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 may 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

• Interpret and apply models or theories of language processes within the psychology of language.

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

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

• Synthesize empirical studies and experimental designs in psycholinguistics.