Development of Abstract Word Knowledge
The development of children’s word knowledge is an important testing ground for the embodied account of word meaning, which proposes that word meanings are grounded in sensorimotor systems. Acquisition of abstract words, in particular, is a noted challenge for strong accounts of embodiment. We exami...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686478/full |
| _version_ | 1819001650846629888 |
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| author | Lorraine D. Reggin Emiko J. Muraki Penny M. Pexman |
| author_facet | Lorraine D. Reggin Emiko J. Muraki Penny M. Pexman |
| author_sort | Lorraine D. Reggin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of children’s word knowledge is an important testing ground for the embodied account of word meaning, which proposes that word meanings are grounded in sensorimotor systems. Acquisition of abstract words, in particular, is a noted challenge for strong accounts of embodiment. We examined acquisition of abstract word meanings, using data on development of vocabulary knowledge from early school to University ages. We tested two specific proposals for how abstract words are learned: the affective embodiment account, that emotional experience is key to learning abstract word meanings, and the learning through language proposal, that abstract words are acquired through language experience. We found support for the affective embodiment account: word valence, interoception, and mouth action all facilitated abstract word acquisition more than concrete word acquisition. We tested the learning through language proposal by investigating whether words that appear in more diverse linguistic contexts are earlier acquired. Results showed that contextual diversity facilitated vocabulary acquisition, but did so for both abstract and concrete words. Our results provide evidence that emotion and sensorimotor systems are important to children’s acquisition of abstract words, but there is still considerable variance to be accounted for by other factors. We offer suggestions for future research to examine the acquisition of abstract vocabulary. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:52:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22ea1b62315a4b10af4eaabc98356049 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:52:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-22ea1b62315a4b10af4eaabc983560492022-12-21T19:24:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-06-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.686478686478Development of Abstract Word KnowledgeLorraine D. RegginEmiko J. MurakiPenny M. PexmanThe development of children’s word knowledge is an important testing ground for the embodied account of word meaning, which proposes that word meanings are grounded in sensorimotor systems. Acquisition of abstract words, in particular, is a noted challenge for strong accounts of embodiment. We examined acquisition of abstract word meanings, using data on development of vocabulary knowledge from early school to University ages. We tested two specific proposals for how abstract words are learned: the affective embodiment account, that emotional experience is key to learning abstract word meanings, and the learning through language proposal, that abstract words are acquired through language experience. We found support for the affective embodiment account: word valence, interoception, and mouth action all facilitated abstract word acquisition more than concrete word acquisition. We tested the learning through language proposal by investigating whether words that appear in more diverse linguistic contexts are earlier acquired. Results showed that contextual diversity facilitated vocabulary acquisition, but did so for both abstract and concrete words. Our results provide evidence that emotion and sensorimotor systems are important to children’s acquisition of abstract words, but there is still considerable variance to be accounted for by other factors. We offer suggestions for future research to examine the acquisition of abstract vocabulary.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686478/fullage-of-acquisitionconcretenessvalenceinteroceptionabstract vocabularymouth action |
| spellingShingle | Lorraine D. Reggin Emiko J. Muraki Penny M. Pexman Development of Abstract Word Knowledge Frontiers in Psychology age-of-acquisition concreteness valence interoception abstract vocabulary mouth action |
| title | Development of Abstract Word Knowledge |
| title_full | Development of Abstract Word Knowledge |
| title_fullStr | Development of Abstract Word Knowledge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of Abstract Word Knowledge |
| title_short | Development of Abstract Word Knowledge |
| title_sort | development of abstract word knowledge |
| topic | age-of-acquisition concreteness valence interoception abstract vocabulary mouth action |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686478/full |
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