Question 1

Hattie has just sent a text message to her friend saying,"CU2nite".Her friend understands immediately that this means,"See you tonight".Based on the discussion in your text book,why does Hattie's friend understand this message so easily?
A) Hattie and her friend have been texting back and forth so much, they have developed their own language.
B) The text message uses the same phonemes as the full words, so it is processed automatically.
C) Most people can figure out these abbreviated versions of words if given enough time.
D) With the advent of technology, people are getting used to abbreviated words, so it has become like a language of its own.

Accepted Answer

The text message uses the same phonemes as the full words, so it is processed automatically. This is because abbreviations like "CU2nite" follow patterns of the full words, making them easy to decipher for proficient language users.

Question 2

A time window in which certain influences are necessary for appropriate brain development is called a ___ period.A time window in which the brain is susceptible to certain influences is called a ___.
A) critical; sensitive period
B) critical; critical period as well
C) sensitive; sensitive period as well
D) sensitive; critical period

Accepted Answer

A time window in which certain influences are necessary for appropriate brain development is called a critical period, while a time window in which the brain is susceptible to certain influences is called a sensitive period. Therefore, Choice A (critical; sensitive period) is the best option since it accurately reflects both types of periods and their definitions.

Question 3

The idea that language learning proceeds through a sensitive period is supported by
A) the finding that language processing is dedicated to specific brain regions.
B) the fact that animals cannot learn language.
C) the case of Genie.
D) the fact that low-income children hear far fewer words per hour than high-income children.

Accepted Answer

The case of Genie provides evidence for the sensitive period hypothesis, as she was severely deprived of linguistic interaction during her critical period for language acquisition and consequently never fully acquired language skills. While all of the other options may also contribute to our understanding of language acquisition, they do not specifically support the idea of a sensitive period for language learning.

Question 4

What does a "critical period" in language development refer to?
A) period during which the brain is receptive to language learning
B) period during which children are proficient in their first language
C) period during which children must receive stimulation to learn language
D) period during which the brain forms neural connections for language learning

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does a "critical period" in language...

Question 5

Which of the following facts is correctly tagged with the extent to which it offers support for the learning theory approach to language development?
A) The more that parents speak to their young children, the more proficient the children become in language use-discredits learning theory approach.
B) Children are reinforced not only when they use language correctly, but also when they use it incorrectly-supports learning theory approach.
C) Psychologists have discovered specific genetic and brain mechanisms supporting language acquisition-irrelevant to learning theory approach.
D) Children make overregularization errors when formal grammar instruction begins-consistent with learning theory approach.

Accepted Answer

Overregularization errors occur when a child applies a learned rule of grammar too broadly, often resulting in errors such as "goed" instead of "went" or "tooths" instead of "teeth". This is consistent with the learning theory approach, which suggests that language acquisition occurs through reinforcement and repeated exposure to language patterns.

Question 6

Joan speaks to her infant son using high-pitched and exaggerated speech.Which type of speech is this an example of?
A) baby talk
B) child-directed speech
C) telegraphic speech
D) pragmatic speech

Accepted Answer

Joan is using child-directed speech, which is a type of speech adults use when talking with young children. It includes a higher pitch, exaggerated intonation, simple vocabulary, and repetition to help the child understand and learn language. Baby talk is a similar term, but it implies a more nonsensical or playful use of language. Telegraphic speech refers to a stage of development when children use short, simple phrases to communicate. Pragmatic speech refers to the appropriate use of language in social contexts.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of overregularization in language?
A) "I drinked all my milk."
B) "I always drink milk."
C) "Milk gone."
D) "All gone milk."

Accepted Answer

Overregularization occurs when a child applies a regular grammatical rule to an irregular word. In this case, the past tense of "drink" is irregular, but the child has applied the regular "-ed" suffix to make it "drinked."

Question 8

Four-year-old Jimmy tells you he "runned fast but falled down." Jimmy's speech exemplifies ___; your text suggests that such errors provide evidence for the role of ___ in language development.
A) overregularization; biology
B) overregularization; learning
C) agrammaticism; biology
D) agrammaticism; learning

Accepted Answer

Jimmy's speech exemplifies overregularization, which occurs when children apply general grammatical rules too broadly, indicating they are learning and internalizing the rules of language. This suggests that learning plays a significant role in language development, as children learn and apply grammatical rules, sometimes over-applying them before fully mastering the exceptions.

Question 9

Which of the following statements best captures your text's theoretical interpretation of child-directed speech?
A) Child-directed speech arises automatically, showing that we are biologically predisposed to structure the environment to aid children's language learning. In this way, child-directed speech is good evidence for an interactive perspective on language development.
B) Child-directed speech shows that we structure the environment to aid children's language development, thereby supporting the learning view of language acquisition.
C) Child-directed speech arises automatically, pointing to the biological basis of language development.
D) Child-directed speech is universal, appearing even among deaf parents using sign language. This suggests the biological basis of language development.

Accepted Answer

Child-directed speech is seen as evidence for an interactive perspective on language development, as it suggests a biological predisposition to aid children's language learning through environmental structuring.

Question 10

The fact that all children engaged in communication,even children who are born deaf,develop some form of syntax which later matches the rules of their language supports which of the following statements on language development?
A) Children are biologically wired to learn language.
B) Children learn language through conditioning.
C) Children learn language through interactions with their social environment.
D) Children learn language through an interaction of biology and environment.

Accepted Answer

The statement supports the view that language development is influenced by both biology and environment. The fact that deaf children also develop syntax indicates that there is a biological programming for language, but the fact that the syntax matches the rules of their language suggests that there is also an environmental component to language acquisition. Therefore, the best choice is D- children learn language through an interaction of biology and environment.

Question 11

Which of the following children,based on statistics alone,is likely to show the earliest language acquisition?
A) Fay, a little girl who comes from a low-income family
B) Thiago, a little boy who comes from a low-income family
C) Ji-min, a little girl who comes from a high-income family
D) Kobe, a little boy who comes from a high-income family

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children from high-income families tend to have earlier language acquisition. This may be due to factors such as more exposure to language from parents and the availability of educational resources. However, it is important to note that there are individual differences and exceptions to this trend.

Question 12

Theorists taking an interactive approach to language development ___.
A) reject both the learning theory and biological approaches
B) agree that we are biologically hardwired to acquire language
C) downplay the role of the environment in language development
D) remain unconvinced by the idea of a language-acquisition device

Accepted Answer

Theorists taking an interactive approach still acknowledge the biological basis for language acquisition, but also believe that environment plays a crucial role in language development. They do not necessarily reject the idea of a language-acquisition device, but may view it as more flexible and influenced by environmental factors.

Question 13

Which condition,resulting from damage to Broca's area,can produce an inability to speak using proper grammar?
A) Aphasia
B) Agraphia
C) Agrammatism
D) Agnosia

Accepted Answer

Agrammatism is a type of aphasia that is caused by damage to Broca's area, which results in the inability to use proper grammar while speaking. Agraphia is a disorder affecting a person's ability to write while agnosia is the inability to recognize objects or people.

Question 14

Eight-month old Ryan has just said "dada" for the first time.His parents are so happy,they hug him and cheer for him.Ryan,also smiles and then says "dada" again.Whose theory of language development is supported by this example?
A) B. F. Skinner
B) Naom Chomsky
C) Benjamin Whorf
D) Amos Tversky

Accepted Answer

B. F. Skinner's theory of language development emphasizes operant conditioning and reinforcement. In this example, Ryan's repetition of "dada" after receiving positive reinforcement (hugs and cheers from his parents) supports Skinner's theory.

Question 15

Yuna is talking to her three-month old grandson.She is using a much slower paced speech than what she would use with another adult,and she is also using much more inflection and high-pitched sounds.Why is Yuna speaking this way?
A) Without more information we can only assume that she always speaks like this.
B) She has heard that babies hear high frequency sounds better than low frequency sounds.
C) She is using child-directed speech.
D) She doesn't want her grandson to grow up talking too quickly or low-pitched.

Accepted Answer

Yuna is using child-directed speech, which is a way of adapting the way you speak to better suit an infant's cognitive and linguistic abilities. This type of speech often involves a slower pace and more exaggerated intonation, as well as repetition and simplification of language. It is thought to aid in language development by making it easier for infants to recognize and process speech sounds.

Question 16

According to your text,reading becomes an automatic process for most children around the age of ___.
A) 6
B) 7
C) 8
D) 9

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to your text,reading becomes an automatic...

Question 17

Based on research that examined the factors that influence language acquisition,which of the following children is likely to develop language the earliest?
A) Jenny, a little girl who comes from a low-income family
B) Uri, a little boy who comes from a low-income family
C) Ichika, a little girl who comes from a high-income family
D) Amir, a little boy who comes from a high-income family

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that children from higher-income families tend to develop language skills earlier than those from lower-income families. This is because higher-income families are more likely to provide their children with rich language experiences and to engage in language-rich conversations with them. While the gender of the child is not a significant factor in language acquisition, the socioeconomic status of the family has been found to be a stronger predictor. Therefore, option C - Ichika, a little girl who comes from a high-income family - is likely to develop language the earliest.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of overregularization in language?
A) "I runned so fast."
B) "I always drink juice."
C) "Dada up."
D) "All gone juice."

Accepted Answer

Overregularization occurs when a regular rule of language is applied to an irregular word. In this case, "runned" is an overregularization of the irregular past tense verb "ran."

Question 19

When a child learns a new grammatical rule and then uses is inappropriately with an exceptional case,this is called
A) overextension.
B) child-directed speech.
C) overregularization.
D) agrammatism.

Accepted Answer

Overregularization occurs when a child applies a grammatical rule too broadly, including exceptional cases where the rule does not apply. This is a common part of language development. Overextension refers to the use of a word or phrase in an overly broad or general way, such as using "car" to refer to all vehicles. Child-directed speech refers to the way adults modify their language when speaking to young children. Agrammatism is a language disorder where a person has difficulty using and understanding grammatical structures.

Question 20

Your text reports the case of a girl named Genie,who was exposed to virtually no language from the age of 20 months until the age of 13 years.In what way does Genie's case offer support for the notion of a critical period in language acquisition?
A) With intensive instruction, Genie acquired a sizeable vocabulary after the age of 13; moreover, she eventually mastered the rules of syntax.
B) Even with intensive instruction, Genie acquired only a very small vocabulary after the age of 13; furthermore, she never mastered the complexities of language.
C) Once she was no longer isolated, Genie acquired a sizeable vocabulary and eventually mastered the rules of syntax, even without intensive formal instruction.
D) Genie's case is irrelevant to the notion of a critical period.

Accepted Answer

Genie's case supports the notion of a critical period in language acquisition because, despite receiving intensive instruction after her isolation, she struggled significantly with language development, particularly with acquiring a large vocabulary and mastering syntax, indicating the importance of early exposure to language for normal linguistic development.

Quiz 9: Language and Thought

Hattie has just sent a text message to her friend saying,"CU2nite".Her friend understands immediately that this means,"See you tonight".Based on the discussion in your text book,why does Hattie's friend understand this message so easily?

A time window in which certain influences are necessary for appropriate brain development is called a _ period.A time window in which the brain is susceptible to certain influences is called a _.

The idea that language learning proceeds through a sensitive period is supported by

What does a "critical period" in language development refer to?

Which of the following facts is correctly tagged with the extent to which it offers support for the learning theory approach to language development?

Joan speaks to her infant son using high-pitched and exaggerated speech.Which type of speech is this an example of?

Which of the following is an example of overregularization in language?

Four-year-old Jimmy tells you he "runned fast but falled down." Jimmy's speech exemplifies _; your text suggests that such errors provide evidence for the role of _ in language development.

Which of the following statements best captures your text's theoretical interpretation of child-directed speech?

The fact that all children engaged in communication,even children who are born deaf,develop some form of syntax which later matches the rules of their language supports which of the following statements on language development?

Which of the following children,based on statistics alone,is likely to show the earliest language acquisition?

Theorists taking an interactive approach to language development ___.

Which condition,resulting from damage to Broca's area,can produce an inability to speak using proper grammar?

Eight-month old Ryan has just said "dada" for the first time.His parents are so happy,they hug him and cheer for him.Ryan,also smiles and then says "dada" again.Whose theory of language development is supported by this example?

Yuna is talking to her three-month old grandson.She is using a much slower paced speech than what she would use with another adult,and she is also using much more inflection and high-pitched sounds.Why is Yuna speaking this way?

According to your text,reading becomes an automatic process for most children around the age of ___.

Based on research that examined the factors that influence language acquisition,which of the following children is likely to develop language the earliest?

Which of the following is an example of overregularization in language?

When a child learns a new grammatical rule and then uses is inappropriately with an exceptional case,this is called

Your text reports the case of a girl named Genie,who was exposed to virtually no language from the age of 20 months until the age of 13 years.In what way does Genie's case offer support for the notion of a critical period in language acquisition?