Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky explores the influence of language on perception and attention, discussing topics such as color perception, representation of time, black storytelling, cultural orientation awareness, orientation patterns, thinking patterns, grammar's impact on children's thinking, and the relationship between language and our brains.
Language influences our perception and understanding of the world, including color perception, spatial orientation, and conceptualization of time.
Different languages have distinct ways of categorizing and distinguishing snow, challenging the notion that it is an urban legend that Inuit have multiple words for snow.
Deep dives
The Influence of Language on Thought
The podcast episode explores the question of whether the language we speak modifies the way we think. It discusses the debate surrounding the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests that language determines thought. While the strong version of the hypothesis has been largely dismissed, there is evidence supporting the weaker version, which claims that language influences thought. The episode delves into various examples, such as the impact of language on color perception, spatial orientation, and conceptualization of time. It also highlights experiments where people are taught new ways of talking about time, demonstrating how language can shift cognitive perception. The episode underscores that while language may not fully determine thought, it plays a role in shaping how we perceive and understand the world.
The Influence of Language on Perception of Snow
The podcast explores the topic of how language influences our perception and understanding of snow. It discusses the popular notion that the Inuit have multiple words for snow, which reflects the idea that different languages categorize and distinguish snow in various ways. Linguists have debated the accuracy of this claim, with some viewing it as an urban legend. However, recent studies support the notion that languages like Inuit do possess a rich vocabulary for different types of snow. The podcast also delves into how language shapes efficient communication and influences our ability to perceive and distinguish between different aspects of the natural world, such as snow.
Language, Culture, and Orientation in Time
The podcast episode examines the relationship between language, culture, and our perception of time. It discusses how different languages use metaphors from space to conceptualize time, such as the framing of time as moving forward or backward. The episode presents examples of how different cultures and languages have unique ways of organizing and understanding time. For instance, research shows that people who use absolute spatial terms to talk about location in their language, like the Kuktayr, also tend to incorporate those orientations when thinking about time. The episode emphasizes that language can influence how we think about and navigate through the dimension of time.
The Power of Language in Shaping Perception
The podcast highlights the powerful role of language in shaping our perceptions and cognition. It emphasizes that the language we speak structures how we think and what we pay attention to. For example, the episode discusses how grammatical gender influences our perception of objects by assigning gendered properties to them. It also explores how language frames our understanding of situations, affecting blame attribution and judgments. The episode concludes by acknowledging that while language may not completely determine thought, it plays a crucial role in organizing and categorizing our experiences, influencing the way we perceive and communicate complex ideas.
Are there really dozens of words for snow in northern cultures? What did the movie Arrival have to do with language and cognition? Why are Russians better than Americans at distinguishing certain shades of blue? And what does any of this have to do with space, time, gender, and how your language influences your thought? Join Eagleman and his guest, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky, as they take a deep dive into the intersection of words and understanding.
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