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Related Concept Videos

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...
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 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.
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...
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...
Introduction to Language of Pathophysiology l01:25

Introduction to Language of Pathophysiology l

Pathophysiology investigates how biological mechanisms—typically starting at the cellular level—disrupt normal bodily functions. It bridges anatomy and physiology to explain the progression of disease. With this foundation, it is important to understand the following key terms used to describe disease processes: Diagnosis:The process of identifying a disease using clinical evaluation, including signs (objective evidence like rashes), symptoms (subjective experiences like pain), laboratory test...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning
05:33

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning

Published on: January 29, 2020

An empirical generative framework for computational modeling of language acquisition.

Heidi R Waterfall1, Ben Sandbank, Luca Onnis

  • 1Department of Psychology, Cornell University and Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, IL, USA. heidi.waterfall@gmail.com

Journal of Child Language
|April 28, 2010
PubMed
Summary

This study develops a computational model for language acquisition, creating an algorithmically learnable generative grammar from CHILDES data that performs well quantitatively and is psychologically realistic.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning
05:33

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning

Published on: January 29, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Computational linguistics
  • Developmental psychology
  • Artificial intelligence

Background:

  • Developing computational models for language acquisition is complex.
  • Existing models often lack psychological realism or algorithmic learnability.
  • Understanding how children acquire language requires integrating computational, behavioral, and corpus data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report progress in developing a computer model for language acquisition.
  • To create a generative grammar that is algorithmically learnable, quantitatively viable, and psychologically real.
  • To integrate computational results, behavioral findings, and corpus insights into a next-generation model.

Main Methods:

  • Developed new algorithmic methods for unsupervised learning of generative grammars from CHILDES data.
  • Analyzed CHILDES data to identify statistically prominent structural properties in child-directed speech.
  • Summarized findings from longitudinal and experimental work on language acquisition facilitators.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated algorithmic learnability of generative grammars from realistic corpus data.
  • Showcased the large-scale quantitative performance and psychological realism of the developed model.
  • Identified key structural properties in child-directed speech that facilitate language acquisition.

Conclusions:

  • The developed computational model meets key requirements for language acquisition research.
  • Integrating computational, behavioral, and corpus data offers a promising path for next-generation models.
  • Further research can refine the model to enhance its predictive and explanatory power.