Taking the task seriously: reflections on measures of color acquisition.
The experiments described in the lead articles by Kowalski and Zimiles and by O'Hanlon and Roberson examine factors that lead to color term acquisition. These experiments touch on the debate regarding the relative contributions of language and concepts in word learning. In this reflection, we examine how conclusions concerning the debate depend deeply on the particular task presented to children, and we propose an alternative approach to studying color term acquisition.
Sandhofer
Catherine M
CM
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. sandhofer@psych.ucla.edu
Thom
Emily E
EE
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003118:Color Perception; D032882:Comprehension; D003210:Concept Formation; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D011939:Mental Recall; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D012660:Semantics; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014825:Vocabulary