Language, Cognition, and the Brain

Insights From Sign Language Research

Language, Cognition, and the Brain: Insights From Sign Language Research

Price: $125.00add to cart

About the Book

Once signed languages are recognized as natural human languages, a world of exploration opens up. Signed languages provide a powerful tool for investigating the nature of human language and language processing, the relation between cognition and language, and the neural organization of language. The value of sign languages lies in their modality. Specifically, for perception, signed languages depend upon high-level vision and motion processing systems, and for production, they require the integration of motor systems involving the hands and face. These facts raise many questions: What impact does this different biological base have for grammatical systems? For online language processing? For the acquisition of language? How does it affect nonlinguistic cognitive structures and processing? Are the same neural systems involved?

These are some of the questions that this book aims at addressing. The answers provide insight into what constrains grammatical form, language processing, linguistic working memory, and hemispheric specialization for language. The study of signed languages allows researchers to address questions about the nature of linguistic and cognitive systems that otherwise could not be easily addressed.

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface. Introduction. The Structure of American Sign Language: Linguistic Universals and Modality Effects. The Confluence of Language and Space. Psycholinguistic Studies of Sign Perception, Online Processing, and Production. Sign Language Acquisition. The Critical Period Hypothesis and the Effects of Late Language Acquisition. Memory for Sign Language: Implications for the Structure of Working Memory. The Impact of Sign Language Use on Visuospatial Cognition. Sign Language and the Brain. Appendices: Handshapes in American Sign Language. Linguistic Distinctions Among Communication Forms in Nicaragua.

Customers who bought Language, Cognition, and the Brain also bought:

cover of The New Psychology of LanguageThe New Psychology of Language
  • Edited by Michael Tomasello
From the point of view of psychology and cognitive science, much of modern linguistics is too formal and mathematical to be of much use. The...

more information about The New Psychology of Language

 
cover of Speaking, Reading, and Writing in Children With Language Learning DisabilitiesSpeaking, Reading, and Writing in Children With Language Learning Disabilities
  • Edited by Katharine G. Butler, Elaine R. Silliman
The ability to use language in more literate ways has always been a central outcome of education. Today, however, "being literate" requires more than functional...

more information about Speaking, Reading, and Writing in Children With Language Learning Disabilities

 
cover of Nonverbal Perceptual and Cognitive Processes in Children With Language DisordersNonverbal Perceptual and Cognitive Processes in Children With Language Disorders
  • By F‚licie Affolter, Walter Bischofberger, Felicie AffolterIda J. StockmanIda J. Stockman
A growing body of literature is suggesting that many children with language disorders and delays--even those with so-called specific language impairment--have difficulties in other domains...

more information about Nonverbal Perceptual and Cognitive Processes in Children With Language Disorders

 

RSS iconNew Book Titles

Milestones in the History of AphasiaMilestones in the History of Aphasia

Theories and Protagonists

  • By Juergen Tesak, Chris Code

Milestones in the History of Aphasia surveys the history of aphasia from its earliest mentions in ancient times, to the turn of the new millennium...

Published February 1st 2008 by Psychology Press.

Neurocognitive Approaches to Developmental Disorders: A Festschrift for Uta FrithNeurocognitive Approaches to Developmental Disorders: A Festschrift for Uta Frith

A Special Issue of the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology

  • Edited by Dr Dorothy Bishop, Margaret Snowling, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Uta Frith has been an outstandingly influential figure in the field of developmental neuropsychology for over 40 years, and is internationally renowned for her work...

Published December 20th 2007 by Psychology Press.

see more about new books…

Sign Up For Special Book OffersSign Up For Special Book Offers

We're now offering exclusive online discounts for our email alerts subscribers.

To make sure you receive details of pre-publication offers, exclusive online discounts on selected items, and book news please subscribe to our email alerts, choosing the subject areas you're interested in. You'll be sent an email with a link to click to confirm your subscription.

If you use any anti-spam software please make sure you add "webmaster@psypress.com" to your list of allowed senders otherwise you won't receive your discount offers!

sign up for email alerts for new books...

info

We're currently displaying the books available for customers from the United States.

If you're not in the United States please:

change your preferences.

Copyright © Psychology Press, an informa business 2008.