Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7273864 | Journal of Experimental Child Psychology | 2018 | 20 Pages |
Abstract
Language processing in adults is facilitated by an expert ability to generate detailed predictions about upcoming words. This may seem like an acquired skill, but some models of language acquisition assume that the ability to predict is a prerequisite for learning. This raises a question: Do children learn to predict, or do they predict to learn? We tested whether children, like adults, can generate expectations about not just the meanings of upcoming words but also their sounds, which would be critical for using prediction to learn about language. In two looking-while-listening experiments, we show that 2-year-olds can generate expectations about meaning based on a determiner (Can you see oneâ¦ball/twoâ¦ice creams?) but that even children as old as 5â¯years do not show an adult-like ability to predict the phonology of upcoming words based on a determiner (Can you see aâ¦ball/anâ¦ice cream?). Our results, therefore, suggest that the ability to generate detailed predictions is a late-acquired skill. We argue that prediction might not be the key mechanism driving children's learning, but that the ability to generate accurate semantic predictions may nevertheless have facilitative effects on language development.
Related Topics
Social Sciences and Humanities
Psychology
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Authors
Chiara Gambi, Fiona Gorrie, Martin J. Pickering, Hugh Rabagliati,