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Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Concepts and Prototypes01:24

Concepts and Prototypes

The human nervous system handles vast amounts of information by translating sensory stimuli into neural impulses, which the brain processes, creating thoughts expressed through language or stored as memories. The brain also synthesizes information from emotions and memories, which significantly influence thoughts and behaviors. This intricate process creates a comprehensive mental picture.
The brain organizes this information using concepts, which are mental categories grouping linguistic data,...
Language01:16

Language

Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs. “eh”). Phonemes combine to...
Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms
07:31

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

Published on: February 8, 2019

Conceptual precursors to language.

Susan J Hespos1, Elizabeth S Spelke

  • 1Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA. s.hespos@vanderbilt.edu

Nature
|July 23, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Infants learn word meanings by connecting language to pre-existing concepts. This study shows 5-month-olds distinguish

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Linguistics
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Infants selectively learn language-specific sound distinctions.
  • This process involves auditory system properties, not language-specific mechanisms.
  • Sensitivity to non-native sounds declines within the first year.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate if a similar selective learning process governs word meaning acquisition.
  • Examine infants' sensitivity to conceptual distinctions not present in their native language.
  • Explore the link between early word learning and pre-existing conceptual representations.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 5-month-old infants in an English-speaking environment.
  • Assessed sensitivity to the Korean 'tight' vs. 'loose' fit distinction.
  • Analyzed infant responses to a continuum of motion-into-contact actions.

Main Results:

  • Infants detected the 'tight' vs. 'loose' fit conceptual distinction.
  • They categorized actions into 'tight' and 'loose' fit, mirroring Korean speakers.
  • This sensitivity was not observed in adult English speakers.

Conclusions:

  • Infant word learning may involve linking linguistic forms to universal, pre-existing conceptual representations.
  • Sensitivity to conceptual distinctions is linked to object mechanics representations shared across species.
  • Early language acquisition builds upon foundational cognitive and perceptual abilities.