Question 1

Researchers have found that __________ influenced by culture.

Accepted Answer

Both language and thought are influenced by culture. Language is not only a tool for communication but also a reflection of the culture of its users. Different cultures may have different words, phrases, and even sentence structures that reflect unique cultural values, beliefs, and practices. Thought, on the other hand, is shaped by cultural norms and beliefs as well. Our thoughts are influenced by the cultural lenses through which we view the world, and cultural norms shape how we perceive and interpret the world around us.

Question 2

Which of the following words would present the most difficulty when using phonetic decomposition?

Accepted Answer

The word "pleasure" contains several sounds that are not always represented by the same letters in English. For example, the "ea" combination can be pronounced differently in different words (e.g. "bread" versus "heart"). Phonetic decomposition relies on consistent sound-letter correspondences, which can be difficult to apply to words like "pleasure."

Question 3

Imagine a society in which people spoke a language with only two words for animals: animals with four feet and animals with more than four feet (insects,spiders,etc. ).What would Benjamin Whorf predict about those people?

Accepted Answer

Benjamin Whorf's linguistic relativity hypothesis suggests that the language we use shapes how we think about the world around us. In a society that only has two words for animals (based on the number of their legs), people would likely perceive and think about animals differently than those in a society with a more diverse animal vocabulary. For example, they may be less likely to distinguish between animals based on their behavior or characteristics and more likely to group them based on the number of their legs. This could affect their understanding of the natural world and their interactions with animals.

Question 4

The linguistic relativity hypothesis suggests that

Accepted Answer

The linguistic relativity hypothesis suggests that one's language determines the pattern of one's thinking and view of the world. In other words, the structure and vocabulary of our language shape the way we perceive and interpret the world around us.

Question 5

The Dani language has only two words for colour ("light" and "dark"),but the Dani are just as good at recognizing and remembering different colours as North Americans are.This is strong evidence against

Accepted Answer

The fact that the Dani, who have only two words for colour, are just as proficient in recognizing and remembering different colours as North Americans suggests that language does not necessarily determine thought. This goes against the hypothesis that language is the sole determinant of cognitive processes, and supports the idea that there are other factors at play in shaping how we think and perceive the world.

Question 6

Research on speed-reading courses indicates that

Accepted Answer

Research on speed-reading courses generally indicates that while reading speed can be increased, comprehension often suffers as a result.

Question 7

Current beliefs about thought and language can be summarized by saying that

Accepted Answer

Current beliefs about thought and language suggest that our culture and experiences shape the language we use, which in turn shapes the way we think. This idea is known as linguistic relativity or the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. However, it is important to note that there is ongoing debate within the field about the extent to which language influences thought.

Question 8

It is possible to increase both our reading speed and comprehension,as long as our speed does not exceed __________ words per minute.

Accepted Answer

The answer of It is possible to increase both our...

Question 9

In which of the following circumstances would the person be least susceptible to interference on the Stroop task?

Accepted Answer

Nancy's difficulty with reading and writing suggests she may not process written words automatically, reducing Stroop interference.

Question 10

Our sensitivity to and memory for odours could be used as an argument against Benjamin Whorf's hypothesis about thought and language because

Accepted Answer

Whorf's hypothesis suggests that language shapes thought. The fact that we can distinguish more odours than we can name suggests that our cognitive abilities (like distinguishing odours) are not entirely dependent on language, challenging Whorf's idea.

Question 11

In order to become experts at reading,which two skills do we need to utilize?

Accepted Answer

Phonetic decomposition refers to the ability to break down words into smaller sounds, which is important for decoding unfamiliar words. Whole word recognition refers to the ability to recognize common words at a glance, which is important for reading fluency. So, both skills are necessary for becoming an expert reader. The other options are also important for reading, but phonetic decomposition and whole word recognition are the most essential skills for reading proficiency.

Question 12

Researchers have found that despite the number of colour names in a language,the basic abilities to perceive colour are unchanged.This finding would be troublesome for the theory of

Accepted Answer

The theory of Sapir and Whorf, also known as linguistic relativity, suggests that language shapes the way we perceive and think about the world. This finding challenges that theory, as it shows that the number of colour names in a language does not affect our basic ability to perceive and distinguish between colours. Therefore, the correct answer is B) Sapir and Whorf.

Question 13

What do we call the hypothesis that language influences what we think?

Accepted Answer

The linguistic relativity hypothesis, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, is the idea that the language we use influences our thought processes and worldview. It suggests that the structure of a language affects the way speakers of that language perceive and conceptualize the world around them.

Question 14

Hannah read nursery rhymes to her daughter Kristine very frequently when she was an infant.As Kristine develops,what would you expect regarding her reading skills?

Accepted Answer

By being exposed to nursery rhymes, Kristine would become more aware of phonemes, which are the smallest units of sound in language. This would likely aid her in becoming an early reader. Rhymes help children recognize patterns in language and understand that words can be broken down into individual sounds, making it easier for them to decode and read words. Therefore, frequent exposure to rhymes can benefit a child's reading skills.

Question 15

Alfred is taking a seven-day alphanetics course that claims it will increase the rate at which he reads to approximately 2000 words per minute.Based on the research presented in your text,what will happen to Alfred's comprehension of the material he is reading so fast?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that as reading speed increases, comprehension decreases, with some studies suggesting that comprehension can drop below 50% when reading at very high speeds. Therefore, it is unlikely that Alfred's comprehension will be high if he reads at a rate of 2000 words per minute after only a seven-day course.

Question 16

To demonstrate the automaticity of language,participants performing the __________ task must suppress their attention to printed words to identify the colour of the ink.

Accepted Answer

The Stroop task requires participants to name the color of the ink of a printed word while ignoring the word itself. This task demonstrates the automaticity of language because participants tend to automatically read the word, leading to interference with color naming, even though the task does not require them to read the word.

Question 17

A famous lecturer argues that because the Hopi Indians have only two nouns for things that fly,one for birds and another for non-birds,the Hopi must interpret all flying things in terms of these two nouns.This argument is based on

Accepted Answer

The argument presented here is based on the linguistic relativity hypothesis, which suggests that language influences thought and perception. The lecturer is arguing that the Hopi's linguistic categories for flying things shape their understanding of the world around them.

Question 18

Neetu attempts to identify correctly the colours in the Stroop task interference list but has difficulty doing so.This illustrates

Accepted Answer

The Stroop task demonstrates the automaticity of language, where reading words is more automatic than identifying colors, causing interference when the two tasks conflict.

Quiz 8: D: Language,thinking,and Reasoning