Nilsen, Elizabeth S.Graham, Susan2020-05-112020-05-112012-01Nilsen, E. S., & Graham, S. A. (2012). The development of preschoolers' appreciation of communicative ambiguity. "Child Development". 2012: 83(4). pp. 1400-1415. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01762.x0009-3920http://hdl.handle.net/1880/112021https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/43655Using a longitudinal design, preschoolers' appreciation of a listener's knowledge of the location of a hidden sticker after the listener was provided with an ambiguous or unambiguous description was assessed. Preschoolers (N=34) were tested at 3 time points, each 6 months apart (4, 4½, and 5 years). Eye-gaze measures demonstrated that preschoolers were sensitive to communicative ambiguity, even when the situation was unambiguous from their perspective. Preschoolers' explicit evaluations of ambiguity were characterized by an initial appreciation of message clarity followed by an appreciation of message ambiguity. Children's inhibitory control skills at 4-years-old related to their explicit detection of ambiguity at later ages. Results are discussed in terms of the developmental progression of preschoolers' awareness of communicative ambiguity.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.journal articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01762.x