Children’s reliance on pointing and mutual exclusivity in word-referent mapping: The role of vocabulary and language exposure
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This study explored monolingual and multilingual two- to five-year-olds' reliance on a non-verbal and a verbal cue during word-referent mapping, in relation to vocabulary knowledge and, for the multilinguals, Dutch language exposure. Ninety monolingual and sixty-seven multilingual children performed a referential conflict experiment that pitted a non-verbal (pointing) cue and a verbal (mutual exclusivity) cue. Mixed-effect regressions showed no main effects of vocabulary and language exposure. An interaction between vocabulary and group showed that lower vocabulary scores were associated with a stronger reliance on pointing over mutual exclusivity for multilinguals (but not monolinguals). Furthermore, an interaction between vocabulary, language exposure, and cue word (novel vs. familiar label) indicated that multilinguals with lower exposure and lower vocabulary showed a stronger reliance on pointing over mutual exclusivity when a novel rather than familiar word was used. These findings suggest that multilingual and monolingual children go through different trajectories when learning to map words to referents.
Source: Journal of Child Language
Authors: Myrna Falkeisen, Josje Verhagen
Institution: University of Amsterdam
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,450
Award: G2276223880
OpenAlex ID: W4404419670