title: Different kinds of information affect word learning in the preschool years: the case of part-term learning.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203-5701, USA. m.saylor@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Saylor
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sabbagh
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014825:Vocabulary