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Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language Development

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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.
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Components of Language01:24

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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.
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Language01:16

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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.
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Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

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Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
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Language and Cognition01:27

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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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Introduction to Developmental Psychology01:27

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Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
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Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

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From "Sooo excited!!!" to "So proud": using language to study development.

Margaret L Kern1, Johannes C Eichstaedt1, H Andrew Schwartz2

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania.

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|November 27, 2013
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Summary

Differential Language Analysis (DLA) uses computational linguistics to study human development via social media data. This method reveals how word and topic usage changes with age, offering insights into psychological development across different cohorts.

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Area of Science:

  • Computational Linguistics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Social Media Analytics

Background:

  • Traditional methods for studying human development often lack the scale to analyze large, dynamic datasets.
  • Online social media platforms generate vast amounts of user-generated text data, offering unprecedented opportunities for developmental research.
  • Integrating psychological theory with computational linguistic techniques can provide novel insights into developmental changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce Differential Language Analysis (DLA), a novel computational method for studying human development.
  • To analyze large-scale social media data using DLA to identify age-related linguistic and topical variations.
  • To demonstrate the utility of DLA in testing developmental hypotheses, such as the aging positivity effect.

Main Methods:

  • Employed an open-vocabulary Differential Language Analysis (DLA) approach.
  • Utilized a dataset comprising over 70,000 Facebook users.
  • Analyzed word, phrase, and topic usage variations as a function of user age, creating visual summaries for cohort-specific trends.

Main Results:

  • Identified distinct patterns of word and topic usage across different age cohorts.
  • Compiled cohort-specific linguistic data into visually intuitive and face-valid summaries.
  • Successfully demonstrated the application of DLA in examining the aging positivity effect.

Conclusions:

  • Differential Language Analysis (DLA) is a powerful methodology for leveraging big data from social media to study human development.
  • The approach effectively captures age-related linguistic shifts and can be used to test psychological theories.
  • DLA offers flexibility for exploring developmental heterogeneity and other differentiating characteristics beyond age.