12 Questions
According to William James, how did he describe the world of a newborn on the auditory level?
Blooming, buzzing confusion
Which term describes a person proficient in three or more languages?
Polyglot
What processing occurs in the cochlea and auditory nerve related to pitch and intensity?
Extensive preprocessing
What ability do human infants possess at birth to differentiate sounds like /p/ and /b/?
Contrast perception in sounds
What does the evidence suggest regarding early perceptual abilities in infants as they start to acquire native language distinctions?
They are lost
What analogy is used to describe the infant's capacity to record and store sequences of auditory events?
Tape recorder in the brain's auditory cortex
What is the main emphasis of Cognitive Theory on language development?
Children must go through stages of cognitive development before language development
According to Jean Piaget, why do children have to move through stages of language learning?
To develop their cognitive processes and brains
Which theorist proposed the concept of a critical period for language learning?
Eric Lenneberg
What process is associated with 'Imitation Theory' in language development?
Operant conditioning
In the study of child language acquisition, what does 'First-language acquisition' refer to?
Acquiring a native language in childhood
How does Cognitive Theory contrast with Behavioural Theory in terms of language development?
Cognitive Theory emphasizes understanding concepts before language development, whereas Behavioural Theory focuses on imitation and modifying behavior.
Study Notes
Multilingualism
- A person who can communicate effectively in three or more languages, whether in writing, speaking, or singing, is considered a multilingual or polyglot.
- Maximal multilinguals are speakers who are equally proficient in two or more languages.
- Minimal multilinguals are speakers who can convey their message successfully, even if they are not fluent in the second or third language.
Phases in Language Development
- Newborns' auditory world is remarkably well structured, with the cochlea and auditory nerve providing extensive preprocessing of signals for pitch and intensity.
- Human infants are specifically adapted at birth to perceive contrasts in sounds, such as /p/ and /b/.
- Research suggests that much of the basic structure of the infant's auditory world can be attributed to fundamental processes in the mammalian ear.
- Infants have a remarkable capacity to record and store sequences of auditory events, as if they have a "tape recorder" in the brain's auditory cortex.
Cognitive Theory
- Cognitive theory proposes that children go through stages of language development.
- According to Jean Piaget, children must understand certain concepts before they can produce language to describe them.
- Eric Lenneberg's theory suggests that there is a critical period between two years old and puberty in which children need to learn language, otherwise, it cannot be learned sufficiently well.
Behavioural Theory (Imitation Theory)
- Behavioural theory, also known as 'Imitation Theory', suggests that people are a product of their environment.
- According to BF Skinner, children 'imitate' their caregivers and modify their language use through operant conditioning, where they are rewarded for desired behaviour and punished for undesired behaviour.
Language Acquisition
- Language acquisition is the study of the processes by which children learn a language.
- The study involves three main areas: first-language acquisition (native language), bilingual language acquisition (learning two native languages), and other language acquisition.
- Children begin to understand and use language at a very young age, influenced by their caregivers.
Explore the key concepts of cognitive theory and its relationship to children's language development. Learn about Jean Piaget's stages of language learning and Eric Lenneberg's critical period theory.
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