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Infants’ understanding of communicative interactions
Talk at Kyoto Institute of Technology July 11, 2015
Alia Martin Harvard University
Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (2016)
“cup!”
“cup!”
1. Recognizing a communicative signal
2. Resolving communicative ambiguity
3. Prioritizing a communicator’s intentions
Outline
1. Recognizing a communicative signal
2. Resolving communicative ambiguity
3. Prioritizing a communicator’s intentions
Talk Outline
Can infants recognize a communicative signal?
“cup!”
“cup!”
*cough*
*cough*
?
“cup!”
“cup!” koppu!
“cup!”
tasse! becher!
taza! katora! koppu!
Do infants recognize that speech is communicative?
Infant attention to speech
• Infants prefer speech to other sounds (Vouloumanos & Werker, 2004; 2007; Shultz & Vouloumanos, 2010)
• 6-month-olds recognize speech is human-produced and human-directed (Vouloumanos et al., 2009; Legerstee et al., 2000)
• 10-month-olds expect mutual gaze between speakers (Beier & Spelke, 2011)
Infant attention to speech
• Newborns prefer speech to other sounds (Vouloumanos & Werker, 2004; 2007; Shultz & Vouloumanos, 2010)
• 6-month-olds recognize speech is
human-produced and human-directed (Vouloumanos et al., 2009; Legerstee et al., 2000)
• Newborns prefer speech to other sounds (Vouloumanos & Werker, 2004; 2007; Shultz & Vouloumanos, 2010)
• 6-month-olds recognize speech is
human-produced and human-directed (Vouloumanos et al., 2009; Legerstee et al., 2000)
Infant attention to speech
Do infants recognize that speech is communicative?
Do infants recognize that speech is communicative?
12-month-olds
Procedure
Procedure
Communicator Addressee
Procedure
Communicator Addressee
Communicator Familiarization
Addressee Familiarization
Test
Test
Speech “Koba!”
Cough *cough*
Target Non-target
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Speech Cough Recipient Speech
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-target
Results
*
*
Martin, Onishi, & Vouloumanos, 2012
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Speech Cough Recipient Speech
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-target
Results
*
*
Martin, Onishi, & Vouloumanos, 2012
Interim summary
• 12-month-olds recognize that speech can transfer information about an object, but coughing cannot
Interim summary
• 12-month-olds recognize that speech can transfer information about an object, but coughing cannot – even though infants themselves always
have information about the target
Interim summary
• 12-month-olds recognize that speech can transfer information about an object, but coughing cannot – even though infants themselves always
have information about the target
• Communication, or mere presence of speech?
Communicator Familiarization
Addressee Familiarization
Test “koba!”
Test
Target Non-target
“koba!”
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Speech Cough Recipient Speech
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-target
Results
Martin, Onishi, & Vouloumanos, 2012
*
* *
Addressee Speech
Do 6-month-old infants recognize that speech is
communicative?
• understand some common words used in their environment (Bergelson & Swingley, 2012; Tincoff & Jusczyk, 1999; 2012)
• no evidence for learning a word in a single trial
6-month-olds…
6-month-olds…
• understand some common words used in their environment (Bergelson & Swingley, 2012; Tincoff & Jusczyk, 1999; 2012)
• no evidence for learning a word in a single trial
“****”
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough + Visual Access
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-Target
*
Results: 6-month-olds
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough + Visual Access
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-Target
Results: 6-month-olds
*
*
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014
Information transfer
Target Non-target
“****”
Communicator Familiarization Addressee Visual Access
Addressee Familiarization
Test *cough*
Target Non-target
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough + Visual Access
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-Target
Results: 6-month-olds
*
*
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough + Visual Access
Loo
king
Tim
e (
s)
Target
Non-Target
*
* *
*
Results: 6-month-olds
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014
Discussion
• 6- and 12-month-old infants recognize that the form of speech is communicative – transfers information from one person to
another
Discussion
• 6- and 12-month-old infants recognize that the form of speech is communicative – transfers information from one person to
another
• May provide a mechanism for language and knowledge acquisition
THANKS! Collaborators
Athena Vouloumanos
Kris Onishi
