A Cognitive Model of the Generation of Singular Concepts and the Mental Systems Involved

Psycholinguistics is the study of how neuroanatomical processes influence language acquisition, language structure, and language use (Menn & Dronkers, 2017). According to the field of psycholinguistics, a concept is represented in the mind and is different from the word associated with those representations. Representational theory of mind seeks to explain concepts through symbols and models of cognitive processes (Williams, 1984). In order to be relevant from a psychological standpoint, representational theory of mind must utilize a computational model rather than focus on individual beliefs. Many different theories use a representational model to explore how individuals acquire and categorize concepts. The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical cognitive model—titled the Semantic-Phonological Association Network (SPAN)—of singular concept generation. While developing SPAN, an examination of the current literature and different theories of models relating to concept generation are used as the foundation for the research. For example, Pinker’s “Why We Curse” explores the relationship between the phonetics of swear words and the physical manifestations they represent (Pinker, 2007). It is necessary to represent the phonological and semantic networks as separate but intricately connected systems. SPAN seeks to symbolize the connection between the phonological and semantic system. The main goal is to establish auditory-semantic priming effects from the relationship between the mental systems and introduce a nuanced version about how one is able to generate singular concepts that contain semantic, phonological and lexical information.You can find our presentation link here: https://drive.google.com/file/u/2/d/1vRzU6wGm5Di0GQZclCa3VK34JWlOYmY0/vie

Fonema ou gesto articulatório: quem, de fato, alfabetiza?

It stands as an unequivocal understanding that, in order to learn to read and write, the phonological processes must be taught, once our language possesses phonic alphabetical basis. However, the dispute about the methodology to use in order to teach to read and write is being changed into an analysis of how to teach and mediate phonological awareness. Such analysis varies between synthetic and analytical approaches. Synthetic approaches can be based upon the syllable or directly on the phoneme; while analytical approaches are based upon the context, being the sound not emphatically proposed. On the first case the focus is on the significant, while on the second case the focus is on having access to meaning. However, in both cases, the act of teaching is founded upon the fixation of graphemes. The proposal of this article, aligned with the neuroscience and theory of perception of speech, is to offer reflection about a new and real possibility for teaching phonological awareness, by the means of a mouth that articulates the sounds and makes it possible for the significant to be easily connected to the meaning, since communication is kept on an authentic form.Actualmente es inequívoca la comprensión de que para aprender a leer y escribir, los procesos fonológicos deben ser enseñados, puesto que nuestra lengua tiene bases fónicas alfabéticas. Sin embargo, la disputa entre cuál metodología es la más indicada para alfabetizar está siendo cambiada para analizar cómo se enseña y se medía  la conciencia fonológica, variando entre enfoques sintéticos, pautados en la sílaba o directamente en el fonema, y abordajes analíticos, pautados en el contexto, en el que el sonido no está enfáticamente propuesto. En el primer caso el foco es el significante, mientras que en el segundo, se defiende el acceso al significado, pero en ambos, esa enseñanza se fundamenta en la fijación de los grafemas. La propuesta de este artículo, pautada en la neurociencia y teoría de la percepción del habla, es abrir la reflexión sobre una nueva y real posibilidad para la enseñanza de la conciencia fonológica, por medio de una boca que articula el sonido de las palabras y propicia que el significante sea fácilmente pegado al significado, aunque la comunicación se mantiene de forma auténtica.Atualmente é inequívoca a compreensão de que para se aprender a ler e escrever, os processos fonológicos devem ser ensinados, posto que nossa língua tem bases fônicas alfabéticas. No entanto, a disputa entre qual metodologia é a mais indicada para se alfabetizar está sendo trocada para se analisar como se ensina e se media a consciência fonológica, variando entre abordagens sintéticas, pautadas na sílaba ou diretamente no fonema, e abordagens analíticas, pautadas no contexto, em que o som não é enfaticamente proposto. No primeiro caso o foco é o significante, enquanto que no segundo, defende-se o acesso ao significado, mas em ambos, esse ensino é alicerçado na fixação dos grafemas. A proposta desse artigo, pautada na neurociência e teoria da percepção da fala, é abrir a reflexão sobre uma nova e real possibilidade para o ensino da consciência fonológica, por meio de uma boca que articula o som das palavras e propicia que o significante seja facilmente atrelado ao significado, posto que a comunicação é mantida de forma autêntica.

Fonema ou gesto articulatório: quem, de fato, alfabetiza?

Atualmente é inequívoca a compreensão de que para se aprender a ler e escrever, os processos fonológicos devem ser ensinados, posto que nossa língua tem bases fônicas alfabéticas. No entanto, a disputa entre qual metodologia é a mais indicada para se alfabetizar está sendo trocada para se analisar como se ensina e se media a consciência fonológica, variando entre abordagens sintéticas, pautadas na sílaba ou diretamente no fonema, e abordagens analíticas, pautadas no contexto, em que o som não é enfaticamente proposto. No primeiro caso o foco é o significante, enquanto que no segundo, defende-se o acesso ao significado, mas em ambos, esse ensino é alicerçado na fixação dos grafemas. A proposta desse artigo, pautada na neurociência e teoria da percepção da fala, é abrir a reflexão sobre uma nova e real possibilidade para o ensino da consciência fonológica, por meio de uma boca que articula o som das palavras e propicia que o significante seja facilmente atrelado ao significado, posto que a comunicação é mantida de forma autêntica.

Modality-independent recruitment of inferior frontal cortex during speech processing in human infants

Despite increasing interest in the development of audiovisual speech perception in infancy, the underlying mechanisms and neural processes are still only poorly understood. In addition to regions in temporal cortex associated with speech processing and multimodal integration, such as superior temporal sulcus, left inferior frontal cortex (IFC) has been suggested to be critically involved in mapping information from different modalities during speech perception. To further illuminate the role of IFC during infant language learning and speech perception, the current study examined the processing of auditory, visual and audiovisual speech in 6-month-old infants using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Our results revealed that infants recruit speech-sensitive regions in frontal cortex including IFC regardless of whether they processed unimodal or multimodal speech. We argue that IFC may play an important role in associating multimodal speech information during the early steps of language learning

Variability in Infants' Functional Brain Network Connectivity Is Associated With Differences in Affect and Behavior

Variability in functional brain network connectivity has been linked to individual differences in cognitive, affective, and behavioral traits in adults. However, little is known about the developmental origins of such brain-behavior correlations. The current study examined functional brain network connectivity and its link to behavioral temperament in typically developing newborn and 1-month-old infants (M [age] = 25 days; N = 75) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Specifically, we measured long-range connectivity between cortical regions approximating fronto-parietal, default mode, and homologous-interhemispheric networks. Our results show that connectivity in these functional brain networks varies across infants and maps onto individual differences in behavioral temperament. Specifically, connectivity in the fronto-parietal network was positively associated with regulation and orienting behaviors, whereas connectivity in the default mode network showed the opposite effect on these behaviors. Our analysis also revealed a significant positive association between the homologous-interhemispheric network and infants' negative affect. The current results suggest that variability in long-range intra-hemispheric and cross-hemispheric functional connectivity between frontal, parietal, and temporal cortex is associated with individual differences in affect and behavior. These findings shed new light on the brain origins of individual differences in early-emerging behavioral traits and thus represent a viable novel approach for investigating developmental trajectories in typical and atypical neurodevelopment

The role of left inferior frontal cortex during audiovisual speech perception in infants

In the first year of life, infants’ speech perception attunes to their native language. While the behavioral changes associated with native language attunement are fairly well mapped, the underlying mechanisms and neural processes are still only poorly understood. Using fNIRS and eye tracking, the current study investigated 6-month-old infants' processing of audiovisual speech that contained matching or mismatching auditory and visual speech cues. Our results revealed that infants’ speech-sensitive brain responses in inferior frontal brain regions were lateralized to the left hemisphere. Critically, our results further revealed that speech-sensitive left inferior frontal regions showed enhanced responses to matching when compared to mismatching audiovisual speech, and that infants with a preference to look at the speaker's mouth showed an enhanced left inferior frontal response to speech compared to infants with a preference to look at the speaker's eyes. These results suggest that left inferior frontal regions play a crucial role in associating information from different modalities during native language attunement, fostering the formation of multimodal phonological categories

Influence of Early Bilingual Exposure in the Developing Human Brain.

190 p.La adquisición del lenguaje es un proceso que ese encuentra determinado tanto por mecanismos de desarrollo cognitivo, como por la experiencia lingüística durante los primeros años de vida. Aunque se trata de un proceso relativamente complejo, los bebés muestran una gran habilidad para el aprendizaje del lenguaje. Un entorno de aprendizaje lingüístico bilingüe podría considerarse aun más complejo, ya que los bebés están expuestos a las características lingüísticas de dos lenguas simultáneamente. En primer lugar, los bebés que crecen en un entorno bilingüe tienen que ser capaces de darse cuenta de que están expuestos a dos lenguas diferentes, y posteriormente deben separar y aprender las características especificas de cada una de ellas; por ejemplo, los distintos fonemas, palabras o estructuras gramaticales. Aunque la exposición lingüística total de los bebés bilingües debería ser comparable a la de los bebés monolingües, es probable que la exposición a cada una de las lenguas de su entorno sea menor, ya que tienen que dividir su tiempo de exposición entre ambas. Si bien los bebés bilingües parecen no tener problemas para enfrentarse a un contexto de aprendizaje potencialmente más complejo, ya que alcanzan las distintas etapas de adquisición del lenguaje a un ritmo similar a los bebés monolingües, sí se han observado adaptaciones a nivel conductual y a nivel de funcionamiento cerebral que podrían producirse como consecuencia de este contexto.Basque Center on cognition, brain and languag

Influence of Early Bilingual Exposure in the Developing Human Brain.

190 p.La adquisición del lenguaje es un proceso que ese encuentra determinado tanto por mecanismos de desarrollo cognitivo, como por la experiencia lingüística durante los primeros años de vida. Aunque se trata de un proceso relativamente complejo, los bebés muestran una gran habilidad para el aprendizaje del lenguaje. Un entorno de aprendizaje lingüístico bilingüe podría considerarse aun más complejo, ya que los bebés están expuestos a las características lingüísticas de dos lenguas simultáneamente. En primer lugar, los bebés que crecen en un entorno bilingüe tienen que ser capaces de darse cuenta de que están expuestos a dos lenguas diferentes, y posteriormente deben separar y aprender las características especificas de cada una de ellas; por ejemplo, los distintos fonemas, palabras o estructuras gramaticales. Aunque la exposición lingüística total de los bebés bilingües debería ser comparable a la de los bebés monolingües, es probable que la exposición a cada una de las lenguas de su entorno sea menor, ya que tienen que dividir su tiempo de exposición entre ambas. Si bien los bebés bilingües parecen no tener problemas para enfrentarse a un contexto de aprendizaje potencialmente más complejo, ya que alcanzan las distintas etapas de adquisición del lenguaje a un ritmo similar a los bebés monolingües, sí se han observado adaptaciones a nivel conductual y a nivel de funcionamiento cerebral que podrían producirse como consecuencia de este contexto.Basque Center on cognition, brain and languag