Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects.
What is the source of the mutual exclusivity bias whereby infants map novel labels onto novel objects? In an intermodal preferential looking task, we found that novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to a novel object over a familiar object. In contrast, familiar labels and a neutral phr...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Journal article |
Language: | English |
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2010
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_version_ | 1797060001509933056 |
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author | Mather, E Plunkett, K |
author_facet | Mather, E Plunkett, K |
author_sort | Mather, E |
collection | OXFORD |
description | What is the source of the mutual exclusivity bias whereby infants map novel labels onto novel objects? In an intermodal preferential looking task, we found that novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to a novel object over a familiar object. In contrast, familiar labels and a neutral phrase gradually reduced attention to a novel object. Markman (1989, 1990) argued that infants must recall the name of a familiar object to exclude it as the referent of a novel label. We argue that 10-month-olds' attention is guided by the novelty of objects and labels rather than knowledge of the names for familiar objects. Mutual exclusivity, as a language-specific bias, might emerge from a more general constraint on attention and learning. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:11:36Z |
format | Journal article |
id | oxford-uuid:2ac3128a-31bb-4e60-bb0f-3772b5aecdce |
institution | University of Oxford |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:11:36Z |
publishDate | 2010 |
record_format | dspace |
spelling | oxford-uuid:2ac3128a-31bb-4e60-bb0f-3772b5aecdce2022-03-26T12:26:54ZNovel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:2ac3128a-31bb-4e60-bb0f-3772b5aecdceEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2010Mather, EPlunkett, KWhat is the source of the mutual exclusivity bias whereby infants map novel labels onto novel objects? In an intermodal preferential looking task, we found that novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to a novel object over a familiar object. In contrast, familiar labels and a neutral phrase gradually reduced attention to a novel object. Markman (1989, 1990) argued that infants must recall the name of a familiar object to exclude it as the referent of a novel label. We argue that 10-month-olds' attention is guided by the novelty of objects and labels rather than knowledge of the names for familiar objects. Mutual exclusivity, as a language-specific bias, might emerge from a more general constraint on attention and learning. |
spellingShingle | Mather, E Plunkett, K Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects. |
title | Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects. |
title_full | Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects. |
title_fullStr | Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects. |
title_full_unstemmed | Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects. |
title_short | Novel labels support 10-month-olds' attention to novel objects. |
title_sort | novel labels support 10 month olds attention to novel objects |
work_keys_str_mv | AT mathere novellabelssupport10montholdsattentiontonovelobjects AT plunkettk novellabelssupport10montholdsattentiontonovelobjects |