Word-based categorization in 14 to 16 month-old infants: evidence from a Slavic language Cover Image

Word-based categorization in 14 to 16 month-old infants: evidence from a Slavic language
Word-based categorization in 14 to 16 month-old infants: evidence from a Slavic language

Author(s): Slavica Tutnjević, Siniša Lakić
Subject(s): Language acquisition, Psycholinguistics, South Slavic Languages, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Experimental Pschology
Published by: Društvo psihologa Srbije
Keywords: infants; word-learning; object categorization; Serbian language;

Summary/Abstract: We investigate early word-based categorization by testing one sample of infants at the ages of 14 and 16 months using an object manipulation task. Specifically, we investigate the facilitating effect of labeling on: a) categorization of unknown objects with a shared label and a similar shape; b) categorization of unknown objects with a shared label, but no perceptual similarity. The results indicate that an average infant can categorize novel objects with a similar shape and a shared label starting at 16 months of age. Categorization of novel objects with a shared label but no perceptual similarity is at chance level at both ages. These results confirm and extend previous research findings to a new language.

  • Issue Year: 47/2014
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 215-229
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: English