flashcard 10: Which communication disorder involves difficulty in understanding language?
Answer: Wernicke's aphasia. Results from damage to the brain's language comprehension center.
Flashcard 11: What is the role of the angular gyrus in language?
Answer: Involved in reading and writing. Connects visual word forms with their sounds and meanings.
Flashcard 12: What is the definition of language in psychology?
Answer: A system for communicating with others using signals with grammar rules. Distinguishes language from simple communication by emphasizing structured rules.
Flashcard 13: Identify the critical period for language acquisition.
Answer: The first few years of life, typically before puberty. After this window, language learning becomes significantly more difficult.
Flashcard 14: What is the function of Broca's area?
Answer: Responsible for language production and speech. Damage here causes difficulty speaking but comprehension remains intact.
Flashcard 15: What role does Wernicke's area play in communication?
Answer: Involved in language comprehension. Damage here causes fluent but meaningless speech with poor understanding.
Flashcard 16: What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
Answer: The idea that language influences perception and thought. Also known as linguistic relativity; language shapes cognitive processes.
Flashcard 17: Which stage of language development involves babbling?
Answer: The pre-linguistic stage, typically around 4-6 months. Infants experiment with sounds, practicing for later speech production.
Flashcard 18: Define telegraphic speech.
Answer: Early speech stage using short, simple sentences. Like telegrams, omits function words but retains essential meaning.
Flashcard 19: What is overextension in language development?
Answer: Using a word too broadly, beyond its intended meaning. Example: calling all four-legged animals 'doggie'.
Flashcard 20: What is underextension in language development?
Answer: Using a word too narrowly, applying it to only one object. Example: only calling the family pet 'dog', not other dogs.
Flashcard 21: Identify the main idea behind Chomsky's theory of language.
Answer: Humans have an innate capacity for language acquisition. Argues against purely learned language acquisition through environmental exposure.
Flashcard 22: What is the name of Chomsky's theoretical construct for language acquisition?
Answer: Language Acquisition Device (LAD). Theoretical brain mechanism that makes language learning possible.
Flashcard 23: What characterizes the one-word stage in language development?
Answer: Use of single words to convey whole sentences. Child relies on context and gestures to communicate complete thoughts.
Flashcard 24: Which communication disorder involves difficulty in producing speech?
Answer: Broca's aphasia. Results from damage to the brain's speech production center.
Flashcard 25: Which communication disorder involves difficulty in understanding language?
Answer: Wernicke's aphasia. Results from damage to the brain's language comprehension center.
Flashcard 26: Identify a primary feature of motherese or child-directed speech.
Answer: Simplified vocabulary and exaggerated intonation. Helps infants focus attention and learn language patterns more easily.
Flashcard 27: What is the purpose of the critical period hypothesis in language?
Answer: Suggests optimal periods for language learning. Explains why early exposure to language is crucial for normal development.
Flashcard 28: What is the primary focus of pragmatics in language?
Answer: The use of language in social contexts. Includes understanding conversational rules, tone, and appropriate language use.
Flashcard 29: Define phoneme.
Answer: The smallest distinctive sound unit in a language. Different phonemes create different word meanings in each language.
Flashcard 30: What is a morpheme in language?
Answer: The smallest unit of meaning in a language. Can be prefixes, suffixes, or root words that carry meaning.