LING611 – Psychological background to linguistic theories (Spring 2023)

  • Instructor: Brian Dillon & Shota Momma
  • Location: ILC N458
  • Time: MW 10:00- 12:05

Course overview

This course is an introductory-level course in psycholinguistics. We will investigate linguistic computation in language perception and production, in the context of broader debates in cognitive science, such as the role of abstraction, categorization, and probability, and the various architectural properties of information processing systems (modularity vs. interactivity, structure sensitivity, serial vs. parallel computation, etc.). We will examine these issues applied to language use in diverse contexts, from speech perception to the understanding of language in discourse. We will pay particular attention to how these issues interface with topics in other areas of linguistic theory, and broad perspectives on the relationship between mental grammar and real-time language processing and production.

As part of the course, students will be introduced to some of the core technology tools in the psycholinguist’s toolkit, including working with common software for programming experiments, and the analysis and presentation of experimental data.

  • Attendance (10%): Attend biweekly class meetings, having read the required reading (see the schedule below). Contribute to the discussion board.
  • Presentations (10%): Participate in two group presentations (two “debates” and poverty of the stimulus argument activity).
  • Lab assignments (30%): Details will be communicated in class, but you will be asked to complete two lab assignments, one on categorical perception in speech, and the other on syntactic priming in production.
  • Final project (50%): Write an APA-style literature review, a theoretical paper, or an experimental proposal as your final paper (10-15 pages, double-spaced).
2/6Introduction: Competence and performance

Lab discussion
Marr (1982): Chapter 1
Chomsky (1965): Chapter 1
Phillips (1996): Chapter 5
Shota
2/8Abstraction and categorizationDiehl et al. (2004)
Pisoni & Tash (1974)
Lab 1 introduction
Brian
2/13
Abstraction and categorization
Dupoux et al (2011)
Shota
2/15Abstraction and categorizationKazanina et al (2018)
Optional:
Samuel (2020) (introduction only) 

Lab 1 workshop (read lab 1 by this time)
BrianSlides
2/22 (Umass Monday)Abstraction and categorizationWerker (2018)ShotaSlides
2/27Symbol vs. ExamplesJackendoff (2003): Chapter 6
Pinker & Ullman (2002)
ShotaSlides
3/1Symbol vs. Examples
Lab 1 due!
Seidenberg & Plaut (2014); Smolensky videoBrianSlides
3/6Symbol vs. Examples
Lab 2 introduction, hands-on set-up of models.
Baroni & Linzen (2021)
Linzen et al., (2016)
Brian
3/8HSP!
3/20HSP follow up
3/22Modularity vs. interactivityMarslen-Wilson (1987) – Optional but strongly recommended
Dahan (2010)
BrianLab #2
3/27Modularity vs. interactivity
Van Gompel & Pickering (2007)
Clifton & Staub (2008)
ShotaLab #2 stimulus due
3/29Modularity vs. interactivitySedivy et al. (1999)
Optional:
Tanenhaus et al. (1995)
Brian
4/3PredictionStaub (2015)
Kuperberg and Jaeger (2016)
ShotaSlides
lab#2 write-up due
4/5Prediction
Lab 2 due
Hale (2001) 
Federmeier and Kutas (1999) 
BrianHandout
4/10Grammar in real-time
Long-distance dependencies
Staub et al (2018)
Optional:
Wagers & Phillips (2009)
Brian
4/12Grammar in real-time
Lab 3 introduction
Momma (2022)ShotaSlides
4/19AcquisitionLasnik and Lidz (2016)ShotaSlides
4/24AcquisitionPearl & Mis (2016)Brian
4/26Core cognition: Concepts at the interfaceKinzler & Spelke (2007)
Gennari & MacDonald (2009)
Optional; Gao et al (2009)
Optional: Carey (2011) 
ShotaSlides
5/1Core cognition: Concepts at the interface: Knowlton et al. (2021)
Optional: Feigenson et al (2004)
Brian
5/3Memory and processingLewis et al. (2006)
5/8Memory and processingFutrell et al. (2020)
5/10Meta scienceVasishth et al. (2018)
5/15Data presentation daySlides
5/17Final presentation