Question 1

All of the following are claims of the connectionist approach to language learning EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The connectionist approach claims that computer simulations can capture the way humans learn language through the use of distributed processing units that work in parallel, and that language acquisition involves processes that go beyond overt associations learned through reinforcement. Therefore, option B is incorrect because it suggests that computer simulations cannot capture the use of rules that are not explicitly stated.

Question 2

Which of the following would be considered a pragmatic constraint?

Accepted Answer

Pragmatic constraints refer to the knowledge and assumptions about the world that help children to interpret language. Mutual exclusivity is a pragmatic constraint that presupposes that each object has only one label or name. For example, when a child hears a new word, they assume it refers to an object in the scene they don't already have a name for. This can help them to infer the meaning of the new word.

Question 3

All of the following are true of vocabulary growth for most children EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Sharp spurts in vocabulary growth are not typical for most children. Rather, most children experience gradual increases in vocabulary size over time.

Question 4

Using a relatively small number of basic linguistic components and rules, we can create a boundless variety of unique expressions.This characteristic of language is known as:

Accepted Answer

Generativity is the ability of language to create an infinite number of new and meaningful sentences from a finite set of words and rules. It allows humans to communicate effectively and express themselves creatively using language. Creativity is a related concept, but specifically refers to the novelty and originality of linguistic expressions. Naturality is a term used to describe the way in which language usage and development is influenced by factors such as culture and environment. Phonology, on the other hand, refers specifically to the study of the sounds and sound patterns of language.

Question 5

Linda, a toddler, says "I don't like about broccoli." Her mother responds, "You don't like broccoli but you like carrots." This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The mother's response is an example of recasting, which involves repeating a child's sentence in a modified form. In this case, the mother repeated the child's negative statement about broccoli but turned it into a positive statement about carrots. Recasting is a technique often used by adults to help children develop their language skills and expand their vocabulary.

Question 6

Jane, a toddler, frequently hears imperfect speech full of false starts, interruptions, and unfinished sentences.Because she is hearing imperfect speech, some researchers would argue that this is not a sufficient basis for Jane to learn language.These researchers support the ________ argument.

Accepted Answer

The poverty of the stimulus argument posits that the input of language that children receive is often incomplete or impoverished, yet they are still able to learn language. Therefore, hearing imperfect speech full of false starts, interruptions, and unfinished sentences does not prevent Jane from learning language according to this argument.

Question 7

Which of the following would be considered a conceptual constraint?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following would be considered...

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true about child-directed speech?

Accepted Answer

Infants across different cultures show a preference for the characteristics of child-directed speech, such as higher pitch and exaggerated intonation, even if the prevalence of its use varies culturally.

Question 9

Which of these words is a child likely to learn first?

Accepted Answer

"Dog" is a simple, common noun that is often one of the first words a child learns to identify and say. "Fluffy" is an adjective that might be picked up later, while "poodle" and "mammal" are more specific or complex words that are less likely to be learned early on.

Question 10

Researchers presented 8-month-olds with uninterrupted strings of phonemes in which particular sets of sound patterns were repeated.After listening, infants heard either familiar or unfamiliar sound sequences.The infants in this study:

Accepted Answer

Infants tend to show increased attention to novel stimuli after becoming habituated to familiar ones. In this study, the infants looked longer toward the speakers when novel sound sequences were played, indicating they noticed the difference and found the unfamiliar sequences more engaging or worthy of attention than the familiar ones they had been habituated to.

Question 11

All of the following are claims of the behaviorist approach to language learning EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The behaviorist approach does not make a claim about the timing of language acquisition for bilingual or multilingual children. Instead, it focuses on how language is learned through the shaping of behavior and responses from caregivers.

Question 12

Owen is 18 months old.Which of these two-word utterances is Owen LEAST likely to make?

Accepted Answer

"Dessert eat" is not a typical two-word utterance for an 18-month-old child.

Question 13

What approach to language learning is supported by Noam Chomsky?

Accepted Answer

Noam Chomsky supports the nativist approach to language learning, which suggests that humans are born with an innate ability to learn language and that language acquisition is driven by a universal grammar that is hard-wired in the brain. This approach contrasts with the behaviorist approach, which emphasizes the role of external factors such as reinforcement and conditioning in language learning, and the connectionist approach, which proposes that language learning is based on the processing of patterns and regularities in language input. Chomsky's approach also differs from the statistical learning approach, which emphasizes the role of statistical patterns in language input in language learning, but still relies on the assumption that the learning capacity is innate.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that preschoolers tend to rely on characteristic features when forming word meanings, while elementary schoolchildren are more likely to use defining features. Characteristic features are attributes that are typical of a category but not essential for its definition, while defining features are attributes that are necessary for identifying a category.

Question 15

Seven-month-olds were presented with phoneme sequences that follow a rule-based pattern, the ABA rule.The infant heard sounds like "ga ti ga." In the test phase, the infant heard new sound sequences that followed the old rule or violated the rule.The infants:

Accepted Answer

According to the findings of the study, the infants' looking time was longer when they heard novel patterns that violated the ABA rule. This suggests that the infants were able to detect and differentiate between sound sequences that followed the rule and those that did not. Therefore, the correct answer is B, looked longer at speakers emitting novel patterns that violated the rule.

Question 16

________ is a way of representing networks of associations based on computer simulations with multiple levels of associations.

Accepted Answer

Connectionism is a theory in cognitive psychology that aims to explain mental processes such as learning, memory and perception by using computer simulations with multiple levels of associations. It is a way of representing networks of associations based on these simulations. Branching directions, principles and parameters approach, and statistical learning are not directly related to this theory.

Question 17

________ argued that parents and other caregivers gradually shape infants' linguistic response patterns, which gradually become more like adult language.

Accepted Answer

Skinner's behaviorist theory of language acquisition emphasizes the role of operant conditioning and reinforcement in shaping language acquisition. According to this theory, infants gradually learn to recognize and produce linguistically appropriate responses through a process of shaping and reinforcement by their parents and caregivers.

Question 18

All of the following are three common types of constraints on word meaning EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Semantic constraints are not typically considered a common type of constraint on word meaning, whereas conceptual, perceptual, and pragmatic constraints are.

Question 19

________ is learning based on the probability of events occurring both at the same time and in sequences over time.

Accepted Answer

The definition provided in the question matches the concept of statistical learning, which involves extracting regularities from the environment and making predictions based on the probability of events occurring in specific contexts. Computational modeling refers to using mathematical and computational tools to simulate or analyze a phenomenon, often including statistical approaches. Fast mapping is a process that young children use to learn new words quickly, by connecting them to concepts they already know. Imitation involves replicating specific behavior or actions observed in others. None of these options fully cover the description provided in the question.

Question 20

All of the following are characteristics of child-directed speech EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Child-directed speech often involves speaking at a higher pitch, more slowly, and using simpler sentences to facilitate language learning, but not necessarily speaking more quietly.

Quiz 8: Language Development