PSYC 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Noam Chomsky, Stroop Effect, Pragmatics

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jill Atkinson

Document Summary

Language: an arbitrary system of communication that combines symbols (such as words or gestural signs) in rule-base ways to create meaning: transmission of meaning, expression of complex thoughts, enables social interaction. Arbitrary because its sounds, words and sentences bear no clear relation to their meaning. Ex: there"s nothing about the word dog that sounds fluffy and ncie. Language is a highly practised and automatic cognitive process using and interpreting language requires little attention so we can cook, walk at the same time. However, our ability to use language requires the coordination of a great number of cognitive, social, and physical skills. 4 levels of analysis we need to coordinate to communicate effectively: Phonemes: category of sounds our vocal apparatus produces 100 across all languages (some have 15, some have 60) that"s why its hard to learn a language. Most are words, but some are alos found in words like re" or dis".