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Video Clips

Theories of Language and Cognition

The main perspectives of the relationship between thoughts and language: Universalism, Piaget, Vygotsky, Linguistic Determinism, Whorfian Hypothesis

Theories of Language Development (Nativist, Learning, Interactionist)

An overview of the nativist, learning, and interactionist theories of human language development

Steven Pinker: Linguistics as a Window to Understanding the Brain

An introduction to linguistics, the evolution of spoken language, and the debate over the existence of an innate universal grammar; why language is such a fundamental part of social relationships, human biology, and human evolution; applications for linguistics, from improving how we teach reading and writing to how we interpret law, politics, and literature.

Using Eye Movements to Evaluate the Cognitive Processes Involved in Text Comprehension.

Describes how to use eye tracking to study the cognitive processes involved in text comprehension. Descriptions of eye tracking equipment, how to develop experimental stimuli, and procedural recommendations are included.

Machine Learning

Natural language processing and artificial intelligence in IBM Watson.

Audio Clips

Tip-of-Tongue Moments Reveal Brain’s Organization

How the tip-of-tongue phenomenon relates to metacognition, and the complexity of the memory retrieval process.

What’s Going On in There? How Babies’ Brains Practice Speech

Describing how MEG can be a powerful tool in studying how infants practice speech.

How Language Seems to Shape One’s View of the World

People tend to think in a given language. Thinking in terms of language can be influential in educating learners of a second language.

On Reading in the Brain

An examination of what happens in the brain when you read: the underlying structures that made it possible, especially considering that reading is a evolutionarily recent invention.

“Alex & Me”: The Hidden World of Animal Mind (NPR-Audio)

An exploration of animal cognition through the story of Alex, the African gray parrot.

Really? How Our Brains Figure Out What Words Mean Based on How They’re Said

The role of intonation in speech processing is investigated with neuroimaging techniques. Connections to tonal language processing and musical knowledge are explored.