Introduction to Language Development

Shelia M. Kennison

Jul 2013 · SAGE Publications

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There are between 4,000 and 6,000 languages remaining in the world and the characteristics of these languages vary widely. How could an infant born today master any language in the world, regardless of the language’s characteristics?

Shelia M. Kennison answers this question through a comprehensive introduction to language development, taking a unique perspective that spans the period before birth through old age. The text offers in-depth discussions on key topics, including: the biological basis of language, perceptual development, grammatical development, development of lexical knowledge, social aspects of language, bilingualism, the effect of language on thought, cognitive processing in language production and comprehension, language-related delays and disorders, and language late in life.

Autoren-Profil

Shelia M. Kennison (Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst) is Professor of Psychology at Oklahoma State University. She has a taught a variety of courses in psychology, including language development, statistics, and research design. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her bachelor’s degree in linguistics and psychology from Harvard University. Her research on language comprehension has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, and Psi Chi. She has published research articles in numerous journals, including Cognition, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, Journal of Memory and Language, and Discourse Processes. Her research includes studies of language processing in English as well as other languages, including Spanish, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Finnish.