03109 - Psycholinguistics

Learning outcomes

The learning outcome of the first half of the course is to provide the student with an overview of the main research themes related to the contemporary research on human language comprehension and production. The second half is aimed at deepening the reserach on language mechanisms in relation to pragmatics and communication.

Course contents

The course will be held in the first semester of the academic year.

Lectures:

Wednesday 9.00-11.00 (Aula A, Via Centotrecento 18)

Thursday 17.00-19.00 (Aula A, Via Centotrecento 18)

Friday 13.00-15.00 (Aula A, Via Centotrecento 18)

The course is split in two halves:

The first 15 lectures (from 28 September to 9 November), will examine how we produce and understand spoken/written language from a psycholinguistic perspective. We will also focus on language origins, language development in infancy and childhood, and the relationship between language and thought.

The second block of 15 lectures (from 13 November to 17 December) will first offer an overview of the main experimental paradigms. Then, it will cover research topics as:

• MInd, language and emotions;
• The effects of bilingualism on non-linguistic cognitive processes;
• Language and technology;
• mind wandering and reading.

Readings/Bibliography

• Cacciari, C. (2011). Psicologia del linguaggio. Il Mulino: Bologna. Seconda edizione

Foreign students who feel more comfortable studying in English may choose the following textbook:

• Menn, L. (2011). Psycholinguistics : Introduction and Applications. Plural Publishing: San Diego. [the textbook is available here].

Teaching methods

Lectures with power point presentations.

Assessment methods

Foreign students are kindly asked to contact the professor in order to arrange the examination procedure.

Teaching tools

Lectures with power point presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Lorenzo Desideri