30 Questions
What is the main purpose of the high amplitude sucking procedure?
To test infants' interest based on the number of strong sucks
Which phase of the discrimination variation of the high amplitude sucking procedure involves the presentation of new speech stimuli every time a strong suck is produced?
Test phase
What is the purpose of the preference variation of the high amplitude sucking procedure?
To test infants' preference for different stimuli
In the discrimination variation of the high amplitude sucking procedure, what happens during the habituation phase?
A sound is played each time the infant produces a strong suck
What does research using high amplitude sucking paradigms indicate about newborns' preference of speech perception?
Prefer to listen to speech sounds over artificial sounds
What is the age range for which the high amplitude sucking procedure is typically used to test infants?
From birth to 4 months
At what age do infants typically start cooing?
2 months
When do infants usually produce their first words?
12 months
At what age do infants typically lose the ability to distinguish between non-native sounds?
10-12 months
What is the approximate age at which infants understand high-frequency words?
6 months
How many words do infants typically know by 18 months of age?
50
At what age do infants typically start babbling?
7 months
What is the function of Voice Onset Time (VOT) in speech perception?
Distinguishing similar speech sounds based on the length of time between air passing through the lips and vocal cords starting to vibrate
At what age does perceptual narrowing of speech perception occur?
8 months old
What did the classic study by Eimas et al. (1971) test in 1-month-old infants learning English?
Categorical perception of speech sounds
What is the relationship between VOT and categorical perception of speech sounds?
VOT for /p/ is longer than /b/ leading to categorical perception
When does word segmentation begin through statistical learning and stress patterning distribution of speech sounds?
7 months old
Do infants perceive the same speech categories as adults?
Yes, infants perceive the same speech categories as adults
What is the term for the distinctive mode of speech characterized by greater pitch variability, slower speech, and clearer pronunciation of vowels when talking to babies and toddlers?
Infant directed speech (IDS)
What did a study show about 7-8 month old infants' recognition of words when introduced in IDS versus regular adult speech?
They recognized words better in IDS than in regular adult speech
What predicts the vocabulary size of children?
The quantity of words they hear
What is the term for 2-3 word phrases that leave out non-essential words, typically spoken by children at around 2 years old?
Telegraphic speech
What is the term for treating irregular forms of words as if they were regular, exhibited by children around age 5?
Overregularization errors
What intervention increased the quantity and quality of speech to children when parents were encouraged to engage in it?
The grocery store intervention
What does Genie's case indicate about language acquisition?
Language ability may not develop if linguistic input is deprived during the sensitive period.
What does the observational study on language exposure in infancy suggest?
Exposure to language in infancy, regardless of modality, is crucial for full language development.
What is the implication of the sensitive period in language acquisition for deaf children?
Early exposure to sign language is important for full language development in deaf children.
What does the performance of Korean and Chinese immigrants on an English test demonstrate?
The importance of early language exposure for language proficiency.
What does the myth of the monolingual brain hypothesis suggest?
The hypothesis is incorrect, as bilingualism in utero study showed that bilingual infants start learning about two native languages pre-birth.
What can be inferred about bilingual infants' language differentiation?
Bilingual infants can differentiate between native languages despite showing similar preference for both languages, indicating two separate linguistic systems.
Study Notes
The Sensitive Period in Language Acquisition
- Genie, discovered in 1970 in LA, was deprived of linguistic input from 18 months old until rescued at age 13, showing evidence for a sensitive period in language acquisition.
- Despite intensive training after age 13, Genie's language ability never developed, indicating the sensitive period of language acquisition.
- Inhumane treatment rather than linguistic deprivation per se could be the cause of Genie's difficulties.
- Children sustaining brain damage to language areas usually recover full language capability due to their highly plastic brains.
- Observational study showed that exposure to language in infancy, regardless of modality, is critical for full language development.
- Korean and Chinese immigrants' performance on an English test was related to the age at which they first arrived in Canada, demonstrating the importance of early language exposure.
- Language proficiency is highly variable when a language is learned after puberty.
- Two implications of the sensitive period in language acquisition are the importance of early exposure to sign language for deaf children and the need for second language exposure at school to begin as early as possible.
- Approximately 50% of Canadians are English-French bilingual, and 55% of Canadians' first language is neither English nor French.
- The myth of the monolingual brain hypothesis is wrong, as bilingualism in utero study showed that bilingual infants start learning about two native languages pre-birth.
- Bilingual infants differentiate between native languages, developing two separate language systems, contrary to the monolingual brain hypothesis.
- Bilingual infants can differentiate between native languages despite showing similar preference for both languages, indicating two separate linguistic systems.
Test your knowledge of the sensitive period in language acquisition with this quiz. Explore the impact of early language exposure, bilingualism, and the development of linguistic abilities in different contexts. From Genie's case to bilingual infants' language differentiation, dive into the fascinating world of language acquisition.
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