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Attentional priority of the agent in the acquisition of word reference*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Janet Grace  and
George J. Suci
Janet Grace
Affiliation:
Ibadan, Nigeria
George J. Suci
Affiliation:
Cornell University
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Abstract

The role of agent priority in event perception in word acquisition was investigated using 24 infants at the one-word stage of language production. Nonsense words were presented in narrations referring to agent, recipient or stationary nonsense puppet-actors in filmed events. The nonsense stimuli along with a sense word referring to a sense puppet were presented in a habituation series. Word acquisition was measured by the extent of response recovery to an incorrect pairing of a nonsense word with a sense referent, and by the number of infants accurately choosing named puppets. Both measures were significantly greater for puppets in agent roles than for other puppets. A speech modification condition (exaggerated intonation with repetition) held attention longer but did not facilitate acquisition.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , February 1985 , pp. 1 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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