Psy1306 Language and Thought Introduction. Language is Special What is so special about language?...

Psy1306 Psy1306 Language and ThoughtLanguage and Thought

IntroductionIntroduction

Language is SpecialLanguage is Special

What is so special about language? Maybe nothing if you are a snail or a camphor tree. But language is paramount among the capacities that characterize humans, setting us off from even the most perfectly formed and functioning of the other beasts on earth; so, as a matter of species pride – if nothing else – we would hold up language as a marker of our humanity and thus a focus of our scientific interest. (Gleitman & Liberman 1991: xix)

Why should we care?

Why should we care?

Imagine a life without language…Imagine a life without language…How would our lives be different?How would our lives be different?

What is language for?What is language for?

CommunicationCommunication

Language is for communicating

Transfer/Evoke Transfer/Evoke ThoughtsThoughts

Senator Clinton is cute!

Really?

Power of SuggestionPower of Suggestion

Potency of Verbal vs. Pictorial Potency of Verbal vs. Pictorial CuesCues

Choice of words and names to Choice of words and names to evoke thoughts & feelingsevoke thoughts & feelings– Via Priming & Associative Via Priming & Associative

MechanismsMechanisms

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

http://www.mindvideos.com/video/Subliminal-Political-Messages-S

Power of SuggestionPower of Suggestion

Labeling effects on the Labeling effects on the categorization of individuals into categorization of individuals into social groupssocial groups– Bush supporter vs. Maverick?Bush supporter vs. Maverick?

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Power of SuggestionPower of Suggestion

Stereotype threatsStereotype threats– Race, Gender Stereotype remindersRace, Gender Stereotype reminders– How? Mechanisms?How? Mechanisms?

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Power of SuggestionPower of Suggestion

Shaping memoriesShaping memories Creating false memoriesCreating false memories

– Susceptibility of the individualsSusceptibility of the individuals– Plausibility of the messagePlausibility of the message

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Carmichael, Hogan, & Walter Carmichael, Hogan, & Walter (1932)(1932) Divide the class into 2 groupsDivide the class into 2 groups Exercise: Exercise:

– You will see four line drawingsYou will see four line drawings– Remember what was drawnRemember what was drawn– You will be asked to redraw from You will be asked to redraw from

memory the four drawingsmemory the four drawings

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Group 1Group 1

Eyeglasses

Group 1Group 1

Hourglass

Group 1Group 1

Seven

Group 1Group 1

Gun

Group 1Group 1

Now draw the figuresNow draw the figures

Group 2Group 2

Dumbbell

Group 2Group 2

Table

Group 2Group 2

Four

Group 2Group 2

Broom

Group 2Group 2

Draw the figuresDraw the figures

Compare the two Compare the two groupsgroups

Group 1Group 1 EyeglassesEyeglasses HourglassHourglass SevenSeven GunGun

Group 2Group 2 DumbbellDumbbell TableTable FourFour BroomBroom

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS-HJDUEZNc

On a scale of 1 to 7 (1 = least loud, 7 = loudest): Group #1: How loud was the balloon when it popped?Group #2: How loud was the balloon when it exploded?

Another ExampleAnother Example

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Loftus & Palmer (1974)Loftus & Palmer (1974)Retrospective BiasRetrospective Bias

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Exp. 1: How fast was the car going?

Retrospective BiasRetrospective Bias

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

Any criticisms of the study???

Exp. 2 (1 week later): Was there any broken glass?

Retrospective BiasRetrospective Bias

Correct answer should be “NO”

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

SummarySummary

Memory is fallible. Memory is fallible. The language used (which is a The language used (which is a

piece of memory itself) could piece of memory itself) could influence one’s memory.influence one’s memory.

Language as Communication: Influencing Memory & Associations

What is language for?What is language for?

Communication & Thinking “the private uses of language are equally

varied and important, including functions like problem-solving, enhancing social intelligence by rehearsing the thoughts of others, memory aids, focusing attention, etc. They seem to extend into almost every domain of thought.”

What is language for?

Fitch, Hauser, & Chomsky (2005)

What is language for?What is language for?

Thinking (inner/private speech)Thinking (inner/private speech)

What is language for?

Fitch, Hauser, & Chomsky (2005)

vs.

Hauser, Chomsky, Fitch (2002)Jackendoff & Pinker (2005)

Pinker & Jackendoff (2004)

PJ: “we are inclined to think that if anything is a by-product (or “spandrel”) here, it is inner speech. The primary adaptation is communication, with enhanced thought as an additional benefit.

Baddeley (1986) Slave Baddeley (1986) Slave SystemsSystems

CentralExecutive

VisuospatialSketchpad

PhonologicalLoop

Language and Problem Solving: Working Memory

Copy this number onto your paper: Copy this number onto your paper: 3.141592653589793238463.14159265358979323846

Give me directions to the Science Center.Give me directions to the Science Center.

Baddeley, Thomson, & Baddeley, Thomson, & Buchanan (1975)Buchanan (1975)

You are going to see a list of 5 You are going to see a list of 5 countries.countries.

Task: Memorize and then Recall.Task: Memorize and then Recall.

Language and Problem Solving: Working Memory

List 1List 1

Chad, Burma, Greece, Cuba, MaltaChad, Burma, Greece, Cuba, Malta

List 2List 2

Czechoslovakia, Somaliland, Czechoslovakia, Somaliland, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, YugoslaviaYugoslavia

Which list is easier?Which list is easier?

List 1List 1

Chad, Burma, Greece, Cuba, MaltaChad, Burma, Greece, Cuba, Malta

List 2List 2

Czechoslovakia, Somaliland, Czechoslovakia, Somaliland, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, YugoslaviaYugoslavia

Vallar & Baddeley Vallar & Baddeley (1986)(1986) Lists varying in # of syllables:Lists varying in # of syllables:

– 1 Syllable Words:1 Syllable Words: ““tan, man, sin, hop, wax”tan, man, sin, hop, wax”

– 2 Syllable Words:2 Syllable Words: ““market, table, lesser, picket, garden”market, table, lesser, picket, garden”

Participants’ Task:Participants’ Task:– Read words aloud a.q.a.p.Read words aloud a.q.a.p.– Recall list of words.Recall list of words.

Language and Problem Solving: Working Memory

Vallar & Baddely (1986)Vallar & Baddely (1986)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100%

Cor

rect

0 1 2 3 4 5 6Number of Syllables

%Correct

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

Rea

ding

Rat

e

0 1 2 3 4 5 6Number of Syllables

Reading Rate

* Reading rate has the same functional relation as % Correct wrt # of syllables!

Language and Problem Solving: Working Memory

SummarySummary

Our recall is dependent on the number Our recall is dependent on the number of syllables we can say quickly (Vallar of syllables we can say quickly (Vallar & Baddeley, 1982).& Baddeley, 1982).

Study show: Verbal rehearsing is a Study show: Verbal rehearsing is a strategy that we use to maintain strategy that we use to maintain things in active memorythings in active memory

Language and Problem Solving: Working Memory

Language is a symbolic Language is a symbolic systemsystem Cognitive off-loadingCognitive off-loading

Language and Problem Solving

“three on the left, and one on the right”

Symbolic SystemSymbolic System

Buses 1, 2, and 3 make one trip each day, Buses 1, 2, and 3 make one trip each day, and they are the only ones that riders A, B, C, and they are the only ones that riders A, B, C, D, E, F, and G take to work. D, E, F, and G take to work. – Neither E nor G takes bus 1 on a day when B does.Neither E nor G takes bus 1 on a day when B does.– G does not take bus 2 on a day when D does.G does not take bus 2 on a day when D does.– When A and F take the same bus, it is always bus 3.When A and F take the same bus, it is always bus 3.– C always takes bus 3.C always takes bus 3.

Traveling together to work, B, C, and G could Traveling together to work, B, C, and G could take which of the same buses on a given day?take which of the same buses on a given day?

How did you solve this problem?How did you solve this problem?

Language and Problem Solving

What makes us smart?What makes us smart?

Dennett, D. C. (1997). Kinds of Minds: Toward an Understanding of ConsciousnessSpelke, E. S. (2003). What makes us smart? Core knowledge and natural language. In D. Gentner and S. Goldin-Meadow (Eds.), Language in Mind: Advances in the Investigation of Language and Thought. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Unique things about human Unique things about human languagelanguage

Big, discrete vocabularyBig, discrete vocabulary10,000-100,000 “words”… or more10,000-100,000 “words”… or more

Recursive compositionalityRecursive compositionalitymaking bigger messages by combining smaller making bigger messages by combining smaller

ones,ones,more complex meanings by combining simpler onesmore complex meanings by combining simpler ones

How is Human Language Special

After 450 million years…After 450 million years…

Cephelopods: 15-35 distinct displays

Non-human primates: 15-35 distinct displays

Human vs. Mollusks & Human vs. Mollusks & Other Non-Human PrimatesOther Non-Human Primates

How is Human Language Special

Human Language Human Language DesignDesign Duality patterning:Duality patterning: A relatively A relatively

small number of basic elements small number of basic elements to create a larger number of to create a larger number of meaningful elements.meaningful elements.

All languagesAll languages have a systematic have a systematic set of rules for combining the set of rules for combining the former into latter.former into latter.

How is Human Language Special

Linguistic ProductivityLinguistic Productivity

Infinite number of phrases & sentences

Several dozens of (sounds) phonemes

Large number of words

Smaller amount of morphemes

How is Human Language Special

CompositionalityCompositionality

We are capable of:We are capable of:– Combining existing Combining existing

phonemesphonemes to form to form

new wordsnew words– ““fax”, “fedex”, “xerox”. fax”, “fedex”, “xerox”. – (Also last names!)(Also last names!)

How is Human Language Special

CompositionalityCompositionality

We are capable of:We are capable of:– Combining Combining morphemesmorphemes

using existing using existing

morphological rulesmorphological rules– COMPOUNDINGCOMPOUNDING– DERIVATIONALDERIVATIONAL

E.g., re + gift, sensation + alE.g., re + gift, sensation + al– INFLECTIONAL INFLECTIONAL

E.g., shoot E.g., shoot shooting, shoots shooting, shoots

How is Human Language Special

CompositionalityCompositionality

We are capable of:We are capable of:– Combining existing Combining existing

words/morphemeswords/morphemes to to

form new sentencesform new sentences

How is Human Language Special

I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right.

What makes us smart?What makes us smart?

Spelke (2003): Languages have the Spelke (2003): Languages have the magical property of compositionalitymagical property of compositionality– ““Thanks to their compositional semantics, Thanks to their compositional semantics,

natural languages can expand the child’s natural languages can expand the child’s conceptual repertoire to include not just conceptual repertoire to include not just the preexisting core knowledge concepts the preexisting core knowledge concepts but also any new well-formed combination but also any new well-formed combination of those concepts.” (p. 306)of those concepts.” (p. 306)

Language makes us smart

Recap:Recap:– Language for communicating (affecting others Language for communicating (affecting others

minds)minds)– Language for thinking (affecting one’s own Language for thinking (affecting one’s own

mind)mind)

What language-thought questions can we What language-thought questions can we ask?ask?

Questions to think about…

Language-ThoughtLanguage-Thought

Qs regarding the role Qs regarding the role of language in our of language in our thinking.thinking.

If we grant that we use language (inner or private) for If we grant that we use language (inner or private) for thinking, how much do we rely on it in our daily life for thinking, how much do we rely on it in our daily life for thinking?thinking?

Are there thoughts that we can only entertain through Are there thoughts that we can only entertain through language?language?

Questions to think about…

Qs regarding the role Qs regarding the role of language in our of language in our thinking.thinking.

If we grant that we use language (inner or private speech) If we grant that we use language (inner or private speech) for thinking, how much do we rely on it in our daily life for for thinking, how much do we rely on it in our daily life for thinking?thinking?

Are there thoughts that we can only entertain through Are there thoughts that we can only entertain through language?language?

Could learning the lexicon and grammars of one’s language Could learning the lexicon and grammars of one’s language lead to the development of new concepts? If so, how?lead to the development of new concepts? If so, how?

Questions to think about…

Qs regarding the role Qs regarding the role of language in our of language in our thinking.thinking.

If we grant that we use language (inner or private speech) If we grant that we use language (inner or private speech) for thinking, how much do we rely on it in our daily life for for thinking, how much do we rely on it in our daily life for thinking?thinking?

Are there thoughts that we can only entertain through Are there thoughts that we can only entertain through language?language?

Could learning the lexicon and grammars of one’s language Could learning the lexicon and grammars of one’s language lead to the development of new concepts? If so, how?lead to the development of new concepts? If so, how?

Does the specific language we speak influence our Does the specific language we speak influence our thinking? If so, how?thinking? If so, how?

Questions to think about…

People who grew up without learning language.

Infants who have not learned language.

Animals who do not speak a language.

Subject PopulationSubject PopulationSpeakers of another language.

Aphasics: patients who suffered brain damage leading to language problems.

Experiments in various Experiments in various domainsdomains

Some examples:Some examples: ColorColor ObjectObject Space Space TimeTime Number Number Theory of MindTheory of Mind

SyllabusSyllabus

Available online – course websiteAvailable online – course website

ColorColor

Ring ON Pole

Cup ON Saucer

Telephone ON Wall

Lady ON TV

Moustache ON Face

Spatial PrepositionsSpatial Prepositions

IM? UM?

AUF?

AN?

IM?

• “Where is the girl?”

– The girl is south of the umbrella.

– The girl is at the tilted side of the umbrella.

– The girl is to the left of the umbrella.

FigureReference Object

Spatial Frames of Spatial Frames of ReferenceReference

ReorientationReorientation

“Left of the blue wall”

NumberNumberPiraha:“one-two-many” counting system.

Theory of MindTheory of Mind

AssociationsAssociations

AssociationsAssociations

“intricate” Der (masc)

El (fem)

“key”

“jagged”

“key”

GermanGerman

HeavyHeavy

JaggedJagged

MetalMetal

SerratedSerrated

UsefulUseful

SpanishSpanish

GoldenGolden

IntricateIntricate

Little Little

LovelyLovely

ShinyShiny

GermanGerman

BeautifulBeautiful

ElegantElegant

FragileFragile

PeacefulPeaceful

PrettyPretty

SlenderSlender

SpanishSpanish

BigBig

DangerousDangerous

LongLong

StrongStrong

SturdySturdy

ToweringTowering

Marian & Neisser Marian & Neisser (2000)(2000)Study:Study: Bilingual Cornell College Students emigrated Bilingual Cornell College Students emigrated

from Russia when there were around 14 y.o. from Russia when there were around 14 y.o. (ave)(ave)

Participants told: You are participating in a study Participants told: You are participating in a study to look at story-telling in different languages. to look at story-telling in different languages. Tell brief stories of events in your life. Tell brief stories of events in your life.

Result:Result: Interviewed in English: Interviewed in English:

– Recalled more events in U.S.Recalled more events in U.S. Interviewed in Russian: Interviewed in Russian:

– Recalled more events in Russian.Recalled more events in Russian.

Godden & Baddeley (1975; Godden & Baddeley (1975; 1980)1980)

HomeworkHomework

ReadingsReadings– WhorfWhorf– Gumperz & LevinsonGumperz & Levinson– PinkerPinker– GleitmanGleitman

Initial Position PaperInitial Position Paper

1897 1907 1917 1927 1937 1947

Benjamin WhorfBenjamin Whorf

1956

1941 Died at 44.

Born Winthrop, MA

MITChem. E.

FirePreventionEngineer

Interest inLinguistics

First PaperNahuatlNahuatl Aztec

YaleE. Sapir

FieldworkArizona –Arizona –Modern Modern NahuatlNahuatl

Yale: Research FellowshipsLecturer

Introduction to Linguistic Relativity

Linguistic RelativityLinguistic Relativity

Whorf (1956, p. 213): The categories and types

that we isolate from the world of phenomena we do not find there because they stare every observer in the face; on the contrary, the world is presented as a kaleidoscopic flux of impressions which has to be organized by our minds – and this means largely by the linguistic systems in our minds.

Introduction to Linguistic Relativity

There is no scientific evidence that languages dramatically shape their speakers’ ways of thinking.”

Steven Pinker

Discussion for next timeDiscussion for next time

How tightly does language constrain thought, How tightly does language constrain thought, according to Whorf? Does it according to Whorf? Does it fixfix a speaker's a speaker's thought patterns, or does it merely thought patterns, or does it merely favorfavor certain certain types of concept? types of concept?

Do you consider Pinker’s criticisms of Whorf’s Do you consider Pinker’s criticisms of Whorf’s position to be fair? Do you agree with his position to be fair? Do you agree with his characterization that the effects are banal?characterization that the effects are banal?

Do you tend to side with Pinker or Whorf?Do you tend to side with Pinker or Whorf?

Spoken words are the symbols of mental experience and written words are the symbols of spoken words. Just as all men have not the same writing, so all men have not the same speech sounds; but the mental experiences, which these directly symbolize, are thesame for all, as also are those things of which our experiences are the images.

ARISTOTLE

Thought Thought Language Language

I have a notion that, when the mind is thinking, it is simply talking to itself, asking questions and answering them. … So I should describe thinking as a discourse,… not aloud to someone else, but silently to oneself.

PLATO

Language Language Thought Thought