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Journal Article

Can language restructure cognition? The case for space

MPS-Authors
/persons/resource/persons119

Majid,  Asifa
Language and Cognition Group, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;
Space, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons12

Bowerman,  Melissa
Language Acquisition Group, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;
Space, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;

Kita,  Sotaro
Language and Cognition Group, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;
Space, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons73

Haun,  Daniel B. M.
Language and Cognition Group, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;
Space, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons116

Levinson,  Stephen C.
Language and Cognition Group, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;
Space, MPI for Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Society;

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Majid_2004_can language.pdf
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Citation

Majid, A., Bowerman, M., Kita, S., Haun, D. B. M., & Levinson, S. C. (2004). Can language restructure cognition? The case for space. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8(3), 108-114. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2004.01.003.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0013-1F2A-5
Abstract
Frames of reference are coordinate systems used to compute and specify the location of objects with respect to other objects. These have long been thought of as innate concepts, built into our neurocognition. However, recent work shows that the use of such frames in language, cognition and gesture varies crossculturally, and that children can acquire different systems with comparable ease. We argue that language can play a significant role in structuring, or restructuring, a domain as fundamental as spatial cognition. This suggests we need to rethink the relation between the neurocognitive underpinnings of spatial cognition and the concepts we use in everyday thinking, and, more generally, to work out how to account for cross-cultural cognitive diversity in core cognitive domains.