Cognición, pensamiento y lenguaje: Perspectivas teóricas desde la psicolingüística, la adquisición del lenguaje y la psicología

Abstract

An understanding of cognitive and linguistic development and the relation between cognition and language is fundamental for professional language teachers. Researchers, teachers and material designers can find important information through the following inquiries: How does cognitive development take place in children? Is linguistic development innate or does it also involve external and social components and factors? For language development to occur in children, must conceptual and cognitive development precede it? Is linguistic knowledge modular or is it part of the general structure of the mind? Are the different knowledge modules interconnected? Does thought determine language; or does language determine thought?
In order to find answers to these questions, the field of psycholinguistics, language acquisition and cognitive psychology offer valuable theoretical proposals. This article presents a chronological framework of authors who have made important contributions in these areas. A variety of proposals are presented which are sometimes contradictory, revealing the complexity of the topic and the field of study.