Question 1

According to psycholinguistic theory, the inborn tendency to acquire language is called a
A)language acquisition device.
B)heuristic device.
C)reinforcement contingency.
D)stimulus-response association.

Accepted Answer

According to psycholinguistic theory, the inborn tendency to acquire language is known as the language acquisition device. This is a term coined by Noam Chomsky to describe a hypothetical innate mental mechanism that enables children to acquire language effortlessly and quickly.

Question 2

The psycholinguistic theory of language acquisition proposes that language development depends upon
A)environmental influences.
B)parental reinforcement.
C)inborn factors.
D)all of these

Accepted Answer

The psycholinguistic theory of language acquisition suggests that language development is influenced by a combination of factors including environmental influences, parental reinforcement, and inborn factors, indicating that all of these elements play a role.

Question 3

In contrast to learning theory, the nativist theory of language development proposes that __________ factors account for the acquisition of language.
A)environmental
B)social
C)early experience
D)inborn

Accepted Answer

The nativist theory suggests that language acquisition is largely driven by inborn or innate factors, such as the structure and organization of the human brain, which is specialized for language processing. This theory posits that humans are born with a built-in ability to learn language and that exposure to language simply triggers the development of this innate capacity. Thus, it is not primarily shaped by environmental, social, or early experiential factors.

Question 4

Jamie's mother was concerned that her four-year-old daughter overregularized plurals and tenses. She took Jamie to Dr. Acton, a noted learning theorist, who advised her to
A)wait for Jamie's speech to correct itself.
B)take her to a speech therapist.
C)correct her grammar through imitation and repetition.
D)begin instruction in another language.

Accepted Answer

Imitation and repetition are effective methods for correcting grammatical errors in children.

Question 5

When a toddler utters "baba," it may mean, "I want my bottle," or "Where is my bottle?" or "I'm hungry." Such utterances are called
A)telegraphic speech.
B)overextensions.
C)holophrases.
D)overgeneralizations.

Accepted Answer

Holophrases are one-word utterances used by young children to convey a complete thought, idea, or request. These words may have various meanings and can be interpreted based on the context in which they were spoken. "Baba" is an example of a holophrase that a toddler might use to communicate their desire for their bottle or express their hunger. Telegraphic speech, overextensions, and overgeneralizations are all linguistic concepts that are not directly related to the speech of young children.

Question 6

The development of prelinguistic vocalizations by infants follows which order?
A)Crying, babbling, and cooing
B)Crying, cooing, and holophrasing
C)Crying, cooing, and babbling
D)Crying, babbling, and single words

Accepted Answer

The development of prelinguistic vocalizations by infants follows the sequence of crying, cooing, and babbling. Crying is the first vocalization that infants make, followed by cooing which consists of vowel sounds, and then babbling which includes consonant sounds.

Question 7

All of the following are characteristics of infant directed speech except
A)sentences are repeated several times.
B)objects are overdescribed with compound labels.
C)sentences are simple in syntax.
D)words are spoken at a low pitch.

Accepted Answer

Infant directed speech involves speaking in a high-pitched, exaggerated tone with elongated vowel sounds, rather than a low pitch.

Question 8

Who is credited with originating the linguistic-relativity hypothesis?
A)B.F. Skinner
B)Jean Piaget
C)Noam Chomsky
D)Benjamin Whorf

Accepted Answer

Benjamin Whorf is credited with originating the linguistic-relativity hypothesis, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests that the language we use shapes our perception of the world around us.

Question 9

Cooing is to ______ as holophrase is to ________.
A)linguistic; prelinguistic
B)prelinguistic; linguistic
C)vocal; nonvocal
D)nonvocal; vocal

Accepted Answer

Cooing is a prelinguistic behavior, while holophrase is a linguistic behavior. Therefore, the relationship between them is prelinguistic:linguistic, which is represented by choice B.

Question 10

The linguistic-relativity hypothesis predicts that speakers of different languages
A)conceptualize the world differently.
B)employ similar concepts, even though their vocabulary differs.
C)comprehend the rules that govern their language.
D)use a universal grammar to govern their language.

Accepted Answer

The linguistic-relativity hypothesis, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, suggests that the language one speaks influences their perception and conceptualization of the world. This means that speakers of different languages may have different ways of categorizing and understanding the same objects and experiences.

Question 11

With the utterance of words, the infant's vocabulary growth at first is
A)slow, with just a few words in the next few months.
B)moderate, with 30 to 40 words in the next few months.
C)fast, with about 100 words in the next few months.
D)stable over the next 10 months.

Accepted Answer

Initially, an infant's vocabulary growth is slow, with only a few words being added in the months following the first utterances. This slow phase precedes a more rapid increase in vocabulary.

Question 12

The linguistic-relativity hypothesis has not been supported by
A)Benjamin Whorf.
B)historical cognitive scientists.
C)modern cognitive scientists.
D)Noam Chomsky.

Accepted Answer

Modern cognitive scientists have found evidence both supporting and challenging the linguistic-relativity hypothesis, indicating a more nuanced understanding than the hypothesis originally suggested.

Question 13

A child who is entertained by riddles and jokes is likely how old?
A)3 years
B)4 years
C)8 years
D)6 years

Accepted Answer

At around 8 years old, children typically develop a better understanding of language nuances, allowing them to appreciate and enjoy riddles and jokes.

Question 14

The learning theory approach to language acquisition has difficulty explaining which one of the following statements?
A)Children say phrases and sentences they have not heard.
B)Babbling and cooing are inborn vocalizations.
C)Parents reinforce the accuracy of their children's statements.
D)Reading to children increases their vocabulary.

Accepted Answer

The learning theory approach posits that language is acquired through reinforcement and repetition of correct language usage. However, this approach has difficulty explaining how children say phrases and sentences they have not heard before, as they would not have been reinforced for that language usage.

Question 15

Learning theories of language development emphasize the role of
A)inborn factors.
B)reinforcement and imitation.
C)language acquisition devices.
D)overgeneralization.

Accepted Answer

Learning theories of language development emphasize the role of reinforcement and imitation, as these theories suggest that children learn language through being rewarded for speaking correctly and imitating the language they hear around them.

Question 16

The babbling of infants in all cultures sounds much the same, but by 9 or 10 months of age,
A)children from industrialized cultures display a greater variety of sounds.
B)inborn factors result in cultural differences in languages.
C)infants repeat the sounds used in the home.
D)holophrases are uttered.

Accepted Answer

Infants start to repeat and practice the specific sounds they hear in their environment, which reflects the language(s) spoken in their home. This is why by 9 or 10 months, their babbling begins to include sounds specific to the languages they are exposed to.

Question 17

Crying, cooing, and babbling are prelinguistic activities that are
A)inborn.
B)learned.
C)shaped by experience.
D)different in different cultures.

Accepted Answer

Crying, cooing, and babbling are prelinguistic activities that are present from birth, suggesting that they are inborn and not necessarily shaped by experience or culture. While infants may develop their expressive communication skills through interaction with caregivers, the initial ability to cry, coo, and babble is innate.

Question 18

Children between the ages of three and five incorrectly apply the rules of past tense and plurals and say "sitted" instead of "sat" and "gooses" instead of "geese." This phase of language development reflects
A)charming childish speech.
B)a beginning knowledge of grammar.
C)faulty language development.
D)inadequate instruction by the parents.

Accepted Answer

Children between the ages of three and five are still developing their language skills and are in the process of acquiring a knowledge of grammar. Their incorrect application of past tense and plurals is a normal part of this development process, rather than a reflection of faulty language development or inadequate instruction by parents. It is considered a natural, developmental stage that children will eventually grow out of.

Question 19

A person magically transported from the early 1800s to the present world, on seeing an airplane in flight, likely would
A)not be able to think about it until he or she was given a word for the airplane.
B)be completely unable to form any thoughts about it.
C)refuse to admit seeing it out of fear.
D)think about it and call it a flying vehicle or airship.

Accepted Answer

The person from the early 1800s might not have a proper word for an airplane or understand its mechanics, but would likely be able to make some observations and offer descriptions such as "flying vehicle" or "airship." They may also have some frame of reference for the concept of flight through birds or balloons. Hence, option D is the most accurate. Option A is also a possibility, but it does not address the person's initial reaction to seeing the airplane. Options B and C are unlikely as they assume the person would be completely unable to process or acknowledge what they are seeing.

Question 20

Tarzan's speech patterns such as "See Jane" and "Boy get" are indicative of a two-year-old's
A)telegraphic speech.
B)holophrases.
C)overextensions.
D)overgeneralizations.

Accepted Answer

Tarzan's speech patterns are short and missing grammar, which is characteristic of telegraphic speech commonly used by two-year-olds. Tarzan's speech lacks function words, such as prepositions and articles, which are important in grammar but less important for conveying a clear message. Holophrases refer to single words that represent entire sentences, while overextensions and overgeneralizations are errors in word usage and meaning that occur during language development.

Quiz 7: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

According to psycholinguistic theory, the inborn tendency to acquire language is called a

The psycholinguistic theory of language acquisition proposes that language development depends upon

In contrast to learning theory, the nativist theory of language development proposes that __________ factors account for the acquisition of language.

Jamie's mother was concerned that her four-year-old daughter overregularized plurals and tenses. She took Jamie to Dr. Acton, a noted learning theorist, who advised her to

When a toddler utters "baba," it may mean, "I want my bottle," or "Where is my bottle?" or "I'm hungry." Such utterances are called

The development of prelinguistic vocalizations by infants follows which order?

All of the following are characteristics of infant directed speech except

Who is credited with originating the linguistic-relativity hypothesis?

Cooing is to as holophrase is to __.

The linguistic-relativity hypothesis predicts that speakers of different languages

With the utterance of words, the infant's vocabulary growth at first is

The linguistic-relativity hypothesis has not been supported by

A child who is entertained by riddles and jokes is likely how old?

The learning theory approach to language acquisition has difficulty explaining which one of the following statements?

Learning theories of language development emphasize the role of

The babbling of infants in all cultures sounds much the same, but by 9 or 10 months of age,

Crying, cooing, and babbling are prelinguistic activities that are

Children between the ages of three and five incorrectly apply the rules of past tense and plurals and say "sitted" instead of "sat" and "gooses" instead of "geese." This phase of language development reflects

A person magically transported from the early 1800s to the present world, on seeing an airplane in flight, likely would

Tarzan's speech patterns such as "See Jane" and "Boy get" are indicative of a two-year-old's