Visual variability affects early verb learning

Research demonstrates that within-category visual variability facilitates noun learning; however, the effect of visual variability on verb learning is unknown. We habituated 24-month-old children to a novel verb paired with an animated star-shaped actor. Across multiple trials, children saw either a single action from an action category (identical actions condition, for example, travelling while repeatedly changing into a circle shape) or multiple actions from that action category (variable actions condition, for example, travelling while changing into a circle shape, then a square shape, then a triangle shape). Four test trials followed habituation. One paired the habituated verb with a new action from the habituated category (e.g., ‘dacking’ + pentagon shape) and one with a completely novel action (e.g., ‘dacking’ + leg movement). The others paired a new verb with a new same-category action (e.g., ‘keefing’ + pentagon shape), or a completely novel category action (e.g., ‘keefing’ + leg movement). Although all children discriminated novel verb/action pairs, children in the identical actions condition discriminated trials that included the completely novel verb, while children in the variable actions condition discriminated the out-of-category action. These data suggest that – as in noun learning – visual variability affects verb learning and children's ability to form action categories

When object color is a red herring: extraneous perceptual information hinders word learning via referent selection

Learning words from ambiguous naming events is difficult. In such situations, children struggle with not attending to task irrelevant information when learning object names. The current study reduces the problem space of learning names for object categories by holding color constant between the target and other extraneous objects. We examine how this influences two types of word learning (retention and generalization) in both 30-month-old children (Experiment 1) and the iCub humanoid robot (Experiment 2). Overall, all children and iCub performed well on the retention trials, but they were only able to generalize the novel names to new exemplars of the target categories if the objects were originally encountered in sets with objects of the same colors, not if the objects were originally encountered in sets with objects of different colors. These data demonstrate that less information presented during the learning phase narrows the problem space and leads to better word learning success for both children and iCub. Findings are discussed in terms of cognitive load and desirable difficulties

Encountering Multiple Exemplars During Fast Mapping Facilitates Word Learning

Abstract Previous research indicates learning words facilitates categorization. In the current study, we investigated whether learning about a category facilitates word learning (retention) by presenting 2-year-old children with multiple referent selection trials to the same object category. Children either encountered the same exemplar repeatedly or encountered multiple exemplars across trials. All children did very well on the initial task. However, only children who encountered multiple exemplars retained these mappings after a short delay. Overall, these data provide strong evidence that providing children with the opportunity to compare across exemplars during referent selection facilitates retention

Extraneous visual noise facilitates word learning

Variability is important to learning; however, whether itsupports or hinders language acquisition is unclear. 3D objectstudies suggest that children learn words better when targetobjects vary, however storybook studies indicate thatcontextual variability impairs learning. We tested a dynamicsystems account in which background variability should boostlearning by speeding the emergence of new behaviors. Twogroups of two-year-old children saw arrays of one novel andtwo known objects on a screen, and heard a novel or knownlabel. Stimuli were identical across conditions, with theexception that in the constant condition objects appeared on awhite background, and in the variable condition backgroundswere colored. Only children in the variable condition showedevidence of word learning, suggesting that extraneousvariability supports learning by decontextualizingrepresentations, and indicating that adding low-level entropyto the developmental system can trigger a change in behavior

The role of the museum in promoting language word learning for young children

Although strong claims have been made about museums being ideal word learning environments, these are yet to be empirically supported. In the current study, 152 four- to five-year-olds children (81-M, 71-F) from minority backgrounds were taught six vocabulary items either in a museum, in their classroom with museum resources, or in their classroom with classroom resources. At test, children taught in their classroom with museum resources produced significantly more correct responses than children taught in the museum or in their classroom with classroom resources. Children were also significantly better at retaining the target vocabulary items than recalling them. These data demonstrate how context can impact word learning and point to the benefits of a collaborative relationship between schools and museums to support children's language development

Entrenchment predictor: Adults.

<p>Entrenchment predictor: Adults.</p