PSY 360 3 Cindy Larson Language Paper
Language Paper
PSY/360
June 13, 2015
Melissa Jackson
Language Paper
Language can be looked at differently from other types of cognitions. There is a need for language in one form or another to have the ability to communicate with other human beings. This communication is the basis to how human beings express themselves to those around them. With this expression comes the ability to formulate thoughts. These thoughts can be translated to others through language. This language play an important role when analyzing, problem-solving, creating reasons, communicating needs, and making plans. Without the existence of language the attempt for humans to achieve goals would be almost impossible to accomplish. Goals would have to be accomplished be figuring out an alternative method than language to be used for sciences, history, mathematics, and the ability to explain past experiences or cultures. Because language is such an important communication tool, this paper will go into the definition of language and lexicon, evaluating the key features of language, with a description of the four levels of the language structure and processing, and analyzing the role of language processing in cognitive psychology.
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Define Language
Because there is so many different ways of language it can be difficult to provide just one. Cognitive psychology defines language as a system of communication that is governed by a system of rules and can express an infinite number of propositions. In addition, natural language has two criteria. First it must be governed by a set of rules knows as grammar. Second it must be productive – an infinite number of things can be expressed (Galotti, 2015). But there are some factors that are deemed to be critical in the communication of human language. The factors that are deemed critical are: communicative, arbitrary, structured, generative, and dynamic (Willingham, 2007). These critical items that are necessary for the formation of language starts with
PSY/360
June 13, 2015
Melissa Jackson
Language Paper
Language can be looked at differently from other types of cognitions. There is a need for language in one form or another to have the ability to communicate with other human beings. This communication is the basis to how human beings express themselves to those around them. With this expression comes the ability to formulate thoughts. These thoughts can be translated to others through language. This language play an important role when analyzing, problem-solving, creating reasons, communicating needs, and making plans. Without the existence of language the attempt for humans to achieve goals would be almost impossible to accomplish. Goals would have to be accomplished be figuring out an alternative method than language to be used for sciences, history, mathematics, and the ability to explain past experiences or cultures. Because language is such an important communication tool, this paper will go into the definition of language and lexicon, evaluating the key features of language, with a description of the four levels of the language structure and processing, and analyzing the role of language processing in cognitive psychology.
.
Define Language
Because there is so many different ways of language it can be difficult to provide just one. Cognitive psychology defines language as a system of communication that is governed by a system of rules and can express an infinite number of propositions. In addition, natural language has two criteria. First it must be governed by a set of rules knows as grammar. Second it must be productive – an infinite number of things can be expressed (Galotti, 2015). But there are some factors that are deemed to be critical in the communication of human language. The factors that are deemed critical are: communicative, arbitrary, structured, generative, and dynamic (Willingham, 2007). These critical items that are necessary for the formation of language starts with
References: Anderson, J. R. (2015). Cognitive Psychology and its implications (8th ed.). New York, New York: Worth Publishers. Galotti, K. M. (2014). Cognitive psychology in and out of the laboratory (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Goldstein, E. B. (2014). Sensation and perception (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Hyde, K. (1998). The features of human language. Retrieved May 14, 2011, from http://people.exeter.ac.uk/bosthaus/Lecture/hockett1.htm Willingham, D. T. (2007). Cognition: The thinking animal (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon