Overview

This module offers an exploration into language processing by the mind and brain, aiming to achieve three key objectives. Firstly, it introduces students to essential concepts, theories, and debates within the psychology of language. Secondly, it equips students with critical analysis skills for assessing existing literature in this field. Thirdly, it empowers students to select and employ suitable experimental techniques in psycholinguistic studies for their own research.

The course spans various topics such as speech production and comprehension, word, sentence, and discourse processing, alongside discussions on reference, non-literal language, language acquisition, development, disorders, reading, bilingualism, sign language, and aphasia. Lectures provide an overview of central themes, pivotal studies, and unresolved queries, while tutorials engage students in detailed discussions about key studies, methodologies, results, and their implications.

Students in this module, depending on assessment topics, research question(s) and methodologies will have to opportunity to utilize the department labs, specialized software and resources, when carry out their assessments. This can include access to and the use of; dedicated lab facilities for experiments, a direct brain activity measurement (ERP) and eye tracking systems, a professional grade sound isolation booth and high-end recording equipment setup, high-level statistical modelling and analysis software, behavioural experiment software systems, acoustic and phonetic analysis software, clinically-recognised standardised psychometric and language tests and a wide range of concordance software and specialised corpora for many languages.

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 (D- to D+) Submitted work is adequate and shows an acceptable level of competence as follows: 1.Generally accurate but with omissions and errors.2.Assertions are made without clear supporting evidence or reasoning.3.Has structure but is lacking in clarity and therefore relies on the reader to make links and assumptions.4.Draws on a relatively narrow range of material.

Good (C- to B+) Submitted work is competent throughout and may be distinguished by superior style, approach and choice of supporting materials. It: 1.Demonstrates good or very good structure and logically developed arguments.2.Draws at least in parts on material that has been sourced and assessed as a result of independent study, or in a way unique to the student.3.Assertions are backed by evidence and sound reasoning.4.Accuracy and presentation in an appropriate academic style.

Excellent (A- to A*) Submitted work is of an outstanding quality and excellent in one or more of the following ways: 1.Has originality of exposition with the student’s own thinking being readily apparent.2.Provides clear evidence of extensive and relevant independent study.3.Arguments are laid down with clarity and provide the reader with successive stages of consideration to reach conclusions.

Learning Outcomes

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

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

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

• Evaluate empirical studies and experimental designs in psycholinguistics.