4 March: fyi -- phd funding, Scotland
Index of March 2011 | Index of year: 2011 | Full index
Development of methods for the comparison of language development between
industrial and non-industrial societies
University of Abertay, Dundee
The University is pleased to offer a FEES ONLY STUDENTSHIP for a
period of three years for outstanding full time postgraduate research
students from outside the UK and European Union. The studentships are
part-funded through SORSAS (the Scottish Overseas Research Students
Awards Scheme).
The aim is to develop methods for a systematic comparison of
cross-cultural differences in language input to children to develop
cross-culturally and cross- linguistically valid and applicable
methods for the comparison of language development in children.
Psychological research in language development has been dominated by
studies on children learning English and, more recently, a small range
of other European or East Asian languages which are spoken in
industrial, literate societies. In these societies, parents engage in
intensive verbal interactions with their babies and toddlers.
However, the anthropological literature holds a number of records
suggesting that in non-industrial societies, this kind of verbal
interaction between adults and small children can be very limited.
Where differences in the amount of verbal interaction with children
have been studied, for example when comparing parents of different
socio-economic status within industrial societies, comparisons show
that amount of input does affect rate of language development: The
less parents talk to their children the later important milestones of
language development are reached. This leads to the so far untested
prediction that cross- cultural differences in early verbal input
should also lead to differences in rate of language development.
Unfortunately, virtually no comparisons between language development
in industrial and non-industrial societies exist, mainly due to the
difficulties associated with the development of measurement
instruments that could be compared across different languages.
This PhD project aims to develop measurement instruments that can be
deployed for use in industrial and non-industrial societies to compare
development across different languages. The ultimate goal is to (a)
obtain a more accurate description of the range of trajectories of
language development across human societies and (b) to identify
socioecological factors that underpin differences in the transmission
and use of language across societies. The development of the proposed
measurement instruments is crucial for both of these goals and will
make use of resources such as the electronic Human Relations Area
Files which contain detailed anthropological records of non-industrial
societies.
Supervisors:
Dr. V. Kempe e: v.kempe@abertay.ac.uk
Dr. F. Moore e: f.moore@abertay.ac.uk
School of Social and Health Sciences, University of Abertay Dundee
Eligibility: Overseas (non-EU) students who have been accepted unconditionally
for admission as a full-time, postgraduate research student for Session 2011/2012.
For an application form please visit Abertay Jobs at www.abertay.ac.uk
Please return applications to:
Mrs Cheryl Fitzpatrick, Research, Enterprise and Innovation Services,
University of Abertay Dundee, Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HG
(Tel: +44 1382 308910) e-mail: c.fitzpatrick@abertay.ac.uk
Completed applications forms together with a current cv should be returned to Mrs
Fitzpatrick by 11 March 2011. Please quote reference number STU/11/04
Committed to Equal Opportunities
The University of Abertay Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No: SC016040
Application Deadline: 11-Mar-2011
Mailing Address for Applications:
Attn: Mrs Cheryl Fitzpatrick
Research, Enterprise and Innovation Services
University of Abertay, Dundee
Dundee Scotland DD1 1HG
United Kingdom
Web Address for Applications: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ACG883/phd-studentship/
Contact Information:
Dr Vera Kempe
v.kempe@abertay.ac.uk
Phone:4401382308586
Fax:4401382308749
Index of March 2011 | Index of year: 2011 | Full index