University of Essex

LG462-7-AU-CO:
Topics in Psycholinguistics

The details

Year: 2023/24

Department: Language and Linguistics

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Autumn

Level: Postgraduate: Level 7

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 05 October 2023

End date: Friday 15 December 2023

Credits: 15

Last updated: 05 October 2023

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

MA Q15012 Psycholinguistics,
MPHDQ15048 Psycholinguistics,
PHD Q15048 Psycholinguistics

Module description

Understanding spoken or written language requires the rapid, incremental processing of novel compositional structures. On top of this, we must also integrate multiple sources of additional information, such as the prior discourse, physical context, social information, etc.

How are humans able to efficiently accomplish this task? To address this question, this module will consider principles of sentence processing that guide language understanding and features of lexical & sentence structure that facilitate comprehension. Specific topics are likely to include lexical access, reference processing, the role of working memory, the use of visual context, and computational models of language comprehension.

Because this module may be the first look into the study of language processing or cognitive psychology for students, a focus on research methods and paradigms available in psycholinguistics will also be introduced.

Module aims

This course aims to:
1. Provide students with an introduction to current theories of language processing
2. Enable students to think critically about research methods used in psycholinguistics
3. Promote the acquisition of ‘transferable skills’, including data literacy, academic writing, and theoretical argumentation which will be useful beyond the scope of this module.
4. Cultivate written and oral presentation skills.

Module learning outcomes

On completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. understand and assess current scientific debates psycholinguistics
2. summarise and present empirical results clearly and accurately;
3. critically evaluate theoretical approaches and research methods used in sentence processing research
4. understand and appreciate the relationship between linguistic theory and language processing.
5. present ideas in a structured and coherent way, using appropriate style and terminology, and demonstrating clarity, precision, accuracy and originality.

Module information

Example syllabus:
1 – Introduction to sentence processing (LL)
2 – Incremental models (the Sausage Machine) (LL)
3 – The Garden Path model (LL)
4 – Constraint-based models (LL)
5 – Depedency Locality Theory (LL)
6 – Processing long-distance dependencies (LL)
7 – Anaphora and reference (CDL)
8 – The role of working memory (CDL)
9 – Individual differences (CDL)
10 – Developmental aspects of sentence processing (LL)

Learning and teaching methods

This course consists of 10 weekly 2-hour lectures.

Bibliography

Pears, R. and Shields, G.J. (2022) Cite them right: the essential referencing guide. 12th ed. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Available at: https://essex.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/action/uresolver.do?operation=resolveService&package_service_id=4189198130007346&institutionId=7346&customerId=7345.
Traxler, M.J. and dawsonera (2011) Introduction to psycholinguistics: understanding language science. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=697786.
Van Gompel, R.P.G. (2013) Sentence Processing. Hove: Psychology Press. Available at: http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780203488454.
De Groot, A.M.B. and Hagoort, P. (eds) (2018) Research methods in psycholinguistics and the neurobiology of language: A practical guide. Available at: https://web-s-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=b748332e-72ad-46f1-808b-bfea88aa387e%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=1586126&db=nlebk.
Swinney, David A (no date) ‘Lexical Access during Sentence Comprehension: (Re)Consideration of Context Effects’, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 18(6). Available at: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1297349433/fulltextPDF/5C638DD6557F471CPQ/4?accountid=10766.
Glenberg, A.M. and Kaschak, M.P. (2002) ‘Grounding language in action’, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9(3), pp. 558–565. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196313.
Indefrey, P. and Levelt, W.J.. (2004) ‘The spatial and temporal signatures of word production components’, Cognition, 92(1-2), pp. 101–144. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2002.06.001.
Frazier, L. and Fodor, J.D. (1978) ‘The sausage machine: A new two-stage parsing model’, Cognition, 6(4), pp. 291–325. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0277(78)90002-1.
Frazier, L. and Rayner, K. (1987) ‘Resolution of syntactic category ambiguities: Eye movements in parsing lexically ambiguous sentences’, Journal of Memory and Language, 26(5), pp. 505–526. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-596X(87)90137-9.
Traxler, M.J. and Pickering, M.J. (1996) ‘Plausibility and the Processing of Unbounded Dependencies:An Eye-Tracking Study’, Journal of Memory and Language, 35(3), pp. 454–475. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1006/jmla.1996.0025.
Gordon, P.C., Grosz, B.J. and Gilliom, L.A. (1993) ‘Pronouns, Names, and the Centering of Attention in Discourse’, Cognitive Science, 17(3), pp. 311–347. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1703_1.
Baddeley, A. (2003) ‘Working memory: looking back and looking forward’, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4(10), pp. 829–839. Available at: https://essex.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44UOES_INST/1h1udbn/cdi_proquest_miscellaneous_75729981.
King, Jonathan & Just, Marcel Adam (1991) ‘Individual Differences in Syntactic Processing: The Role of Working Memory’, Journal of Memory and Language, 30(5). Available at: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1297354876/C6B4AD11BD4749D3PQ/5?accountid=10766.
Trueswell, J.C. et al. (1999) ‘The kindergarten-path effect: studying on-line sentence processing in young children’, Cognition, 73(2), pp. 89–134. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(99)00032-3.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Deadline	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Oral Presentation		30%
Coursework	Essay (2000 Words)	14/12/2023	70%

Additional coursework information

N/A

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Dr Laurel Lawyer, email: l.lawyer@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Laurel Lawyer

Contact details: 4.340; l.lawyer@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: Yes

External examiner

Name: Dr Ian Cunnings

Institution: University of Reading

Academic role: Associate Professor in Psycholinguistics

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 16 hours, 16 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

Further information

Department website: Language and Linguistics

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Module Directory

LG462-7-AU-CO:Topics in Psycholinguistics