Psycholinguistic, Cognitive, and Cultural Foundations of Foreign Language Acquisition

Abstract

Foreign language acquisition is a complex process influenced by psycholinguistic, cognitive, and cultural factors. Language is considered part of the human neurological system and is affected by both biological and socio-cultural environments. Early language acquisition is more effective due to the innate ability of humans and the universal features of language.

In learners’ cognition, the creation of new language forms and structures occurs through a process of hypothesis testing, which involves learning and error correction. The issue of "fossilization," or the incorrect and repetitive internalization of errors, remains significant and can cause delays.

Language learning is viewed in cognitive science as the development of procedural skills, where rule automatization and the structuring of internal representations are crucial. Multilingual experience facilitates better foreign language learning by providing learners with greater flexibility and strategic abilities.

Cultural and social factors are also highly important: learner integration and acculturation determine the quality of language acquisition. Personal motivation, social relationships, and language environment influence the learning process. Sociocultural factors, including acculturation distance, social integration, and motivation, play a key role in the quality of language learning. After the critical period, language acquisition requires conscious hypothesis formulation and feedback processes, impacting linguistic development.

Thus, foreign language learning demands an integrated approach that considers psycholinguistic, cognitive, and cultural aspects to ensure comprehensive language mastery.