Molly Flaherty | University of Edinburgh (original) (raw)
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Papers by Molly Flaherty
Journal of memory and language, 2013
Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional li... more Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional linguistic input. To investigate how homesign gestures for number function in short-term memory compared to homesign gestures for objects, actions, or attributes, we conducted memory span tasks with adult homesigners in Nicaragua, and with comparison groups of unschooled hearing Spanish speakers and deaf Nicaraguan Sign Language signers. There was no difference between groups in recall of gestures or words for objects, actions or attributes; homesign gestures therefore can function as word units in short-term memory. However, homesigners showed poorer recall of numbers than the other groups. Unlike the other groups, increasing the numerical value of the to-be-remembered quantities negatively affected recall in homesigners, but not controls. When developed without linguistic input, gestures for number do not seem to function as summaries of the cardinal values of the sets (four), but rather...
Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional li... more Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional linguistic input. To investigate how homesign gestures for number function in short-term memory compared to homesign gestures for objects, actions, or attributes, we conducted memory span tasks with adult homesigners in Nicaragua, and with comparison groups of unschooled hearing Spanish speakers and deaf Nicaraguan Sign Language signers. There was no difference between groups in recall of gestures or words for objects, actions or attributes; homesign gestures therefore can function as word units in short-term memory. However, homesigners showed poorer recall of numbers than the other groups. Unlike the other groups, increasing the numerical value of the to-be-remembered quantities negatively affected recall in homesigners, but not controls. When developed without linguistic input, gestures for number do not seem to function as summaries of the cardinal values of the sets (four), but rather as indexes of items within a set (one–one–one–one).Homesigners produce number gestures though they lack a conventional language model.Homesigners recall nouns, verbs & adjectives, but not numbers, as well as signers.Homesign number gestures may not summarize sets: recall worsens as value increases.Homesign gestures for non-numbers act as words in memory, but number gestures do not.Numbers may only serve as units in memory if learned within a conventional language.
What abilities are entailed in being numerate? Certainly, one is the ability to hold the exact qu... more What abilities are entailed in being numerate? Certainly, one is the ability to hold the exact quantity of a set in mind, even as it changes, and even after its members can no longer be perceived. Is counting language necessary to track and reproduce exact quantities? Previous work with speakers of languages that lack number words involved participants only from non-numerate cultures. Deaf Nicaraguan adults all live in a richly numerate culture, but vary in counting ability, allowing us to experimentally differentiate the contribution of these two factors. Thirty deaf and 10 hearing participants performed 11 one-to-one matching and counting tasks. Results suggest that immersion in a numerate culture is not enough to make one fully numerate. A memorized sequence of number symbols is required, though even an unconventional, iconic system is sufficient. Additionally, we find that within a numerate culture, the ability to track precise quantities can be acquired in adulthood.
… of language: proceedings of the 7th …, Jan 1, 2008
ITERATED LANGUAGE LEARNING IN CHILDREN MOLLY FLAHERTY Max Planck Child Study Centre, University o... more ITERATED LANGUAGE LEARNING IN CHILDREN MOLLY FLAHERTY Max Planck Child Study Centre, University of Manchester, Couplandl, Oxford Road Manchester, MB 9PL, UK SIMON KIRBY Language Evolution and Computation Research Unit, Department of Linguistics ...
… of the Eighth …, Jan 1, 2010
Science does not often have the opportunity to observe the genesis of a natural language. However... more Science does not often have the opportunity to observe the genesis of a natural language. However, in the case of deaf individuals born into hearing families, language genesis can be observed as it happens. Deaf children born into non-signing hearing families often spend ...
Behavioral and Brain …, Jan 1, 2007
Abstract: In a dynamic world, mechanisms allowing prediction of future situations can provide a s... more Abstract: In a dynamic world, mechanisms allowing prediction of future situations can provide a selective advantage. We suggest that memory systems differ in the degree of flexibility they offer for anticipatory behavior and put forward a corresponding taxonomy of prospection. ...
Journal of Child Language, Jan 1, 2006
ANNE BAKER & BENCIE WOLL (eds), Sign language acquisition (Vol. 14). Amsterdam/Philadelph... more ANNE BAKER & BENCIE WOLL (eds), Sign language acquisition (Vol. 14). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2008. Pp. 178. ISBN: 978-9-02-722244-2. Research in sign language acquisition offers an invaluable ...
Commentary by Molly Flaherty
Journal of memory and language, 2013
Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional li... more Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional linguistic input. To investigate how homesign gestures for number function in short-term memory compared to homesign gestures for objects, actions, or attributes, we conducted memory span tasks with adult homesigners in Nicaragua, and with comparison groups of unschooled hearing Spanish speakers and deaf Nicaraguan Sign Language signers. There was no difference between groups in recall of gestures or words for objects, actions or attributes; homesign gestures therefore can function as word units in short-term memory. However, homesigners showed poorer recall of numbers than the other groups. Unlike the other groups, increasing the numerical value of the to-be-remembered quantities negatively affected recall in homesigners, but not controls. When developed without linguistic input, gestures for number do not seem to function as summaries of the cardinal values of the sets (four), but rather...
Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional li... more Homesigns are communication systems created by deaf individuals without access to conventional linguistic input. To investigate how homesign gestures for number function in short-term memory compared to homesign gestures for objects, actions, or attributes, we conducted memory span tasks with adult homesigners in Nicaragua, and with comparison groups of unschooled hearing Spanish speakers and deaf Nicaraguan Sign Language signers. There was no difference between groups in recall of gestures or words for objects, actions or attributes; homesign gestures therefore can function as word units in short-term memory. However, homesigners showed poorer recall of numbers than the other groups. Unlike the other groups, increasing the numerical value of the to-be-remembered quantities negatively affected recall in homesigners, but not controls. When developed without linguistic input, gestures for number do not seem to function as summaries of the cardinal values of the sets (four), but rather as indexes of items within a set (one–one–one–one).Homesigners produce number gestures though they lack a conventional language model.Homesigners recall nouns, verbs & adjectives, but not numbers, as well as signers.Homesign number gestures may not summarize sets: recall worsens as value increases.Homesign gestures for non-numbers act as words in memory, but number gestures do not.Numbers may only serve as units in memory if learned within a conventional language.
What abilities are entailed in being numerate? Certainly, one is the ability to hold the exact qu... more What abilities are entailed in being numerate? Certainly, one is the ability to hold the exact quantity of a set in mind, even as it changes, and even after its members can no longer be perceived. Is counting language necessary to track and reproduce exact quantities? Previous work with speakers of languages that lack number words involved participants only from non-numerate cultures. Deaf Nicaraguan adults all live in a richly numerate culture, but vary in counting ability, allowing us to experimentally differentiate the contribution of these two factors. Thirty deaf and 10 hearing participants performed 11 one-to-one matching and counting tasks. Results suggest that immersion in a numerate culture is not enough to make one fully numerate. A memorized sequence of number symbols is required, though even an unconventional, iconic system is sufficient. Additionally, we find that within a numerate culture, the ability to track precise quantities can be acquired in adulthood.
… of language: proceedings of the 7th …, Jan 1, 2008
ITERATED LANGUAGE LEARNING IN CHILDREN MOLLY FLAHERTY Max Planck Child Study Centre, University o... more ITERATED LANGUAGE LEARNING IN CHILDREN MOLLY FLAHERTY Max Planck Child Study Centre, University of Manchester, Couplandl, Oxford Road Manchester, MB 9PL, UK SIMON KIRBY Language Evolution and Computation Research Unit, Department of Linguistics ...
… of the Eighth …, Jan 1, 2010
Science does not often have the opportunity to observe the genesis of a natural language. However... more Science does not often have the opportunity to observe the genesis of a natural language. However, in the case of deaf individuals born into hearing families, language genesis can be observed as it happens. Deaf children born into non-signing hearing families often spend ...
Behavioral and Brain …, Jan 1, 2007
Abstract: In a dynamic world, mechanisms allowing prediction of future situations can provide a s... more Abstract: In a dynamic world, mechanisms allowing prediction of future situations can provide a selective advantage. We suggest that memory systems differ in the degree of flexibility they offer for anticipatory behavior and put forward a corresponding taxonomy of prospection. ...
Journal of Child Language, Jan 1, 2006
ANNE BAKER & BENCIE WOLL (eds), Sign language acquisition (Vol. 14). Amsterdam/Philadelph... more ANNE BAKER & BENCIE WOLL (eds), Sign language acquisition (Vol. 14). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2008. Pp. 178. ISBN: 978-9-02-722244-2. Research in sign language acquisition offers an invaluable ...