Questions and Answers
What is the idea behind language being universal?
The idea that language is universal means that it is something that all people learn, regardless of the culture they grow up in or the language they need to use.
What is one way to investigate the universality of language cross-culturally?
One way is to look at how language is used cross-culturally and observe the similar properties that exist across all languages.
What is a significant feature of sign language that suggests language is universal?
The fact that sign language, used by congenitally deaf people, exhibits similar properties to spoken languages, such as syntactic categories and productivity.
What is the significance of the Nicaraguan deaf children's sign language acquisition?
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What is a key feature of language that is exhibited by the Nicaraguan deaf children's sign language?
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What is another way to provide evidence for the universality of language?
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What does the universality of language suggest about its importance?
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What is a key implication of the universality of language?
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What is categorical perception of phonemes and why is it not unique to humans?
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How does the spotlight analogy describe focused visual attention?
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What is a common characteristic of language development across cultures, despite varying environmental factors?
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What is the significance of the Nicaraguan study in the context of language development?
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What is the significance of the categorical perception of phonemes in language acquisition?
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What is categorical perception in spoken language, and how is it demonstrated?
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How does the developmental learning sequence relate to language acquisition?
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What are some universal language features that exist across cultures?
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What is a key feature of language development in deaf children?
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How does sign language structure differ from spoken language?
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What is the significance of the developmental learning sequence in language acquisition?
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What is the significance of cross-cultural language properties in language acquisition?
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What are some universal features of language, despite cultural and environmental differences?
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How does language acquisition in deaf children differ from that of hearing children?
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How does sign language structure relate to spoken language structure?
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What can the study of language development tell us about human interactions with the world?
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What are the three components of Baddeley and Hitch's original 1974 Working Memory model?
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How does the phonological loop facilitate language learning in everyday life?
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What is the primary function of the visuo-spatial sketchpad in Baddeley and Hitch's Working Memory model?
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In what ways can the visuo-spatial sketchpad be applied in real-life professions?
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What is an everyday task that relies on the phonological loop, according to Baddeley and Hitch's model?
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How can research on the phonological loop inform our understanding of language learning difficulties?
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What is an example of mentally visualising and manipulating information stored in long-term memory, involving the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
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What is the significance of the visuo-spatial sketchpad in tasks like navigation and visual searches?
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What are the three primary functions of the central executive component of working memory?
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What is an example of a monocular cue used to judge the depth of an object?
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What is an example of a binocular cue used to judge the depth of an object?
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What is the role of the central executive in task switching, as illustrated in the example of watching a movie and answering a phone call?
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What is the significance of the artist's inability to produce new detailed realistic works of art, as described in the 1999 study?
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What is the difference between monocular and binocular cues in judging the depth of an object?
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How does the central executive help in dividing attention between tasks, as illustrated in the example of chatting on the phone and watching a movie?
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What is the significance of the study on the artist's inability to produce new detailed realistic works of art in the context of working memory?
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Study Notes
Language Universality
- Language is considered universal because it is a fundamental aspect of human culture, used by people across different cultures and languages, including sign language.
- Cross-cultural studies show that all languages share similar properties, such as syntactic categories, phonology, and the ability to express infinite ideas.
- Deaf children in Nicaragua, with no language input, invented their own sign language, demonstrating that language acquisition is universal and not dependent on cultural transmission.
- The developmental learning sequence is shared across cultures, with children following a similar pattern of language development, from babbling to complex grammar.
Categorical Perception
- Categorical perception in spoken language refers to the processing of phonemes, the smallest units of sound in words.
- Humans perceive phonemes categorically, meaning that our perception does not perfectly match the physical reality of sound waves.
- This effect is not unique to humans and is also observed in other animals, like chinchillas.
Attention and Memory
Spotlight Analogy
- The spotlight analogy describes focused visual attention as a beam that selectively focuses on specific aspects of the environment, ignoring others.
- The analogy captures the key aspects of attention, including selective focus, limited capacity, flexibility, and awareness.
Working Memory Model
- Baddeley and Hitch's (1974) Working Memory model consists of three components: the phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketchpad, and central executive.
- The phonological loop is responsible for temporarily storing and rehearsing verbal information, such as phone numbers and vocabulary.
- The visuo-spatial sketchpad is responsible for temporarily storing visual and spatial information, and mentally visualizing and manipulating information.
- The central executive coordinates the activities of the phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad, focusing attention, switching between tasks, and dividing attention.
Perception
Monocular and Binocular Cues
- People use both monocular and binocular cues to judge the depth of an object.
- A monocular cue is information from one eye only, such as occlusion, where one object occludes another, indicating it is closer to the viewer.
- A binocular cue is information from both eyes, such as disparity, where the difference in location of an object in the left and right eye views indicates depth.
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Description
Understanding the concept of language universality and its cross-cultural significance. Learn why many people believe language is universal and the evidence that supports this idea.