Knowing color terms enhances recognition: further evidence from English and Himba.
Two experiments attempted to reconcile discrepant recent findings relating to children's color naming and categorization. In a replication of Franklin and colleagues (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 90 (2005) 114-141), Experiment 1 tested English toddlers' naming and memory for blue-green and blue-purple colors. It also found advantages for between-category presentations that could be interpreted as support for universal color categories. However, a different definition of knowing color terms led to quite different conclusions in line with the Whorfian view of Roberson and colleagues (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 133 (2004) 554-571). Categorical perception in recognition memory was now found only for children with a fuller understanding of the relevant terms. It was concluded that color naming can both underestimate and overestimate toddlers' knowledge of color terms. Experiment 2 replicated the between-category recognition superiority found in Himba children by Franklin and colleagues for the blue-purple range. But Himba children, whose language does not have separate terms for green and blue, did not show a cross-category advantage for that set; rather, they behaved like English children who did not know their color terms.
Goldstein
Julie
J
Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London SE14 6NW, UK.
Davidoff
Jules
J
Roberson
Debi
D
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009276:Namibia; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012660:Semantics; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D006113:United Kingdom