PSYC 1010 Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Language and Thought

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1010
• Professor: Rebecca Jubis

Document Summary

Language: turning thoughts into words y cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge. although people can generate an infinite variety of sentences, these sentences must be structured in a limited number of ways. Milestones in language y children learn to pronounce words, use of single words and y their ability to combine words to form sentences. The initial vocalizations by infants are similar across languages, but their babbling gradually begins to resemble the sounds from their surrounding language. Children typically utter their first words around their first birthday. The learning of a second language is facilitated by starting at younger age and by acculturation. Theories of language acquisition y nature vs. nurture: stimulated by f. b. Skinner who argued that environmental factors govern language development y behaviorist theories: skinner. vocalizations that are not reinforced gradually decline in frequency. The remaining vocalization are shaped w/reinforcers until they are correct.