Different kinds of information affect word learning in the preschool years: the case of part-term learning.
Two studies investigated how preschool children's interpretations of novel words as names for parts of objects were affected by 3 kinds of information: (a) whole object familiarity, (b) whole part juxtaposition, and (c) syntactic information indicating possession. Study 1 tested 3- to 4-year-olds and found that although there was evidence that all information affected children's part-term interpretations to some extent, they were most systematic when provided with 2 or more kinds of information. Study 2 adapted the procedure for use with 2.5-year-olds and found the same general pattern of results. Variations across studies were found that may reflect changes in how different kinds of information affect word learning with development.
Saylor
Megan M
MM
Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203-5701, USA. m.saylor@vanderbilt.edu
Sabbagh
Mark A
MA
D000339:Affect; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014825:Vocabulary