Thinking and Language Chapter 10

Thinking Concepts What is a chair? Prototype Solving Problems Algorithm Heuristic Problems with Problem Solving Confirmatory bias Fixation  Mental Set  Functional fixedness

Decision Making and Judgments Misuse of Heuristics Representativeness Heuristic Draw/describe the typical science professor Availability Heuristic Overconfidence Framing  2% milk vs. 98% fat free meat  Republican Party  Estate tax vs. death tax  Sexual orientation vs. sexual preference Belief Bias Belief Perseverance  Anchoring Effect

Language The Basics Morphemes Phonemes Grammar Syntax Semantics

Language Acquisition In fantis (without speaking) Babbling Stage (4 months) Discriminate “proper” face/pronunciation 12 months can’t discriminate “foreign” phonemes One-Word Stage Usu. Full blown by 18-months Two-Word Stage Usu. by age two Telegraphic speech

Explaining Language Acquisition Skinner and Operant Principles Chomsky and Language Acquisition Device In-born ability Cognitive Neuroscience Statistical learning Children still do better! Deaf vs. Hearing Children

The Chicken and the Egg The Whorfian Theory (1956) Linguistic Relativity  Does Language determine or merely influence reality? Thinking without Language Temple Grandin

Animal Thinking and Language Do animals Think? YES Do Animals Use Language? Yes, No, Maybe So The Honeybee Dance Washoe Nim Chimsky