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Related Concept Videos

Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

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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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Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

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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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Concepts and Prototypes01:24

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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.
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Implicit Personality Theories01:23

Implicit Personality Theories

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Implicit personality theory explains how individuals make assumptions about the relationships between personality traits, behaviors, and character types. When people learn that someone possesses a particular trait, they tend to infer the presence of other related characteristics, forming a cohesive impression. This cognitive shortcut plays a crucial role in social interactions and interpersonal judgments.Central Traits and Their InfluenceSolomon Asch's seminal 1946 study highlighted the power...
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Lateralization01:28

Lateralization

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Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
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Language01:16

Language

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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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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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Human attribute concepts: relative ubiquity across twelve mutually isolated languages.

Gerard Saucier1, Amber Gayle Thalmayer1, Tarik S Bel-Bahar1

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Summary

Researchers identified universal human-attribute concepts across 12 diverse languages. Morality and competence concepts are as cross-culturally ubiquitous as basic emotions, suggesting shared biological and cultural processes.

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Area of Science:

  • Cross-cultural psychology
  • Linguistics
  • Anthropology

Background:

  • Understanding universal human concepts is challenging.
  • Previous research has not definitively identified universally shared human-attribute concepts across diverse languages.
  • Human attribute concepts are crucial for social cognition and interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify common-denominator human-attribute concepts across 12 mutually isolated languages.
  • To determine the cross-cultural ubiquity of person-descriptive terms.
  • To compare the universality of terms used in different personality models.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed dictionaries from 12 languages representing diverse cultures and language families.
  • Created a composite list of person-descriptive terms in each lexicon.
  • Examined English translations to identify ubiquitous concepts.
  • Compared the ubiquity of terms in 1-, 2-, 5-, and 6-factor personality models.

Main Results:

  • Identified 28 single-word concepts used in all 12 languages and 41 additional terms found in 11 languages.
  • Attribute concepts related to morality and competence are as cross-culturally ubiquitous as basic-emotion concepts.
  • 1- and 2-dimensional personality models utilize more ubiquitous terms than 5- or 6-factor models.

Conclusions:

  • Ubiquitous human-attribute concepts reflect common biological and cultural processes.
  • Morality and competence are fundamental, universally recognized human attributes.
  • Simpler personality models may better capture cross-cultural universals.