Activity for the book My Psychology

Show Me More: 7.2 Nicaraguan Sign Language

Instructions

View the Show Me More video and then answer the questions.

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Show Me More 7.2 Nicaraguan Sign Language

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Video provided by BBC Worldwide Learning

View the transcript (Opens in new window)

Question 1

The example of how Nicaraguan sign language developed supports which statement?

Choice A, Language is something that human beings are naturally inclined to develop and use.

Choice B, All languages share common phonemic and morphemic systems.

Choice C, No matter how it is used, language always develops in the same way.

Choice D, If you don’t learn language by 2 years of age, it is almost certain that you will always have language deficits.

Question 2

Annaliese is studying the Nicaraguan sign language discussed in the textbook and accompanying video. She writes a paper that notes that, for the first time, this language system gave us the opportunity to:

Choice A, take two existing languages and “combine” them into a single system.

Choice B, change how an existing language system is used.

Choice C, witness the birth of an entirely new language.

Choice D, see how the absence of language centers in the brain can be overcome.

Question 3

Nicaraguan sign language was invented entirely by:

Choice A, schoolteachers.

Choice B, people who are able to hear.

Choice C, psychologists.

Choice D, children.

Question 4

According to the video, Nicaraguan sign language is marked by which components?

Choice A, precise rules and structure

Choice B, different dialects based on where its users were raised

Choice C, a very casual system of grammar that is dynamic and shifting

Choice D, semantic commonality but no true structure