The class of mental state verbs (has thought to pose special problems for the young language learner. The precise source of these difficulties (mapping problems, conceptual limitations, etc.) Has been a mater of controversy. This research project starts out with the assumption that language acquisition often involves a mapping from an antecedently available concept onto a natural language label. It is hypothesized that this mapping may be particularly taxing for mental state verbs, the referents of which are abstract and hence unobservable. The goal of the project is to uncover circumstances or cues that should be helpful in the acquisition of such predicates. A series of experiments involving both child learners and adults is proposed to test these possibilities. This approach has several implications both for language acquisition and for the relationship between language and the ability to reason about mental states.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32MH065020-02
Application #
6626307
Study Section
Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes 3 (BBBP)
Program Officer
Desmond, Nancy L
Project Start
2002-03-01
Project End
Budget Start
2003-03-01
Budget End
2004-02-29
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$49,864
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pennsylvania
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
042250712
City
Philadelphia
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
19104
Papafragou, Anna; Cassidy, Kimberly; Gleitman, Lila (2007) When we think about thinking: the acquisition of belief verbs. Cognition 105:125-65
Papafragou, Anna; Li, Peggy; Choi, Youngon et al. (2007) Evidentiality in language and cognition. Cognition 103:253-99