Theories Psycholinguistics

1 theories

1.1 language acquisition
1.2 language comprehension
1.3 language production

theories

in section, influential theories discussed each of fundamental questions listed in section above.

language acquisition

there 2 schools of thought how children acquire or learn language, , there still debate theory correct one. first theory states language must learned child. second view states abstract system of language cannot learned, humans possess innate language faculty, or access has been called universal grammar. view language must learned popular before 1960 , represented mentalistic theories of jean piaget , empiricist rudolf carnap. likewise, school of psychology known behaviorism (see verbal behavior (1957) b.f. skinner) puts forth point of view language behavior shaped conditioned response, hence learned.

the innatist perspective began noam chomsky s highly critical review of skinner s book in 1959. review helped start has been termed cognitive revolution in psychology. chomsky posited humans possess special, innate ability language , complex syntactic features, such recursion, hard-wired in brain. these abilities thought beyond grasp of intelligent , social non-humans. according chomsky, children acquiring language have vast search space explore among possible human grammars, yet @ time there no evidence children receive sufficient input learn rules of language (see poverty of stimulus). hence, there must other innate mechanism endows language ability humans. such language faculty is, according innateness hypothesis, defines human language , makes different sophisticated forms of animal communication.

the field of linguistics , psycholinguistics since has been defined reactions chomsky, pro , con. pro view still holds human ability use language (specifically ability use recursion) qualitatively different sort of animal ability. ability may have resulted favorable mutation or adaptation of skills evolved other purposes. view language can learned has had recent resurgence inspired emergentism. view challenges innate view scientifically unfalsifiable; say, can t tested. amount of computer power increasing since 1980s, researchers have been able simulate language acquisition using neural network models. these models provide evidence there may, in fact, sufficient information contained in input learn language, syntax. if true, innate mechanism no longer necessary explain language acquisition.

language comprehension

one question in realm of language comprehension how people understand sentences read (also known sentence processing). experimental research has spawned number of theories architecture , mechanisms of sentence comprehension. typically these theories concerned types of information contained in sentence reader can use build meaning, , @ point in reading information become available reader. issues such modular versus interactive processing have been theoretical divides in field.

a modular view of sentence processing assumes stages involved in reading sentence function independently in separate modules. these modulates have limited interaction 1 another. example, 1 influential theory of sentence processing, garden-path theory, states syntactic analysis takes place first. under theory reader reading sentence, or creates simplest structure possible in order minimize effort , cognitive load. done without input semantic analysis or context-dependent information. hence, in sentence evidence examined lawyer turned out unreliable, time reader gets word examined or has committed reading of sentence in evidence examining because simplest parse. commitment made despite fact results in implausible situation; know experience evidence can if ever examine something. under syntax first theory, semantic information processed @ later stage. later reader recognize or needs revise initial parse 1 in evidence being examined. in example, readers typically recognize misparse time reach lawyer , must go , re-parse sentence. reanalysis costly , contributes slower reading times.

in contrast modular account, interactive theory of sentence processing, such constraint-based lexical approach assumes available information contained within sentence can processed @ time. under interactive account, example, semantics of sentence (such plausibility) can come play on in order determine structure of sentence. hence, in sentence above, reader able make use of plausibility information in order assume evidence being examined instead of doing examining. there data support both modular , interactive accounts; account correct 1 still debate.

language production

language production concerns how people produce language, either in written or spoken form, in way conveys meanings comprehensible others. 1 of effective ways explain way people represent meanings using rule-governed languages observing , analyzing instances of speech errors. include speech dysfluencies false starts, repetition, reformulation , constant pauses in between words or sentences; also, slips of tongue, blendings, substitutions, exchanges (e.g. spoonerism), , various pronunciation errors. these speech errors yield significant implication on language production, in reflect that:

it useful differentiate between 3 separate phases of production: conceptualization (determining say), formulation (translating intention linguistic form), , execution (the detailed articulatory planning , articulation itself). psycholinguistic research has largely concerned study formulation phase of conceptualization largely remains elusive , mysterious period of development.

for models of speech production, see psycholinguistics/models of speech production.