Study Guide QuestionsStudy Guide Questions

1.1. What are the contributions of object What are the contributions of object permanence, causality, means-end, imitation, permanence, causality, means-end, imitation, and play to language development?and play to language development?

2.2. Cultural, socioeconomic and gender differences Cultural, socioeconomic and gender differences influence parent-child interaction and influence parent-child interaction and communication. Compare and contrast these communication. Compare and contrast these differences using examples from three cultures.differences using examples from three cultures.

3.3. What is Theory of Mind? Use examples from What is Theory of Mind? Use examples from different developmental stages in your different developmental stages in your explanationexplanation

Social Development & Language Social Development & Language AcquisitionAcquisition

Regardless of your theory of language Regardless of your theory of language acquisition, interactions between a acquisition, interactions between a child and a caregiver are important to child and a caregiver are important to language acquisition.language acquisition.

Children learn language to communicate Children learn language to communicate better or to maintain better social contactbetter or to maintain better social contact

The environmental and communication The environmental and communication contexts together with the interaction help contexts together with the interaction help the child learn languagethe child learn language

The caregiver attributes social The caregiver attributes social significance to the child’s behaviorsignificance to the child’s behavior

This provides an opportunity for the child This provides an opportunity for the child to take a turn and learn about reciprocal to take a turn and learn about reciprocal acts or communicationacts or communication

Cultural, Socioeconomic and Cultural, Socioeconomic and Gender Differences Gender Differences

There are many different ways to learn There are many different ways to learn languageslanguagesHow caregivers talk to their children is How caregivers talk to their children is affected by socioeconomic level, culture, raceaffected by socioeconomic level, culture, raceDifferences are not maladaptiveDifferences are not maladaptiveThey reflect the values and beliefs of a They reflect the values and beliefs of a society or classsociety or classInappropriate to suggest that one culture’s Inappropriate to suggest that one culture’s linguistic environment is more facilitative than linguistic environment is more facilitative than another’s another’s

It is not known which aspects of maternal It is not known which aspects of maternal interaction are important for language interaction are important for language acquisition acquisition

Remember: most studies are conducted Remember: most studies are conducted on middle-class, urban and suburban on middle-class, urban and suburban white familieswhite families

Socioeconomic Influences Socioeconomic Influences Work requirements affect who the primary Work requirements affect who the primary caregiver is: father/mother, nanny, sibling, caregiver is: father/mother, nanny, sibling, extended family, multiple caregivers etc., extended family, multiple caregivers etc.,

Family structure affects socioeconomic status Family structure affects socioeconomic status

ExamplesExamples

Middle class African-American and inner Middle class African-American and inner city working class African-Americancity working class African-American– mothers in both groups engage in similar mothers in both groups engage in similar

rates of vocal behavior, but..rates of vocal behavior, but..– middle class incorporate language goals more middle class incorporate language goals more

often often

– their children initiate verbal play more their children initiate verbal play more frequently and produce twice as many frequently and produce twice as many vocalizationsvocalizations

More ExamplesMore Examples

middle class white mothers ask more middle class white mothers ask more questionsquestions

mothers at lower socioeconomic levels mothers at lower socioeconomic levels give more directivesgive more directives

better educated mothers are more verbalbetter educated mothers are more verbal

Culture Culture ExamplesExamples

in some African cultures and Native in some African cultures and Native American cultures the mother and child have American cultures the mother and child have fewer face-to-face interactionsfewer face-to-face interactions

in some African cultures the mother spends in some African cultures the mother spends her day reciting ritualized rhymes or songs her day reciting ritualized rhymes or songs the child learns language is predictablethe child learns language is predictable

in some Native American cultures children in some Native American cultures children are encouraged to be quiet and observe are encouraged to be quiet and observe rather than to talk and questionrather than to talk and question

American mothers: American mothers: – information oriented information oriented – more talkativemore talkative– ask many questionsask many questions– use grammatically correct sentencesuse grammatically correct sentences– responsive to positive cooing and comfort responsive to positive cooing and comfort

soundssounds– talk to maintain attention talk to maintain attention – rising pitch to get the infant’s attentionrising pitch to get the infant’s attention

Japanese mothersJapanese mothers– vocalize lessvocalize less– less information-orientedless information-oriented– frequent nonverbal respondingfrequent nonverbal responding– responsive to discomfort and fussing soundsresponsive to discomfort and fussing sounds– talk to soothe the infant and elicit more talk to soothe the infant and elicit more

vocalizationsvocalizations

Thai mothersThai mothersfalling pitch to get the infant’s attentionfalling pitch to get the infant’s attention

Qiche MayanQiche Mayanflat or falling pitch to get the infant’s attentionflat or falling pitch to get the infant’s attention

How parents view their children within a culture How parents view their children within a culture affects the interaction, for example:affects the interaction, for example:– Level of IndependenceLevel of Independence

in some East Indian cultures the baby is viewed in some East Indian cultures the baby is viewed as separate, independent of the mother, as separate, independent of the mother, therefore must foster dependence to keep them therefore must foster dependence to keep them safesafe

in some western cultures the baby is viewed as in some western cultures the baby is viewed as very dependent on the mother, therefore must very dependent on the mother, therefore must foster independence to help them grow.foster independence to help them grow.

– Level of IntentionalityLevel of Intentionality

in some African-American cultures do not in some African-American cultures do not view baby’s early vocalizations as intentional view baby’s early vocalizations as intentional so cries and vocalizations receive little so cries and vocalizations receive little responseresponse

in some Hawaiin and Qiche Mayan adults in some Hawaiin and Qiche Mayan adults don’t view children as communicative until don’t view children as communicative until they speak in adult-like sentencesthey speak in adult-like sentences

Theory of MindTheory of Mind

Through social interactions and Through social interactions and familiarization with cultural expectations, familiarization with cultural expectations, children learn that others may have children learn that others may have thoughts, beliefs and feelings that may thoughts, beliefs and feelings that may differ from their own.differ from their own.

This knowledge is called “Theory of Mind”This knowledge is called “Theory of Mind”

““Theory” because we can only guess at Theory” because we can only guess at what is in the mind of anotherwhat is in the mind of another

Development of Theory of MindDevelopment of Theory of Mind

Gradual, implicit processGradual, implicit processRequires:Requires:– Recognition of signals, many nonverbal and paralinguisticRecognition of signals, many nonverbal and paralinguistic– Understanding of diexis (ideas of movable boundries from the other Understanding of diexis (ideas of movable boundries from the other

persons point of view)persons point of view)

At 2 yrsAt 2 yrs– verbal expression of emotion and verbal expression of emotion and – begin to recognize emotions in others in playbegin to recognize emotions in others in play

At 4 yrsAt 4 yrs– Relate other’s emotions to desires and intentionsRelate other’s emotions to desires and intentions– Recognizes others may have a different perspectiveRecognizes others may have a different perspective

At 6 yrsAt 6 yrs– Understand the importance of beliefs and know they can be true or Understand the importance of beliefs and know they can be true or

falsefalse