Psychology Facts

▲ Language ▲

》Psycholinguistics is a science that studies how we, as humans, use language. It studies how we understand, produce, and receive language. The science also evaluates illnesses and issues that have to do with language.

There are several areas of the brain that play a critical role in speech and language, including:

Broca's area, located in the left hemisphere, is associated with speech production and articulation. Our ability to articulate ideas, as well as use words accurately in spoken and written language, has been attributed to this crucial area.

Wernicke's area is a critical language area in the posterior superior temporal lobe connects to Broca's area via a neural pathway. Wernicke's area is primarily involved in the comprehension. Historically, this area has been associated with language processing, whether it is written or spoken.

The angular gyrus allows us to associate multiple types of language-related information whether auditory, visual or sensory. It is located in close proximity to other critical brain regions such as the parietal lobe which processes tactile sensation, the occipital lobe which is involved in visual analyses and the temporal lobe which processes sounds. The angular gyrus allows us to associate a perceived word with different images, sensations and ideas.

》Your decisions are more rational when thought in another language.

》The language we speak may show how we see the world.
Whether we speak the language we grew up learning or we have chosen a new one because of a move, our language is a part of our personality. While languages do not force us to think a certain way, they do play a role in the way we think and live. They can shape how we see the world. A language is not just another form of talking, it is also a way of thinking.

》One study of macaque monkeys shows links to the idea that languages could have evolved to replace grooming. Also developing as a better way of creating interpersonal bonds.

》Research shows Bilingual students concentrate better, ignoring distractions more effectively than those who only speak one language.

》A study that appeared in the journal Psychological Science has described how bilingual speakers of English and German tend to perceive and describe a context differently based on the language in which they are immersed at that moment.

》Your second language will improve your first language.
By studying cross-interaction between first and second language use, researchers have found that people who learn a foreign language experience changes in the use of their native language. This leads to cognitive changes and benefits over time, especially over lifetime use.

》Adults can learn languages successfully at any age
Research suggests that learning a language becomes more challenging as we age.
However, it seems that this change is not biological but rather perceptual. This means that with the right kind of approach, adults can learn languages as effectively as children.

》 Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare condition that alters the speech centers of the brain. Resulting in altered speech patterns that make it sound like one speaking with a foreign accent.

》Speech and language disorders:

Broca's (expressive or motor) Aphasia
Broca's aphasia or expressive aphasia is when people find it very difficult to find and say the right words, although they probably know exactly what they want to say.

Global Aphasia
Global aphasia refers to a profound impairment of all modalities of receptive and expressive language. Individuals with global aphasia typically present with marked impairments of comprehension of single words, sentences, and conversations, as well as severely limited spoken output.

Logopenic Primary Progressive Aphasia (lvPPA)
Trouble understanding spoken language, particularly long sentences. Pausing and hesitancy during speech while searching for words. Not being able to repeat phrases or sentences.

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)
Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a condition that slowly damages the parts of the brain that control speech and language. People with PPA usually have difficulty speaking, naming objects or understanding conversations.

Wernicke's Aphasia
Wernicke aphasia is characterized by impaired language comprehension. Despite this impaired comprehension, speech may have a normal rate, rhythm, and grammar.