Language

2 Language Development At birth—infants can distinguish all contrasting sounds in human language 6 months—can only distinguish those sounds in language being spoken around them 4-6 months—begin to babble speech sounds

3 Language Milestones

4 Theories of Language Development Behaviorist explanations –learn to talk through reinforcement, shaping, and extinction –limits: (1)parents don’t spend much time teaching grammar, (2)children generate more grammatical sentences than they hear, (3)errors children make do not duplicate what they hear

5 7.1 Theories of Language Development Nativist explanations –language acquisition device (LAD) –“wired” to learn grammar “Talkin’ babies” – Sci Amer, segment 18 (nature-nurture influences in language acquisition; babbling) “Born to talk” – Sci Amer, segment 2 (Grammar acquisition as a function of brain/environment interaction)

6 Theories of Language Development Interactionist explanations –how does innate, biological capacity for language combine with environmental experience? parents tailor verbal interactions with children in ways that simplify language acquisition deaf children NOT taught sign language often develop own system of hand signals

7 Genes design the mechanisms for a language, and experience activates them as it modifies the brain Genes Environment -- spoken language heard Brain -- Mechanisms for understanding and producing language Behavior – Mastery of native language provides input to design

8 Theories of Language Development Neurological specialization –Broca’s area (involved in language production) –Wernicke’s area (involved in language comprehension) z“Language centers in the brain” – Psych DVD Segment 16 (A look at brain surgery that tries to spare language)

9 Animal language Can other species learn human language? Washoe taught sign language –learned 160 words; could construct simple sentences Primates can learn signs for concepts they understand (not abstract) Current language research (Great Ape Trust) – video –