4. Psychological mechanisms of speech activity

Lecture



Speech is one of the most complex forms of higher mental functions. Speech activity is characterized by polysemy, multi-level structure, mobility and connection with all other mental functions. The implementation of speech activity at all phases (levels) of its implementation is provided by a number of complex psychological mechanisms. These mechanisms have been and are still the subject of study by many psychologists and psycholinguists (74, 81, 95, 98, etc.). The most complete description of the psychological mechanisms of RD is presented in the studies of one of the national schools of psycholinguistics (“the school of VA Artemov - NI Zhinkina - IA Zimny”). In the works of N.I. Zhinkina and I.A. Zimnaya presented a holistic scientific concept of psychological mechanisms (PM) speech activity. According to this concept, the main PM of speech activity are: the mechanism of comprehension, the mnemonic organization of RD (first of all, the mechanism of speech memory), as well as the mechanism of proactive analysis and speech synthesis (the mechanism of speech prediction or, which is the same, speech prediction). This concept is most fully represented in the work of I.A. Winter "Linguistic psychology of speech activity" ([95]).

The most important mechanism of RD, of course, is the mechanism of reflection . This mechanism provides a mental analysis of both the content side of speech (first of all) and its structural organization and language design. The mechanism of comprehension is realized through the analytical and synthetic activity of the cerebral cortex of the brain - based on the involvement of all basic mental actions and operations (comparison, comparison, synthesis, classification, analysis and synthesis). The subject of speech (the fragment displayed in the RD , a phenomenon, an event of the surrounding reality) is subject to comprehension first of all. On the basis of this mechanism, the motives and goals of speech communication are fully realized, orientation takes place in the context of speech activity (in particular, a comprehensive comprehensive analysis of the situation of speech communication). Without the use of this mechanism, it is impossible to plan and program speech activity. (This applies both to the planning of the holistic act of the activities implemented in the text, and to the programming of each individual speech statement). Thanks to the work of this mechanism, control is also exercised over the course of speech activity and its results.

An equally important role in the implementation of speech activity is played by the “mnestic mechanism”, including the mechanism of speech memory. It also provides all aspects of the speech process, including both the “content aspect” of speech and the aspect of its language expression. Mapping in the speech of its subject - one or another fragment of the surrounding reality - is impossible without updating the knowledge and ideas about this part of the world around us. In the same way, it is impossible without actualization in the consciousness of images-representations about the signs of language and the rules of their use in the process of speech communication. Both are provided by the mechanism of long-term memory. An example is the process of updating and adequate use of the active vocabulary in speech statements. In addition, the functions of speech memory also include:

- actualization of knowledge and ideas about the ways of implementing speech activity (first of all, how to implement speech communication);

- knowledge of social rules ("norms") of speech communication in various situations of RD implementation;

- the actualization and use of the norms and rules of the language formulation of speech utterances (orthoepic, grammatical, stylistic, orthographic - for written speech) traditionally established for a given language, corresponding to the notion of “language norm”;

- actualization (“retrieving from memory”) of speech, linguistic and social “standards” of those units or elements that make up the relevant aspects of speech activity (for example, standards of a normative sound image of individual words and phrases, “grammatical” standards of word forms, speech motor standards, necessary for the process of implementing speech in the pronunciation plan, and others.).

Not a smaller role in the implementation of RD play and processes of short-term RAM. The process of direct generation (creation) and perception of any speech utterance, the realization of the actions and operations that form this process are impossible without retaining in memory all components of this expression of components (for the period of its generation or analysis).

The psychological mechanism of "proactive analysis and synthesis" (prediction of speech) became the subject of active study in domestic psycholinguistics only in the 70s of the 20th century (81, 133, 228, etc.). However, to date, the mechanism for predicting speech activity is still insufficiently studied.

According to A.A. Leontiev (120, 133), the operation of this mechanism can be characterized as a “heuristic principle” of speech activity organization. In accordance with this, speech activity should include a link in which the choice of a strategy of speech behavior would be made, as well as allow different ways of operating with speech at certain stages of the generation (perception) of speech. In this regard, it seems important to use the created N.A. Bernstein in the framework of the theory of the psycho-physiological organization of the movements of the “model of the future” (19, etc.)

Considering the emergence and realization of voluntary movement, N.A. Bernstein presents his sequence in the form of the following stages: 1) perception and assessment of the situation; 2) determining what should become of the situation as a result of the activity; 3) what to do for this; 4) how to do it (the last two stages form the programming of the solution of the problem).

Obviously, in order to “extrapolate” the future (second stage), the brain must be able not only to reflect an existing one, but also to construct a model of a future situation (“a model of the desired future”). It is different from the “model of the present”: “Two categories (forms) of modeling of the perceived world coexist in a kind of unity of opposites in the brain: the past-present model, or which has become, and the upcoming model. The second in a continuous stream flows and is transformed into the first. They need to be different from one another primarily because the first model is unambiguous and categorical, while the second can only rely on extrapolation with some measure of probability " (19, p. 288). Of the possible predicted outcomes, then one is selected, and the action is programmed for it only. The fact that N.A. Bernstein referred to the concept of "extrapolation", is currently defined in the psychology and physiology of higher nervous activity "probabilistic prediction."

Thus, the RD in all its forms is implemented through a complex mechanism of human mental activity. The processes of comprehension, retention in the memory, anticipatory reflections serve as those internal mechanisms with the help of which, in turn, the main operational mechanism of speech is performed, which N.I. Zhinkin defined as the unity of two links - the mechanism of making words from elements and making phrases-messages from words. Psychological and speech mechanisms are a complex multi-link formation, each of the links of which are closely related to the others.


Comments


To leave a comment
If you have any suggestion, idea, thanks or comment, feel free to write. We really value feedback and are glad to hear your opinion.
To reply

Psycholinguistics

Terms: Psycholinguistics