Language and Conceptual Development: Role of Language Differences and Bilingualism in the Development of Spatial Concepts Among Tzotzil Maya & Spanish Speaking Adults and Chil

该项目涉及文化、语言和认知领域内的若干相关问题。 在空间认知领域，语言是否以及如何影响人类在非语言环境中对空间关系的编码，空间语言和空间概念的习得发展轨迹，空间认知的发展趋势。以及双语在空间概念的获得和使用中的作用。研究地点既有单语西班牙语和Tzotzil Maya人，也有相当数量的双语人。与西班牙语相比，Tzotzil Maya不使用相对（相对于身体）的空间参考，如“右”和“左”。 有人提出，这种语言差异会影响非语言的空间认知。 然而，研究结果不太清楚，部分原因是将语言作为自变量处理。 目前的研究克服了以往的一些缺点，既通过一个独特的结合民族志和实验研究，和一个独特的研究地点。除了关注跨语言差异外，该研究还探讨了组内差异，探索了其他可能导致非语言空间推理差异的潜在因素。 这些差异贯穿于发展过程。儿童研究通过独特的环境--范德比尔特Chochom暑期学校--得到支持。 这个暑期学校不仅提供了大量的孩子接受采访，但更重要的是提供了一个理想的空间，孩子们可以在轻松和自然的环境中接受采访。

This project addresses several related issues within the domain of culture, language and cognition. Looking at the domain of spatial cognition, the proposed studies focus on whether and how language influences the way humans encode spatial relations in non-linguistic situations; the developmental trajectory of both acquisition of spatial language and spatial concepts; and the role of bilingualism in the acquisition and use of spatial concepts.The study location harbors both monolingual Spanish and Tzotzil Maya speakers as well as a sizeable number of bilingual individuals. Compared to Spanish, Tzotzil Maya does not make use of relative (to the body) spatial references such as "right" and "left". It has been proposed that such language differences will affect non-linguistic spatial cognition. However, the research findings are less than clear, in part due to the treatment of language as an independent variable. The current research overcomes some of the previous shortcomings both through a unique combination of ethnographic and experimental research, and a unique study site. In addition to focus on cross-language differences the study explores intra-group differences, exploring other potential factors that could account for differences in non-linguistic spatial reasoning. These differences are traced through the development. Research with children is supported through a unique setting, the Vanderbilt Chochom' Summer school. This summer school not only provides a large number of kids to be interviewed, but more importantly provides an ideal space within which children can be interviewed in a relaxed and natural setting.