Morton Ann Gernsbacher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morton Ann Gernsbacher
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of North Texas University of Texas at Dallas University of Texas at Austin |
| Known for | Structure building model of language comprehension, research on language processing in autistic people |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychology Psycholinguistics |
| Institutions | University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Oregon |
| Thesis | The effects of verbalization on memory for orientation in pictures Memory for Surface Information in Non-Verbal Stories: Parallels and Insights to Language Processes |
| Doctoral advisor | Donald Foss |
Morton Ann Gernsbacher is an American scientist. She is a professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She studies how our brains understand language.
Professor Gernsbacher is an expert in autism and psycholinguistics. Psycholinguistics is the study of how language and the mind work together. She has written many books and articles on these topics.
She has also helped guide important science journals. In 2007, she was the president of the Association for Psychological Science. This is a big group for psychologists.
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About Morton Ann Gernsbacher
Morton Ann Gernsbacher studied at several universities. She earned her first degree from the University of North Texas in 1976. She then got her master's degree in 1980.
In 1983, she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. Her studies focused on how people think and learn. She worked at the University of Oregon before joining the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
How We Understand Language
Professor Gernsbacher's main research looks at how our brains understand language. She believes that understanding language uses general thinking skills. These skills include working memory and pattern recognition.
Working memory helps us hold information in our minds for a short time. Pattern recognition helps us spot similarities and differences. She thinks these skills are key to how we process words and sentences.
Research on Autism
In 1998, Professor Gernsbacher's son was diagnosed with autism. This led her to focus much of her research on autistic people. She wanted to understand how their brains process language.
She has studied how autistic children develop language. She suggests that speech difficulties in autism come from motor planning challenges. This means it might be hard for them to plan movements for speaking.
This idea is different from older views. It suggests that these difficulties are not due to thinking limits. It also means that nonverbal autistic children might have hidden abilities.
Awards and Recognition
Professor Gernsbacher has received many awards for her work. These awards show how important her research is. Here are some of her honors:
- 2021 T. Morgan Distinguished Leadership Award
- 2018 APA’s Outstanding Educational Resource
- 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2006 President of the Association for Psychological Science
- 2003 Elected Fellow of the Society of Experimental Psychologists
- 1995 Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 1994 Named Sir Frederic C. Bartlett Professor
