Human Communication and Cognitive Functions - 761 Words

One of the unique things that distinguish human beings from other animals is the manner in which we communicate in a very complex manner. We share concepts, we record ideas for future use and learning, we have memories, we create stories out of fiction for pleasure, and we learn through a highly complex set of cognitive functions through language. Somehow, in our evolutionary past, our ancestors took information from the environment (smell, touch, sound, etc.) and converted it into information that could be shared. Some of that information became memories, some of it became tradition, and it all became part of the development of culture (Ormrod). There are many approaches to how humans learn and communicate. One, from psychologist B.F. Skinner, was extremely influential in the American system of education. His basic idea was that positive reinforcement changes behavior, and is more effective than punishment. When a person is punished, the main thing they learn is not how to avoid the behavior that caused the punishment, but to avoid the punishment. Along with this idea, Skinner believed that the consequences of individual actions actual modify the behaviors. This he called Operant Conditioning, and provided a way to improve behaviors by reinforcing in a positive way each time that behavior took place. Along with this, Skinner believed that it was necessary to continually reinforce those kinds of behaviors and that there should be a measurable rate on the severity of theShow MoreRelatedLanguage, Exemplar, And Goodness Of Fit1579 Words   |  7 PagesLanguage, Exemplar, and Goodness of Fit Although it is clear that human language is a very different communication system than those of other species. The jury is still out on the issue of whether language is a really a system different from other human cognitive systems. The status of language is a major issue for cognitive psychology. Human Language The ability to separate the essential aspects of human language from the properties of a particular language can shed light on how language is developedRead MoreLanguage Paper1243 Words   |  5 PagesPaper PSY 360 Language Paper Language is something that generally every human has as a form of communication. It can be in the form of verbal words, in the form of written words, or even in the form of signed words, but it is something that as humans we all use in one way or another. The need for language evolved as a way for people to express their thoughts, their feelings and emotions, and even their fears. Humans needed a way to communicate with each other to express things that normallyRead MoreThe Human Brain : A Strong Association Between Age Change And The Decline Of Cognition1711 Words   |  7 Pages As humans begin to get older, there is a strong association between age change and the decline of cognition. There are many causes of this decline, and it often varies highly between individuals based on their lifestyle and physical activity level (Brown AK, Liu-Ambrose T, Tate R, Lord SR, 2009). This a concern that many individuals have as they start to get older, especially with the media coverage t hat Alzheimer’s disease has been getting. Degenerate diseases such as Alzheimer’s can also be aRead MoreEffects Of Short Term Cognitive Training On Episodic Memory And Executive Functioning999 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effects of Short Term Cognitive Training on Episodic Memory and Executive Functioning in Healthy Seniors As humans begin to get older, there is a strong association between age change and the decline of cognition. This a concern that many individuals have as they start to get older, especially with the media coverage that Alzheimer’s disease has been getting. There are many causes of this decline, and it often varies highly between individuals based on their lifestyle and physical activityRead MoreCognitive Process Associated with Language Essay780 Words   |  4 PagesCognitive Processes Associated With Language Gwendolyn Spillman, University of Phoenix Cognitive Psychology PSYCH/640 Gaston Weisz March 21, 2014 Cognitive Processes Associated With Language Language is a cognitive function that most humans take for granted. The basic means of communication among individuals is through language. Language allows people to communicate with each other, share his or her thoughts and feelings, share ideas and concepts, fears, and affirmations. Different culturesRead MoreHuman Primates, Humans, And Humans1679 Words   |  7 PagesHumans evolve from apelike ancestors approximately five million years ago. Most closely related to us are our non-human primates such as African great apes, chimpanzees and gorillas. Scientific studies reveal that more similar traits are being share by human and our non-human primates compared to other animals. As human evolve from our apelike ancestors, changes in our DNA differentiate ourselves from our non-human primate. Even though we evolve from our non-human ancestors and share similar anatomicalRead MoreLanguage Paper1544 Words   |  7 Pagesfocuses on thought and the second on arbitrary: in a specialized bu t genuine way† (language, 2010). â€Å"Language is both a working system of communication in the time and in the community, it is a product of its history and the source of its future development. Any account of language must look at it from both points of view. Language interacts with every part of human life. It can be understood only if it is considered as part of its society† (language 2010). â€Å"The science of language is known as linguisticsRead MoreBiological Psychology : The Brain And Nervous System Essay888 Words   |  4 Pagesdisorders. It also contributed important therapeutic data on a variety of conditions, including: Parkinson s Disease, Alzheimer s Disease, Clinical depression, Schizophrenia and a lot others. Humans have very complex nervous system, they use neurons and neurotransmitters to make the highest active communication network throughout the body. â€Å"most of the body’s neurons are found in the central nervous system(CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord† (psychology 5th edition). â€Å"Neuroscience emphasizesRead MoreLanguage And Its Effect On Language Essay1727 Words   |  7 PagesLanguage has been around for as long as human beings, yet defining it is still something quite difficult to do. What is known is that it can be cognitive (our thoughts), material (written), social (conforming to societal conventions) or all three at once (Gee Hayes 2011). Language is learned behavior that traditionally began orally, and would have been used to convey real-time statements of facts, however as time progressed the cultural invention of written language developed, changing the waysRead MoreThere are many different ways of thinking about human behavior. Psychologists use a lot of700 Words   |  3 Pagesare many different ways of thinking about human behavior. Psychologists use a lot of different ways to study how people think, feel, and behave. Some of them look at a certain point of view while others look at several points of view. There is no single perspective that is better than the other because each perspective points out different aspects of human behavior. The essentials of the cognitive learning theory have a long history, and the cognitive transformation occurred around the middle