Thinking like a psycholinguist

John FieldJohn FieldUniversity of ReadingUniversity of Reading

Teaching Psycholinguistics.Teaching Psycholinguistics.University of Essex, 20University of Essex, 20thth June 2008 June 2008

Education that liberates consists of acts of Education that liberates consists of acts of cognition, not transferrals of informationcognition, not transferrals of information

Paulo Freire (1921-1997)Paulo Freire (1921-1997)

The fuzzy boundaries of PL

Cognitive psychology of language

acquisition, storage and use

Psychologicallinguistics

Cognitive linguistics

Pragmatics

Neurolinguistics

Language evolution

Clinical linguistics

Historicallinguistics?

Social psychologyof language

Some central areas First language acquisitionFirst language acquisition Representation, storage and retrievalRepresentation, storage and retrieval Processing: productive and receptiveProcessing: productive and receptive Language and the brainLanguage and the brain Language impairmentLanguage impairment Second language acquisitionSecond language acquisition

Some central areas First language acquisitionFirst language acquisition Representation, storage and retrievalRepresentation, storage and retrieval Processing: productive and receptiveProcessing: productive and receptive Language and the brainLanguage and the brain Language impairmentLanguage impairment Second language acquisitionSecond language acquisition

Two possible routes into PL Language backgroundLanguage background

Awareness of form (products of language)Awareness of form (products of language)Difficulty with the notion of processDifficulty with the notion of processLack of basic psychological concepts: memory, Lack of basic psychological concepts: memory,

attention, representationattention, representation Psychology backgroundPsychology background

Understanding of modelsUnderstanding of modelsLimited language awareness (e.g. phrase Limited language awareness (e.g. phrase

structure)structure)Limited linguistic terminology (word classes etc)Limited linguistic terminology (word classes etc)

Linguist into psycholinguist: the literature Addressed to initiatesAddressed to initiates Dense in terminologyDense in terminology Heavy cross-referencing to theories taken as Heavy cross-referencing to theories taken as

knownknown May contain statisticsMay contain statistics

Solution: Introductory topics

Accessible topics that do not require Accessible topics that do not require detailed knowledge of psychological theory detailed knowledge of psychological theory (e.g. memory, attention, representation) (e.g. memory, attention, representation)

Topics that are discussed in the media.Topics that are discussed in the media. At least one topic that lends itself to a At least one topic that lends itself to a

small-scale project that can be carried out small-scale project that can be carried out by students.by students.

Possible topics Animal communicationAnimal communication Language evolution Language evolution Brain lateralisation and localisationBrain lateralisation and localisation Critical periodCritical period Vocabulary storageVocabulary storage Introduction to impairmentIntroduction to impairment Child language and CDSChild language and CDS BilingualismBilingualism

Problems with ‘basic’ topics Some use mixed data and methodsSome use mixed data and methods They are often not representative of more central They are often not representative of more central

issues in PL because they use less rigorous issues in PL because they use less rigorous methods.methods.

They do not have the same career relevance as They do not have the same career relevance as topics related to processing (applications to topics related to processing (applications to education – media – law – management etc.)education – media – law – management etc.)

They may lead students to write at a simplistic They may lead students to write at a simplistic level in terms of theory, argument and supporting level in terms of theory, argument and supporting evidence.evidence.

Solution: Directed reading Students rely initially upon secondary sources. But Students rely initially upon secondary sources. But

original attributions must be made: e.g. original attributions must be made: e.g. Rosch, 1973, Rosch, 1973, Levelt, 1989.Levelt, 1989.

Problem: many secondary sources are designed for Problem: many secondary sources are designed for psychologistspsychologists (exceptions: Altmann, 1997, Whitney, (exceptions: Altmann, 1997, Whitney, 1998, Aitchison, 2003a, 2007, Field 2003, Steinberg & 1998, Aitchison, 2003a, 2007, Field 2003, Steinberg & Sciarini, 2006).Sciarini, 2006).

Use a set of accessible readings: one per topic, Use a set of accessible readings: one per topic, edited if necessary. edited if necessary. Examples, Field 2003, Section DExamples, Field 2003, Section D

Insist on students checking terms and theory in Insist on students checking terms and theory in introductory reference sources when writing introductory reference sources when writing assignments assignments (e.g. Field, 2004, Aitchison, 2003b)(e.g. Field, 2004, Aitchison, 2003b)

Linguist into psycholinguist: the methodology May be data-led (vs theory-led)May be data-led (vs theory-led) Scientific approach (not anecdotal, not Scientific approach (not anecdotal, not

subjective)subjective) Unfamiliar methods: Unfamiliar methods: Reaction Time,Reaction Time,

priming, head-turn preference, eye tracking, priming, head-turn preference, eye tracking, connectionist modellingconnectionist modelling  

Solution: Introductory session

1. Different objectives of linguists and 1. Different objectives of linguists and psycholinguistspsycholinguists

2. Types of data collection2. Types of data collection3. Students classify examples by type3. Students classify examples by type4. Students interpret what they tell us4. Students interpret what they tell us

Thinking like a psycholinguist 1. Students need to be able to interpret 1. Students need to be able to interpret

psycholinguistic data, both raw and as psycholinguistic data, both raw and as presented in the literaturepresented in the literature

2. Discovery provides a deeper learning 2. Discovery provides a deeper learning experience, within which field-specific experience, within which field-specific patterns of thought are elicited.patterns of thought are elicited.

3. We are all processors of language. The 3. We are all processors of language. The best subject for a student to investigate and best subject for a student to investigate and interrogate is him/herself.interrogate is him/herself.

A discovery approach (Field, 2005) Task sheetTask sheet with introductory explanations and with introductory explanations and

exercises based on:exercises based on: Samples of data for analysis (e.g. transcript, Samples of data for analysis (e.g. transcript,

dysgraphic spelling errors);dysgraphic spelling errors); Graphics or tables summarising data;Graphics or tables summarising data; Language activities followed by reflection on Language activities followed by reflection on

the processes involved;the processes involved; Powerpoint.Powerpoint. Explanatory text and graphicsExplanatory text and graphics Answer sheetAnswer sheet, handed out at the end of the session , handed out at the end of the session

and summarising issues that have arisenand summarising issues that have arisen

The dual route model

Sub-lexicalSub-lexical LexicalLexical

/r+i:+d/ /r+i:d//r+i:+d/ /r+i:d/

READ

/ri:d//ri:d/ /ri:d//ri:d/

Neighbours

GEADGEAD head deadhead dead read beadread bead NEANNEAN mean bean lean cleanmean bean lean clean SOATSOAT coat goat boatcoat goat boat PIVEPIVElive givelive give five drivefive drive FOWNFOWN down towndown town grown knowngrown known HEAFHEAF leafleaf sheafsheaf deafdeaf WIRTWIRT dirt shirtdirt shirt

Conclusions on sound-spelling Word-matching in English seems to use:Word-matching in English seems to use:

Whole-word matches Whole-word matches YACHTYACHT Grapheme-phoneme rules Grapheme-phoneme rules HOSPITALITYHOSPITALITY Analogy Analogy LIGHTLIGHT Digraphs Digraphs EE – SH – THEE – SH – TH

Note that children may not have an awareness of Note that children may not have an awareness of phonemes before learning to read in L1 (Morais et phonemes before learning to read in L1 (Morais et al., 1979)al., 1979)

Developmental dyslexia Phonological dyslexia Phonological dyslexia

Cannot decode non-wordsCannot decode non-wordsRecognises complete irregular wordsRecognises complete irregular words

Surface dyslexiaSurface dyslexia Decodes non-wordsDecodes non-words Reports irregular words phonicallyReports irregular words phonically

Uses a single analogous match Uses a single analogous match (PINT/MINT)(PINT/MINT)

Skilled vs unskilled readers

Assessing and applying Small-scale research projectSmall-scale research project for students to for students to

familiarise themselves with PL enquiry and familiarise themselves with PL enquiry and become critical of methods and findings. become critical of methods and findings.

Full length assignmentFull length assignment with the expectation with the expectation that the ideas discussed will be supported that the ideas discussed will be supported by a small-scale independent research by a small-scale independent research project.project.

A small-scale project (Field, 2005 abridged)

Study the execution errors of five of your fellow students. Study the execution errors of five of your fellow students. First, ask them to do a brief typing test, copying a page from a First, ask them to do a brief typing test, copying a page from a book. Time them.book. Time them.

When they write their next essay, ask them to turn on the Track When they write their next essay, ask them to turn on the Track Changes facility. Get them to print out their final draft, Changes facility. Get them to print out their final draft, showing all the changes they have made. Analyse their errors. showing all the changes they have made. Analyse their errors. Look especially for phonologically based errors and errors Look especially for phonologically based errors and errors which suggest that the subject has developed an automatic key which suggest that the subject has developed an automatic key stroke sequence that is incorrect. Check for the position on the stroke sequence that is incorrect. Check for the position on the keyboard of wrong sequences of letters. Compare the keyboard of wrong sequences of letters. Compare the percentages of different types of error among your five percentages of different types of error among your five subjects. Then check against typing speed and decide if that is subjects. Then check against typing speed and decide if that is a factor or not.a factor or not.

A small-scale evaluative project (Field 2005)

Replicate Rosch’s experiment. Choose 3 categories and draw Replicate Rosch’s experiment. Choose 3 categories and draw up a list of 20 examples in each. Ask three or four subjects up a list of 20 examples in each. Ask three or four subjects to number the items from 1 to 7 according to how good an to number the items from 1 to 7 according to how good an example they are of the category. Examine how consistent example they are of the category. Examine how consistent their answers are; then their answers are; then provide your own explanations for this provide your own explanations for this consistencyconsistency. You may want to extend the task by studying . You may want to extend the task by studying two distinct groups of 2 or 3 people. They might be of:two distinct groups of 2 or 3 people. They might be of:a. two different age groups (e.g. teenage vs elderly)a. two different age groups (e.g. teenage vs elderly)b. two different social backgrounds b. two different social backgrounds c. two different ethnic backgrounds (native speakers)c. two different ethnic backgrounds (native speakers)

Interpret your findings; compare them with those of Rosch.Interpret your findings; compare them with those of Rosch. Then go on to evaluate a) the task b) the evidence that you Then go on to evaluate a) the task b) the evidence that you

obtained. Do you have any reservations about them?obtained. Do you have any reservations about them?

Assignment Meaning buildingMeaning building. How does a listener or reader . How does a listener or reader

achieve a fuller understanding of a piece of input achieve a fuller understanding of a piece of input by bringing additional meaning to bear? What by bringing additional meaning to bear? What decisions need to be made in building a complete decisions need to be made in building a complete representation of what the speaker or writer representation of what the speaker or writer intended?intended?

You should support your comments by reading You should support your comments by reading aloud to 3-4 subjects the three-part taxi-driver aloud to 3-4 subjects the three-part taxi-driver story from the Worksheet, and asking them after story from the Worksheet, and asking them after each part to tell you what they have understood. each part to tell you what they have understood. Record their retellings and comment on the Record their retellings and comment on the inferences they made and the points that they seem inferences they made and the points that they seem to think are important.to think are important.

Contact details:Contact details:

j.c.field@reading.ac.ukhttp://www.llas.ac.uk/events/archive/2966http://www.llas.ac.uk/events/archive/2966