Journal article
D. Gentner
American Psychologist, 2016
American Psychologist, 2016
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DOI
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APA
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Gentner, D. (2016). Language as cognitive tool kit: How language supports relational thought. American Psychologist.
Chicago/Turabian
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Gentner, D. “Language as Cognitive Tool Kit: How Language Supports Relational Thought.” American Psychologist (2016).
MLA
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Gentner, D. “Language as Cognitive Tool Kit: How Language Supports Relational Thought.” American Psychologist, 2016.
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@article{d2016a,
title = {Language as cognitive tool kit: How language supports relational thought.},
year = {2016},
journal = {American Psychologist},
author = {Gentner, D.}
}
Abstract
The extreme version of the Whorfian hypothesis-that the language we learn determines how we view the world-has been soundly rejected by linguists and psychologists alike. However, more moderate versions of the idea that language may influence thought have garnered recent empirical support. This article defends 1 such view. I propose that language serves as a cognitive tool kit that allows us to represent and reason in ways that would be impossible without such a symbol system. I present evidence that learning and using relational language can foster relational reasoning-a core capacity of higher order cognition. In essence, language makes one smarter. (PsycINFO Database Record
