Overview

This module provides an overview of how the mind and the brain process language. There are three goals for this course. The first goal is to introduce students to key issues, theories and debates in the psychology of language. The second goal is to provide students with the tools to critically examine the existing literature. The third goal is to equip the students with the ability to select appropriate experimental techniques for psycholinguistic studies and to be applied for their own research. The lectures will provide students with the “big picture”, i.e. central topics are summarised, important studies discussed and open questions outlined. In the tutorials, students discuss key studies in detail and reflect on methodologies, results and implications.

The following topics will be covered: 1: Introduction to Language Science and what is Psycholinguistics? 2: Speech Production and Comprehension 3: Word Processing 4: Sentence Processing 5: Discourse Processing 6: Reference and Non-Literal Language Processing 7: Language Acquisition, Development and Disorders 8: Reading 9: Bilingualism 10: Sign Language 11: Aphasia

Assessment Strategy

-Threshold -“C” : The answer must involve the analysis of language data or the critical analysis of existing linguistic data and/or research from a Psycholinguistic perspective (i.e behavioural, computational, neuroscientific perspective). The answer must show evidence of some background study of primary sources going beyond material discussed in lectures. The answer must be relevant to the research topic chosen.

-Good -“B” : Data and/or review of literature must be collected, organized, and analysed with care and an appreciation must be shown of some of the problems involved with collecting data and/or preparing a review of literature. The answer must show a better-than-average standard of knowledge and understanding. The answer must show evidence of background of primary sources. Assertions must be supported by reference to a theory and/or empirical research. The answer must show evidence of analytical thinking. The answer must have a coherent structure that is adhered to in the most part; relationships between successive parts must be generally easy to follow.

-Excellent -“A” : Data and/or review of literature must be evaluated critically in a logical manner. The answer must have an originality of exposition and understanding; the author’s own thinking should be readily apparent. The answer must show clear evidence of extensive reading of primary sources. The answer must show a clear line structure in which each successive stage is explicitly linked and the reader is explicitly told why these parts are relevant to the study.

Learning Outcomes

• Communicate key facts, concepts, ideas and approaches relating to the study of psycholinguistics.

• Compare models or theories of language processes within the psychology of language.

• Critically analyse empirical studies and experimental designs in psycholinguistics in order to create an experimental design.

• Evaluate principles underlying the scientific method in general and scientific experimentation in particular and propose research methods (behavioural, computational, neuroscientific) commonly used in psycholinguistics.

• On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Compare and debate central questions addressed by the current literature in psycholinguistic research.