Stock, Hayli RGraham, Susan AChambers, Craig G2020-05-192020-05-192009-05Stock, H. R., Graham, S. A., & Chambers, C. G. (2009). Generic language and speaker confidence guide preschoolers’ inferences about novel animate kinds. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 884-888. doi:10.1037/a00153590012-16491939-0599http://hdl.handle.net/1880/112097https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/43649We investigated the influence of speaker certainty on 156 four-year-old children's sensitivity to generic and nongeneric statements. An inductive inference task was implemented, in which a speaker described a nonobvious property of a novel creature using either a generic or a nongeneric statement. The speaker appeared to be confident, neutral, or uncertain about the information being relayed. Preschoolers were subsequently asked if a second exemplar shared the same property as the first. Preschoolers consistently extended properties to additional exemplars only when properties were described in a generic form by a confident or neutral speaker. If a speaker appeared to be uncertain or if statements were made in a nongeneric form, properties were not consistently extended beyond the first exemplar. The findings demonstrate that children integrate the inductive cues provided by generic language with social cues when reasoning about abstract kinds.engUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Generic language and speaker confidence guide preschoolers' inferences about novel animate kindsjournal articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0015359