4/15/09 <a href="/keyword/elementary-psychology/" >elementary psychology</a> Intelligence &amp; Language 15 April 2009 44 slides 1 2 3 4 Evolution of Human Intelligence 5 6 1 4/15/09 Evolution of Intelligence Is it just about Brain Size? Is it just about Brain Size? NO 7 8 Evolution of Intelligence Is it just about Brain Size? Do humans have the biggest brains? Do humans have the biggest brains relative to body size? NO NO Do humans have the biggest brains relative to body size? 10 9 Evolution of Intelligence Is it just about Brain Size? Do humans have the biggest brains? Do humans have the biggest brains relative to body size? How is intelligence related to brain size? NO NO NO 11 12 2 4/15/09 13 14 Communication and Language What is Communication? What is Language? Are Language and Communication the same thing? Language is our spoken, written and signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning. Language is the most sophisticated, precise, and obvious way that humans express their thoughts, intentions and desires -- but, it is not the only way. 15 16 Communication Nonverbal Communication Tendency to see communication as highly dependent on intelligence, cognition, thoughts and feelings, consciousness and purpose. Although communicative behavior is often referred to loosely as language, both humans and animals communicate in many ways other than language. Communication is more general than language, and involves a basic process where the behavior of one individual influences the behavior of another. 17 Eye contact Facial expressions Gestures Posture and body orientation Proximity Vocal signals Nonvocal sounds Humor 18 3 4/15/09 Eyes: Gaze &amp; Pupil Dilation The human pupil dilates if a person sees something (or someone) of interest or is aroused. Studies have shown that humans (especially females) are judged more attractive if their pupils are more dilated than normal. The name Belladonna (beautiful lady) comes from the historical use by Italian women of juices of the Nightshade plant, which contain the drug Atropine. Eyedrops were used to enlarge their pupils and make their eyes appear more beautiful. 19 20 Animal &amp; Human Communication Common features of Communication Human): (Animal or simple behavioral acts, distinctive in appearance, sound, smell, etc. act may be stereotyped and species-typical. Example in humans: Smiling actor that produces the act is the Sender act itself is the Signal way that signal is transmitted is Medium actor that responds to signal is Receiver 22 21 Example of Simple Animal Signal: Uncan reflex of Salamander Salamander assumes unique posture (&quot;Uncan&quot;), which warns predators to stay away. (Newts such as this are highly toxic.) This example illustrates several principles about animal communication: Sender need not be intelligent. Receiver need not be intelligent. Sender and Receiver need not be from same species. Signal need not elicit specific response from Receiver (although it often does). 23 24 4 4/15/09 25 26 Animal Language? Animal Language? Vervet Monkeys have different vocalizations -- Alarm Calls for different kinds of predators. Leopards run to end of tree branches Eagles run to center of tree Snake gather and chase the snake away Some squirrels can do the same thing Language? 27 Honeybees can communicate the distance and direction to a new food source using a complicated &quot;dance language&quot;. One of few examples of animals communicating about the external environment. Language? 28 Animal Language? Properties of Human Language The dance is oriented relative to gravity -- which signals direction to the food source relative to the sun. Sophisticated Yes... ... but is it language? Communicative (like nonverbal signals) Arbitrary Symbols (&quot;cat&quot; is arbitrary label for 4-legged animal Structured at multiple levels Production of novel utterances Dynamic -- changes with new needs: computer, internet, lava lamp 30 29 5 4/15/09 Parts of Human Language Parts of Human Language Phonemes: Experience important -- vary with culture: Single speech sounds (lips, tongue, vocal cords) clicks in some African languages &quot;clearing throat&quot; phoneme in Hebrew /v/, /f/, /s/, /z/ &quot;sip&quot; versus &quot;zip&quot; /b/ as in &quot;brain&quot; or /th/ as in &quot;thigh&quot; Challah (bread eaten on the Sabbath) Chutzpah (nerve or audacity) /l/ and /r/ in Japanese &quot;flied&quot; instead of &quot;fried&quot; 31 32 Parts of Human Language Parts of Human Language Phonemes: meaningless Morphemes: smallest unit with meaning Phonemes: meaningless Morphemes: smallest unit with meaning Syntax: organization into sentences Semantics: meaning of sentences Discourse: beyond sentences words, prefixes, suffixes, plural -s, etc. &quot;cat&quot; is 1 morpheme plural -s is 1 morpheme &quot;cats&quot; is 2 morphemes (paragraph, conversation) 33 34 Whorfian Hypothesis Whorfian Hypothesis Language determines thought implies that there is no universal reality-- reality and thought are determined by cultural factors, such as language &quot;Evidence&quot;: 1.Eskimo words for &quot;snow&quot; 2.Color perception 3.Euphemisms used today Euphemism: inoffensive term used for a term that might be found offensive 35 36 6 4/15/09 mentally retarded mentally challenged special differently abled secretary administrative assistant taxes revenue enhancement civilian casualties collateral damage collateral damage Belief is that we change people's thoughts and perceptions by using these new terms. 37 Euphemisms Alternative Position Thought determines language implies that there is a universal reality--reality is &quot;out there&quot; in the world...