A psycholinguist is a person who studies how people learn, comprehend, and use language. Psycholinguists also study the impact of language on human social dynamics; for example, a speaker’s choice of words and the way he speaks can lead listeners to infer what personality traits the speaker possesses. Cognitive psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and psychological disorders are all covered under the umbrella of psycholinguistics. Furthermore, a psycholinguist may specialize in specific areas of study, such as semantics, phonology, or speech therapy.
In general, a psycholinguist dissects every aspect of human language and tries to apply his findings in practical ways. Written and spoken language, the progression of words in a statement, and the manner in which an idea is expressed are all studied by an expert in the field. He then applies existing psychological theories to his findings in order to gain a better understanding of how people adapt language to suit their needs. The entire field can be divided into distinct areas of interest, each with its own set of applications in the pursuit of scientific and social progress.
Phonology, the study of the sounds made by humans in order to produce speech, is one of the disciplines in which a psycholinguist can specialize. Psycholinguists study how people interpret sounds they hear as well as how they make sounds when communicating a thought. Biological research is frequently incorporated into phonology studies, particularly on the auditory centers of the brain, the mouth and other body parts associated with speaking, and the physical processes that lead to speech. A psycholinguist can improve speech therapy methods and develop better ways to teach language by conducting phonology research.
Morphology, on the other hand, is the study of visual representations of words by the psycholinguist. Characters used as symbols for whole words, such as those in the Chinese language, are not limited to alphabet letters. Researchers hope to develop important theories about reading by studying how humans interpret the symbols they see before them as words, the mechanics of their ability to see these words, and how written words are given meaning. Related disorders, such as dyslexia, are also being studied.
Semantics is a branch of linguistics that frequently overlaps with pragmatics. A semanticist is a psycholinguist who studies the meaning of words and how it is influenced by pragmatics, or the context in which they are presented. Psycholinguists study how words take on meaning based on their structure, tone, and context. The goal of this field is to better understand human language comprehension and social dynamics.