Examining the role of social cues in early word learning

▶ Older infants (18 months of age) are able to use social cues (e.g., pointing and head-turning) in a controlled environment to attach made-up words to novel objects. ▶ Younger infants (14 months of age) are not yet able to use social cues for word learning, but they are able to follow the cues to a look in a certain direction. ▶ These results suggest that sensitivity to social cues becomes more apparent as children get older, which are consistent with findings from previous studies using more interactive environments.