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Questions and Answers
What concept did B.F. Skinner introduce to explain the relationship between behavior and consequences?
Which of the following describes a verbal operant that involves responding to a deprivation or aversive state?
In Skinner's framework, what term refers to a request for reinforcement that fulfills biological needs for an infant?
What type of verbal operant occurs when an infant provides a comment on the world without making a request?
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Which component of Skinner's theory addresses syntax and grammar through overgeneralization?
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What aspect of language acquisition does Skinner's operant conditioning theory primarily address?
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Which of the following best describes a criticism of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) in the context of language development?
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In the context of language representation, what does the term 'code' imply?
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How do Bloom and Lahey conceptualize language?
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What characteristic of language differentiates it from mere sounds and words?
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Study Notes
Theories of Language
Behavioral Theory (B.F. Skinner, 1957)
- B.F. Skinner, prominent psychologist (1904-1990), known for "radical behaviorism" and rejection of free will.
- Developed concept of operant conditioning: behavior shaped by reinforcement or punishment.
- In "Verbal Behavior" (1957), proposed that language development can be analyzed functionally through reinforcement.
- Language development follows the logic: Antecedent (stimulus) > Behavior (response) > Consequence (reinforcement).
- Language acquisition begins with external stimuli and back-and-forth caregiver-infant interactions.
Reinforcers
- Primary reinforcers satisfy basic needs, such as food and comfort from caregivers.
- Secondary reinforcers address non-biological needs like interaction (e.g., peek-a-boo, talking).
- Consistent responses from caregivers shape infant responses and language learning.
Verbal Operants
- "Mands": Requests made in response to needs.
- "Echoics": Imitation and repetition for language learning.
- "Tacts": Commenting on the environment without requesting something.
- "Extended tacts": Generalization where known responses are applied to new, similar stimuli.
- "Autoclitics": Relate to syntax and grammar, dealing with language structure and rules.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
- Many speech-language pathologies use Skinner's behavioral procedures.
- ABA is a modern application of operant conditioning in treatment.
Criticisms of Skinner's Theory
- Focuses only on language use, neglecting forms (sounds, words) and meanings.
- Chomsky's critique: Skinner does not account for the speed of language acquisition or creativity in sentence generation.
Language as Defined by Lois Bloom & Margaret Lahey (1978)
- Both authors influential in speech-language pathology, focused on language development in children with disorders.
- Language serves as a means to convey information and a social tool for interaction.
Key Definitions
- Code: Represents objects/events through sounds and movements; encoding combines code elements to create messages, while decoding interprets them.
- System: Rules for combining sounds, words, and sentences; allows for infinite possible combinations.
- Convention: Arbitrary relationship between words and their meanings; reflects shared knowledge within a community.
Functional Dimensions of Language
- Content: Organized categories of meaning; universal yet culturally specific.
- Form: Connection of sounds with meaning; encompasses phonology, grammatical structures, and types of sentences.
- Use: Social function driving communication; context influences linguistic choices.
Integrated Language Competence
- Comprises content, form, and use; builds understanding and production behaviors.
- Bloom & Lahey introduced a combined approach, addressing how children develop a mental plan connecting sounds and meanings.
Noam Chomsky
- Born 1928, regarded as founder of modern linguistics; introduced cognitive perspectives in language studies.
- Proposed that innate principles of language exist within the human mind and are used to construct grammar unconsciously.
- Challenged Skinner's behaviorist framework through 1959 review, pointing out its limitations in explaining new sentence generation.
Universal Grammar
- Concept posits that humans possess an inherent linguistic structure that guides language acquisition and understanding.
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Description
Explore the theories of language in this week’s notes, focusing on B.F. Skinner's behavioral approach. Delve into operant conditioning and its implications for understanding human communication and behavior. Analyze Skinner's perspective on language as a learned behavior shaped by reinforcement and punishment.
