Benjamin Whorf's theory of linguistic relativity was based on his work with Native Americans, specifically the Hopi language. His theory, conjointly with Edward Sapir called, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, claimed language shapes the way people think. Because they have differing languages, cultures vary in their understandings of the world. Presently, the link between language and thought is considered to be bi-directional.

Concepts:

1. Behaviorists view language acquisition and use as controlled by environmental factors

2. Not surprisingly, boys rely more on language strategies that:

a. Establish dominance

b. Gain attention

c. Involve giving orders

3. Additionally, males talk for longer periods of time and are more likely to interrupt a speaker than females

4. Girls use language to give support and demonstrate attentiveness

5. In cognitive tasks and measures of language development, bilingual children do at least as well as monolingual children