Question 1

Which Piagetian concept is illustrated by a toddler's overextension of words to describe new objects and events that he or she encounters?

Accepted Answer

Assimilation occurs when individuals incorporate new information into their existing cognitive structures or schemas, even if it means stretching these schemas to make the new information fit. This is seen when toddlers overextend words to new objects or events because they are applying known words to similar but not identical items, fitting them into their existing understanding of the world.

Question 2

When do infants first show a preference for speech that contains natural breaks and pauses?

Accepted Answer

Infants typically begin to show a preference for speech with natural breaks and pauses around 7 months of age, as they start to develop more advanced auditory processing skills and language recognition.

Question 3

Which of the following best summarizes current research findings regarding the role of imitation in syntax acquisition?

Accepted Answer

Current research suggests that imitation plays a role in facilitating the acquisition of syntactic knowledge, but it is not considered essential. Children can acquire syntax through other means as well, such as through exposure to language in their environment and through innate language learning mechanisms.

Question 4

Quentin is a 2-year-old living in Toronto.He is an only child.Based on research conducted by Nelson, what language style is Quentin likely to have?

Accepted Answer

Research by Nelson indicates that only children are more likely to have a referential language style, which involves a vocabulary that includes many object labels (nouns).

Question 5

Which of the following best defines an object scope constraint?

Accepted Answer

Object scope constraint in language acquisition suggests that children assume words refer to whole objects rather than to parts of objects or to object attributes.

Question 6

Which of the following statements regarding bilingual children is supported by research findings?

Accepted Answer

Early sequential bilinguals can acquire the phonology of their second language to a level where they can speak it as well as monolinguals, especially if they start learning at a young age.

Question 7

When young children overregularize and produce forms such as tooths, satted, or goed, as well as correct forms (e.g., walked, played, and cars), what are they demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Children overregularizing forms such as "tooths" or "goed" demonstrate that they have learned a rule for producing word endings but have not yet learned or remembered the exceptions to these rules, which are the irregular forms. This is a normal part of language development.

Question 8

In addition to several other pieces of evidence, researchers have cited cross-cultural findings of a commonality in structure of early spoken and signed language as evidence for which theory of language acquisition?

Accepted Answer

The nativist theory of language acquisition, most notably associated with Noam Chomsky, posits that humans are born with an innate ability to learn language. The theory suggests that the capacity for language is hardwired into our brains, and this is supported by cross-cultural findings of common structures in early spoken and signed languages. These findings indicate that there is a universal grammar underlying all human languages, which is a key argument of the nativist perspective.

Question 9

Infant babbling often sounds as if the child has learned the "tune" before the words.What aspect of language is being referred to by the word tune?

Accepted Answer

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of the voice in speaking, often reflecting the "tune" or melody of speech, which is what is being described in the context of infant babbling.

Question 10

Jacque's 4-month-old daughter was upset and fussy, but after listening to her father talk to her for a few minutes she is now calm.Based on the results from Fernald's research, how did Jacque speak to her?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jacque's 4-month-old daughter was upset and fussy,...

Question 11

How does the referential style of early speech compare to the expressive style?

Accepted Answer

The referential style of early speech is more common and is characterized by the use of words that refer to people or objects, distinguishing it from the expressive style, which involves more personal or social words.

Question 12

How does the babbling of children in families using only sign language differ from the babbling of children in families that use spoken language?

Accepted Answer

Babbling in children from families using sign language is manual, mirroring the visual-manual modality of sign language, rather than the vocal-auditory modality of spoken language. This shows that babbling is a normal part of language development, whether the language is signed or spoken.

Question 13

Yuko and Eva are both 3-year-olds who have no older siblings.Yuko lives in Tokyo, Japan, and Eva lives in Calgary, Canada.Based on Nelson's research findings, what type of language style would you expect each girl to develop?

Accepted Answer

Nelson's research suggests that children in collectivist cultures like Japan tend to develop an expressive language style, focusing on social routines and interactions, while children in individualistic cultures like Canada tend to develop a referential language style, focusing on naming objects and describing the world around them.

Question 14

Which of the following would be most likely to appear in a 2-year-old's spontaneous conversation?

Accepted Answer

At around the age of 2, children begin to use language to explore their environment and ask questions about it. They often start with "what," "where," and "who" questions because these questions relate to their immediate surroundings and experiences, which are concrete and directly observable. These types of questions help them make sense of the world around them. "Why," "when," and "how" questions typically come later as they require a more abstract level of thinking.

Question 15

Which of the following best describes why effective communication progresses during childhood?

Accepted Answer

Effective communication progresses during childhood due to the growth of both cognitive skills and sociolinguistic understanding. Cognitive skills enhance the child's ability to process and understand information, while sociolinguistic understanding helps them grasp the social aspects of language use, such as tone, context, and the norms of conversation.

Question 16

Why do parents of young children use child-directed speech, recasts, and expansions?

Accepted Answer

Parents use these techniques to optimize communication effectiveness with their child, making it easier for the child to understand and learn language naturally.

Question 17

According to the learning perspective, what accounts for a child's early speech?

Accepted Answer

The learning perspective emphasizes the role of environmental influences and reinforcement in language acquisition. According to this view, parents and caregivers reinforce the sounds and babbling that resemble words, encouraging the child to repeat these sounds and gradually learn language.

Question 18

What is suggested by the fact that coos of all infants sound the same, regardless of whether the infant can hear?

Accepted Answer

The fact that coos of all infants sound the same, regardless of whether the infant can hear, suggests that these sounds develop with the maturation of the brain and vocal organs, rather than being learned through listening to speech. This indicates a biological basis for these early vocalizations.

Question 19

Based on Janet Werker's research, how is vocabulary size related to an infant's ability to discriminate similar-sounding words?

Accepted Answer

Janet Werker's research indicates that vocabulary size is a crucial factor in an infant's ability to discriminate between similar-sounding words, suggesting it is more important than age for predicting performance in this area.

Question 20

If a 2-year-old child uses the word car in a situation where her dad is washing the car, again when she is sitting in the car, and yet again when she is looking out the window, each time with different inflection, what does research indicate that this toddler is probably doing?

Accepted Answer

The toddler is likely expressing three different messages about the car, indicated by the use of different inflections in each situation. This demonstrates an understanding of context and the ability to convey varied meanings or messages using the same word, which is a common developmental milestone in language acquisition for children around this age.

Quiz 11: Development of Language and Communication Skills