Question 1

Rosch studied the Dani people from New Guinea who had only two words for colour: one for bright colours and one for dark colours.Her results revealed that the Dani were capable of distinguishing the difference between a wide assortment of colours,providing evidence that contradicted _____________.

Accepted Answer

The linguistic relativity hypothesis, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, suggests that language has a strong influence on thought and perception, and that speakers of different languages perceive the world differently based on their language's structure and vocabulary. The Dani people's ability to distinguish a wide range of colors despite only having two words for color contradicts this hypothesis, indicating that language may not have as strong of an influence on thought and perception as previously thought.

Question 2

Typical and familiar members of a particular class by which many of our concepts are defined:

Accepted Answer

Prototypes are typical and familiar members of a particular class that help us define our concepts. They are mental representations that closely match the features of a given category and serve as a reference point for identifying new instances of that category. For example, a robin might be considered a prototype for the category of birds, as it possesses many of the typical features that we associate with birds (e.g., wings, beak, feathers, ability to fly).

Question 3

The generally high-pitched tone of voice that people often use to speak to infants,babies,toddlers,and even some small pets is technically called:

Accepted Answer

The specific tone of voice used when speaking to infants, babies, toddlers, and small pets is technically called "motherese." It is characterized by a higher pitch, exaggerated intonation, and slower, clearer speech patterns. It is thought to be a way of capturing the attention and interest of the listener, as well as facilitating language learning and development. The terms "baby talk" and "child-speak" are commonly used to refer to this style of communication, but they are more general and less precise than the term "motherese." "Telegraphic speech," on the other hand, refers to the simplified, short phrases that young children often use when first learning to speak.

Question 4

The position that language not only influences but determines what we are capable of thinking is known as the:

Accepted Answer

The position that language not only influences but determines what we are capable of thinking is known as the linguistic relativity hypothesis. This is also sometimes referred to as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, named after linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf who proposed the idea. Option B, C, and D are either incorrect or do not accurately describe the hypothesis.

Question 5

Recent brain imaging studies examining sex differences during a language task indicate that:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that men's brains tend to activate more in the left hemisphere during language tasks, while women's brains tend to activate both the left and right hemispheres. Therefore, option C is the best choice.

Question 6

Suppose there was a language that had only two words for precipitation,and that one of those words was for rain and the other for snow.If it was found that people who spoke only that language had difficulty discriminating among mist,drizzle,rain,freezing rain,hail,ice pellets,snow,and other forms of precipitation,then that finding would support the:

Accepted Answer

This finding supports the linguistic relativity hypothesis, which suggests that the language we use affects the way we think and perceive the world around us. In this case, having only two words for precipitation may limit the ability of speakers of this language to distinguish between different types of precipitation, because they don't have linguistic distinctions that such differences are important.

Question 7

In his research on bilingual speakers,Lambert found that:

Accepted Answer

Lambert's research found that bilingual speakers scored at least as well as monolinguals on performance tests, indicating that knowing two languages does not put them at a disadvantage.

Question 8

While at the park,19-month-old Suzy points to the swing set and says,"Push swing!" After she has had enough and wants to leave,she turns to her father and says,"Go car." Phrases such as these are called:

Accepted Answer

These phrases are called telegraphic speech, which refers to short and simple sentences containing only essential words, much like a telegraph (hence the name). This is a common stage of language development in toddlers.

Question 9

In their most basic form,these statements express facts and consist of concepts that are combined in a particular way.These statements are called:

Accepted Answer

The statements that express facts and consist of concepts combined in a particular way are called propositions. Heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb used to make judgments and decisions. Belief biases refer to the tendency for people to favor information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs. Mental representations refer to the mental images or models that people use to represent information. Therefore, the best choice is C, propositions.

Question 10

The basic units of semantic memory that form the mental categories into which we place objects,activities,and abstractions are called:

Accepted Answer

The basic units of semantic memory that form the mental categories are called concepts. Phonemes are the basic units of sound in language, morphemes are the smallest units of language that convey meaning, and prototypes are typical or ideal examples of a concept.

Question 11

The thought,"I need to study for my psychology exam" enters your head.This thought is best considered as an example of:

Accepted Answer

The statement "I need to study for my psychology exam" is a propositional statement as it represents a specific idea or claim about a situation. A heuristic is a mental shortcut or rule of thumb used to make judgments or solve problems. Inductive reasoning involves drawing general conclusions based on individual observations or examples. A prototype is a mental representation of the typical or ideal example of a category or concept.

Question 12

The fact that at 6 months of age,young children begin only making the sounds of phonemes of their native language and discard the sounds of other phonemes that they were previously able to make,is best considered as an example of how:

Accepted Answer

The fact that young children discard sounds of non-native phonemes suggests a biological predisposition for language acquisition, but the specific phonemes they focus on are determined by their exposure to a particular language, indicating an interplay between biological factors and learning.

Question 13

An American family with two children (a boy and a girl)moves to Germany where both of the children must learn a new language.The girl is 6 years old while the boy is 13 years old.Based on the results on the acquisition of a second language,we would expect that:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that younger children (like the girl in this scenario) have greater success in acquiring a new language and eventually mastering its grammar compared to older children (like the boy in this scenario). Therefore, we would expect the girl to eventually master the grammar of German about as well as the grammar of English, while it may be more difficult for the boy to reach the same level of mastery.

Question 14

Which of the following would be best considered an example of the imaginal mode of thought?

Accepted Answer

The imaginal mode of thought involves creating mental images or representations, and imagining oneself in a particular situation or scenario. Choice A involves a mental representation of oneself sitting on a beach with waves lapping in, making it the best example of the imaginal mode of thought. Choice B involves a mental representation of muscle movements, making it more related to the sensory-perceptual mode of thought. Choice C involves making conclusions, making it more related to the reasoning mode of thought. Choice D involves declarative thoughts, making it more related to the verbal-linguistic mode of thought.

Question 15

Today,most linguists do not agree with Benjamin Lee Whorf's linguistic relativity hypothesis and argue that language merely reflects the basic aspects of.

Accepted Answer

Most linguists reject the idea of linguistic determinism and instead propose that language reflects basic aspects of perception and thought rather than controlling them completely. Cultural and ethnic influences may shape language use, but they do not determine cognitive abilities. Sensitive periods refer to specific developmental stages during which certain abilities are acquired more easily, but they are not directly related to linguistic relativity. Gendered stereotypes may be reflected in language use, but they are not the focus of Whorf's hypothesis.

Question 16

Adjectives for the major modes of thought are:

Accepted Answer

Modes of thought are often categorized based on the type of mental processes involved, such as propositional (verbal or logical reasoning), imaginal (visual or spatial reasoning), and motoric (related to physical movement or kinesthetic understanding).

Question 17

Anna and her family moved to Germany when Anna was thirteen years old and her brother Andrew was four.Even after many years of speaking and reading the German language,Anna still struggled with the language compared to Andrew who easily switches between English and German when necessary.The fact that Andrew was able to master this second language faster and better than Anna is evidence for:

Accepted Answer

Andrew's ability to easily switch between English and German suggests that he acquired the language during a sensitive period for language acquisition. This period typically ends around puberty, which is around the age Anna was when she moved to Germany. The fact that Anna still struggled with the language after many years of practice suggests that she missed the sensitive period for language acquisition. This is not related to a language acquisition device or gender differences in language acquisition, and while social learning processes can play a role in language acquisition, they do not explain the difference in language acquisition between Andrew and Anna.

Question 18

Greater thinking flexibility and higher performance on IQ tests were specifically mentioned as benefits of:

Accepted Answer

The benefits of being bilingual, such as increased thinking flexibility and higher performance on IQ tests, have been well-documented in research. This is likely due to the fact that bilingual individuals have to constantly switch between two languages and mentally represent concepts in two different ways, leading to greater cognitive flexibility and problem-solving abilities.

Question 19

According to research,a person at what age would have the easiest time learning and effectively mastering a second language?

Accepted Answer

According to research, a person at 5 years old would have the easiest time learning and effectively mastering a second language. This is because the younger a person is, the more easily they can acquire new languages due to their brains being more flexible and adaptable to different languages. As a person ages, their brain becomes more rigid, making it harder to learn new languages.

Question 20

Which of the following would be best considered an example of the motoric mode of thought?

Accepted Answer

The motoric mode of thought involves thinking about movement and action, specifically the mental representation of muscle movements needed to perform a particular action. Choice D is the only option that directly involves thinking about the physical movements involved in throwing a baseball, making it the best example of the motoric mode of thought.

Quiz 9: Language and Thinking