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The role of input frequency in lexical acquisition*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Richard G. Schwartz  and
Brenda Y. Terrell
Richard G. Schwartz
Affiliation:
Purdue University
Brenda Y. Terrell
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
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Abstract

The influence of frequency of occurrence in input upon early lexical acquisition was examined within an experimental paradigm. Twelve children (1; 0·21 to 1; 3·15) were presented with 16 contrived lexical concepts, each involving a nonsense word and four referents, over ten experimental sessions. Within each concept two exemplars were presented frequently and two were presented infrequently. Overall the children named more frequently presented exemplars than infrequently presented exemplars. However, when the absolute number of presentations was held constant, distributed (infrequent) presentations led to greater acquisition than massed (frequent) presentations.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , February 1983 , pp. 57 - 64
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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Footnotes

[*]

Preparation of this paper was in part supported by a grant from the Public Health Service, 1RO1NS16154-01, Lexical factors in specific language impairment. Address for correspondence: Richard G. Schwartz, Audiology and Speech Sciences, Heavilon Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.

References

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