Psychology of Communication (FYS)
PSYC 122F
Spring 2025
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01
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Language is unique to human beings and a central component of human cognition. This class is designed to introduce students to the role of language in thought and the psychology that underlies how we use language to communicate, both as speakers and listeners. We will cover major themes in this area of study, including different levels of linguistic analysis, the psychology of communication processes, the relationship between speaking and thinking, and the role of efficiency in communicative behavior. The course will be largely discussion-based, centered on the regular readings of scholarly articles. There will be several short writing assignments and content-based assignments, as well as a longer final paper. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
NSM PSYC |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYS |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Herbert H. Clark & Susan E. Brennan, GROUNDING IN COMMUNICATION, ISBN: 1557983763
H. Paul Grice, LOGIC AND CONVERSATION, ISBN: 90-04-36858-2
Edward Gibson, Richard Futrell, Steven P. Piantadosi, Isabelle Dautriche, Kyle Mahowald, Leon Bergen, & Roger Levy, HOW EFFICIENCY SHAPES HUMAN LANGUAGE, ISSN: 1364-6613
Stephen C. Levinson, PRESUMPTIVE MEANINGS: THE THEORY OF GENERALIZED CONVERSATIONAL IMPLICATURE, ISBN: 0-262-12218-9
Dan I. Slobin, THINKING FOR SPEAKING, ISSN: 0363-2946
Dan Sperber & Deirdre Wilson, RELEVANCE: COMMUNICATION AND COGNITION, ISBN: 0631198784.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Vocabulary Quiz: Students will take a graded quiz intended to familiarize them with key terminology relative to the language sciences and human communication.
Reading Assignments: All students will be responsible for completing all assigned readings prior to class. Each student will select one reading throughout the semester and write a 1-2 page summary of the text that demonstrates their ability to critically read peer-reviewed publications and accurately synthesize the information therein.
Etymology Assignment: Students will be asked to select a word, phrase, or idiom, and trace its diachronic usage. The intent with this assignment is to not only learn the particular history of a lexical artefact, but to recognize the subtle ways in which words and meanings change over time. The assignment should constitute less than one written page, and students will be expected to share their findings with the class.
Language Processing Assignment: All students will write a short paper (5-page maximum) that illuminates their understanding of language processing. For instance, as the class covers issues related to communication, students should develop a mental model of how speakers think about concepts, generate labels associated with those concepts, articulate those labels, and, for listeners, interpret those sounds as meanings that may be acted upon. The goal of this assignment is to allow students space to engage with ideas from the course and form a coherent theory of language¿s place in the mind, as well as how individuals leverage language to successfully communicate.
Final Paper: Students will choose a topic from the course and write a comprehensive review of that research area that demonstrates their understanding of core concepts from the course. For example, if a student is interested in the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, they may choose to write a paper on the relationship between language and thought, showcasing a critical understanding of the major works relative to that topic. While students will have the freedom to choose a topic of interest, the instructor will guide students toward topics that are both focused and manageable for the breadth of detail expected. Students will also receive guidance for independent readings and research related to their topic. Prior to submitting, students will have the opportunity to share their work with others in the class and receive feedback on their writing and content. The final paper will be approximately 15 pages in length. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course counts as an elective towards the psychology major.
The primary objective of this course will be to familiarize students with a specific aspect of cognitive psychology: language. Language is a hallmark characteristic of the human species and at the crux of human cognition. Specifically, this course will examine the role of language in cognition and how interlocutors utilize language to communicative by successfully conveying their intentions to one another. The idea behind the course is to promote an interest in the language sciences in general and advance students¿ understanding of the way language interacts with other aspects of mental life (e.g., memory, perception, attention, decision-making, etc.).
A substantial focus of the course will be on evaluating speaker behavior, prompting students to critically evaluate their own use of language and observe the intricacies of communication that they witness in everyday life. Formally, students will be asked to engage with peer-reviewed research, utilize library resources, engage critically with course material, discuss new ideas with peers, and improve their academic writing capabilities on complex and current scientific topics.
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| Instructor(s): Riedmann,Casey Times: .M.W... 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: HALL56; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 15 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 8 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 2 | 3rd Ranked: 4 | 4th Ranked: 1 | Unranked: 0 |
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