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PSYCH 1000: Final Exam Review & Study Guide

Language (Ch. 9 or 10 from Gleitman Book)

Know how to define language and understand the 3 main processes or goals of language.
Know the definition and characteristics of the structural levels of language (orthography, phonology
& phonemes, morphology & morphemes, semantics, syntax, discourse, pragmatics; words,
sentences, phrases, and propositions). Be able to apply that knowledge in order to identify and
answer questions involving examples of each.

Understand the concept and characteristics of a speech error or slip-of-the-tongue.

At the level of words: Understand the 3 main aspects of how we represent and understand the
meaning of words based on: 1) semantic features (Definitional Theory), 2) similarity to a
prototype (Prototype Theory), and 3) real world knowledge and experience (Folk Theories).
Also be familiar with the extent to which a words meaning is automatically activated. Know the
various pieces of evidence like the Stroop effect, and semantic priming that support, and their
variations that dont support the automaticity view and why, particularly the main conclusion that
meaning activation requires that some attention must be paid to the entire word.
At the level of sentences: Be familiar with the main aspects of a sentence (the definition and
distinction between phrases, propositions, surface and deep levels) and able to identify them in
examples. Understand how these dissociations demonstrate that sentence comprehension involves
both bottom-up and top-down processes which can result in ambiguity and humor.
Also be familiar with other examples of language comprehension that mainly rely on top-down
processing like drawing inferences, understanding figurative expressions, discourse and
pragmatics. Know which levels involve mainly bottom-up processing (orthography, phonology,
and morphology) and where both bottom-up and top-down processes are about equally involved
(semantics and syntax).
Language Acquisition: Know the important stages and their characteristics in the general
progression children go through in acquiring language, including extent to which language may be
learned pre-natally. Understand 3 of the main issues children must overcome in learning
language and aspects of how each of these is accomplished:
o Identifying and segmenting the sounds of speech into syllables and words by picking up
on co-occurrences and facilitated by parentese.
o Learning word meaning by interacting with caregivers (eye contact, joint attention,
pointing and labeling), basic-level terms for whole objects before specific parts,
subordinate, and superordinate terms, and the types of errors (over- and underextension)
children can make.
o Learning proper grammar where knowledge or understanding of grammar precedes
the actual production and correct use of grammar, with the 3 stages children go through
(notably overregularization) in the process of learning the correct rules and exceptions.

Understand the notion of a critical or sensitive period in terms of learning language, and the
evidence (wild or isolated children, 2nd language acquisition) that supports the sensitive period
hypothesis.
Know the outcome or bottom-line of attempts to teach language to non-human primates (slides 45
& 46) in terms of what they can learn like the meaning or signs and symbols and using them to
communicate to some degree, but that they have difficulty learning grammar and sentence
structure and their communication abilities are very limited compared to the full range of language
humans are capable of.
Neural Basis of language: Understand the respective roles of the right and left hemisphere and
which aspects of language they are relatively more or less responsible for. Includes knowing what
aspects of language are likely to be affected if that hemisphere is damaged (e.g., symptoms of
Brocas vs Wernickes aphasia and the location of the area thats probably damaged in each case).
Human Development (Ch. 9, p. 373-380, 384-391, 405-406)

Know the definition of developmental psychology and

understand that it extends throughout the lifespan.

Social Development & Attachment: Know what

attachment means and some of the factors that can affect its formation.
o Also understand how attachment is investigated (strange situation) and the proportion
of children typically classified into each category according to their behavior (i.e., the
type of behaviors and name that defines each category).
o Understand the concept of a babys temperament, that it influences interactions with an
infant (like extent to which attachment is formed), and the 3 main categories into which
children can be classified.
o Be familiar with the characteristics and functions of attachment, particularly with
respect to later adjustment.

Be familiar with various aspects of perceptual

development, particularly the kinds of stimuli babies seem to prefer perceiving & why.
Also be familiar with the development of memory (i.e.,
concepts like infantile amnesia and the nature of early memories, along with the factors responsible
for the development of memory into its eventual form).

Understand the notion of cognitive development

occurring in stages rather than in a smooth and gradual manner (i.e., qualitative vs quantitative
changes).

Be familiar with Piagets theory, including important

concepts (schemas, assimilation, accommodation), and the 4 stages he proposed. For each stage,

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know what developmental milestone(s) are initially lacking and must be acquired (e.g., object
permanence, egocentrism and theory of mind, conservation etc), along with the corresponding
research methods and key findings.

Be aware of some of the criticisms raised against Piagets

ideas, particularly how he underestimated childrens knowledge & abilities, many of which seem to
be acquired somewhat earlier (e.g., understanding of object permanence & physical laws, quantity,
and math).

Understand what is meant by Theory of Mind, how its

studied with the false-belief test, the age at by which its basically developed, and how its
development is tied to that of the pre-frontal cortex (PFC).

Know that the overall effects of parents and peers on an

individuals development are about equal, but that the relative influence varies with parents more
important when child is young, while friends become more important in adolescence.

Also know when friendships start to develop and how

they affect development.

Understand the ways parents affect development, what is

meant by parenting style, the 4 main types, that an authoritative approach usually results in the
best developmental outcomes.

Social Psychology (Ch. 12, p. 513-527, 537-546, 555 to end of ch.)

Understand what is meant by social psychology and the

kinds of issues a social psychologist would study.

Be familiar with how our impressions of others can be

influenced by nonverbal behavior, particularly postures, gestures, gait, facial expressions, and eye
contact.

Understand the notion of a social schema, like the halo

effect and stereotypes. Be familiar with their features and how theyre maintained (i.e.,
confirmation bias, self-fulfilling prophecies, stereotype threat).

Also understand the concepts of prejudice and

discrimination, the outgroup homogeneity and ingroup favoritism effects (i.e., ingroup/outgroup
bias) that underlie these phenomena, but that they (along with the automatic influences of
stereotypes) can be overcome with training, conscious effort, and cooperation.

Know what is meant by making attributions, and how

they can be personal or situational, in addition to how they may be affected by various biases (selfserving, fundamental attribution error, actor-observer bias), and culture.

Know the various ways that groups influence behavior:

social facilitation vs. loafing, deindividuation, polarization (in either riskier or more cautious
directions), groupthink, and conformity. Understand the reasons why these processes occur and some
of the relevant factors that can affect them.

Also understand why and how we tend to be compliant

with the requests of others (e.g., foot in the door, door in the face, and low balling effects), as well as
being particularly obedient to authority. Be familiar with the Milgram shock study.

Be familiar with the factors upon which relationships are

typically based, including the characteristics that can influence physical attractiveness (e.g.,
averageness, symmetry, stereotypically feminine or masculine features) and the benefits that can go
along with being attractive, like the halo effect or beauty is good stereotype.

Understand the distinction between passionate and

companionate love, and how attachment styles in adult relationships may be related to attachment
as a child.

Be familiar with the factors that can facilitate or be

detrimental to maintaining love.