Class matters: 12-month-olds' word-object associations privilege content over function words
Date
2012-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Blackwell
Abstract
A fundamental step in learning words is the development of an association between a sound pattern and an element in the environment. Here we explore the nature of this associative ability in 12-month-olds, examining whether it is constrained to privilege particular word forms over others. Forty-eight infants were presented with sets of novel English content-like word-object pairings (e.g. fep) or novel English function-like word-object (e.g. iv) pairings until they habituated. Results indicated that infants associated novel content-like words, but not the novel function-like words, with novel objects. These results demonstrate that the mechanism with which basic word-object associations are formed is remarkably sophisticated by the onset of productive language. That is, mere associative pairings are not sufficient to form mappings. Rather the system requires well-formed noun-like words to co-occur with objects in order for the linkages to arise.
Description
Keywords
Citation
MacKenzie, H. K., Curtin, S., & Graham, S. A. (2012). Class matters: 12-month-olds' word-object associations privilege content over function words. "Developmental Science". 2012: 15(6), pp. 753-761. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2012.01166.x