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Infant gaze following and pointing predict accelerated vocabulary growth through two years of age: a longitudinal, growth curve modeling study*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2008

RECHELE BROOKS  and
ANDREW N. MELTZOFF
RECHELE BROOKS*
Affiliation:
University of Washington
ANDREW N. MELTZOFF
Affiliation:
University of Washington
*
Address for correspondence: Rechele Brooks, University of Washington, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, Box 357988, Seattle, WA 98195-7988. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

We found that infant gaze following and pointing predicts subsequent language development. At ages 0 ; 10 or 0 ; 11, infants saw an adult turn to look at an object in an experimental setting. Productive vocabulary was assessed longitudinally through two years of age. Growth curve modeling showed that infants who gaze followed and looked longer at the target object had significantly faster vocabulary growth than infants with shorter looks, even with maternal education controlled; adding infant pointing strengthened the model. We highlight the role of social cognition in word learning and emphasize the communicative-referential functions of early gaze following and pointing.

Type
Brief Research Report
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , February 2008 , pp. 207 - 220
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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