Examining the incremental process of word learning: Word-form exposure and retention of new word-referent mappings

Kucker, Sarah C., McMurray, Bob and Samuelson, Larissa K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9141-3286 (2024) Examining the incremental process of word learning: Word-form exposure and retention of new word-referent mappings. Language Development Research, 4 (1). pp. 326-360. ISSN 2771-7976

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Abstract

This study examines the process of learning new word-object mappings and how repeated exposure to word-forms impacts retention. Infants 18- and 24-months-of-age were first exposed to new word-object mappings in a referent selection task. To examine the influence of extra word-form repetitions on retention, newly mapped word-forms were repeated in a preferential listening task prior to a delayed retention test. Retention was tested in an object selection task. Consistent with prior work, infants performed very well on novel referent selection yet demonstrated a novelty bias on known referent selection trials that was especially prominent in the younger age group. There were no differences in listening times across age groups during the preferential listening task. However, there was some evidence that longer listening time predicted retention. As a group, 24-month-olds showed above chance retention of word-object mappings created during referent selection – an ability rarely seen at this age. This suggests additional exposure to word-forms after mapping may increase learning, at least in 24-month-old children. These findings both replicate prior work on children’s referent selection abilities and highlight the incremental and cascading nature of the processes that strengthen new word-object mappings over repetition and development.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Funding information: This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5R01HD045713), National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	word learning,vocabulary development,cognitive development,language learning,2* ,/dk/atira/pure/researchoutput/REFrank/2_
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Developmental Science
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	28 Aug 2024 10:30
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2024 18:04
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/96369
DOI:	10.34842/3ppz-g170

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