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Perceptual Narrowing of Linguistic Sign Occurs in the 1st Year of Life

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Perceptual Narrowing of Linguistic Sign Occurs in the 1st Year of Life
Language: English
Authors: Palmer, Stephanie Baker, Fais, Laurel, Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick
Source: Child Development. Mar-Apr 2012 83(2):543-553.
Availability: Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Physical Description: PDF
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2012
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Infants, Language Acquisition, Perceptual Development, Auditory Perception, Native Language, Eye Movements, Infant Behavior, American Sign Language, English, Hearing (Physiology), Visual Stimuli, Visual Perception
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01715.x
ISSN: 0009-3920
Abstract: Over their 1st year of life, infants' "universal" perception of the sounds of language narrows to encompass only those contrasts made in their native language (J. F. Werker & R. C. Tees, 1984). This research tested 40 infants in an eyetracking paradigm and showed that this pattern also holds for infants exposed to seen language--American Sign Language (ASL). Four-month-old, English-only, hearing infants discriminated an ASL handshape distinction, while 14-month-old hearing infants did not. Fourteen-month-old ASL-learning infants, however, did discriminate the handshape distinction, suggesting that, as in heard language, exposure to seen language is required for maintenance of visual language discrimination. Perceptual narrowing appears to be a ubiquitous learning mechanism that contributes to language acquisition.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2012
Accession Number: EJ959566
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:Over their 1st year of life, infants' "universal" perception of the sounds of language narrows to encompass only those contrasts made in their native language (J. F. Werker & R. C. Tees, 1984). This research tested 40 infants in an eyetracking paradigm and showed that this pattern also holds for infants exposed to seen language--American Sign Language (ASL). Four-month-old, English-only, hearing infants discriminated an ASL handshape distinction, while 14-month-old hearing infants did not. Fourteen-month-old ASL-learning infants, however, did discriminate the handshape distinction, suggesting that, as in heard language, exposure to seen language is required for maintenance of visual language discrimination. Perceptual narrowing appears to be a ubiquitous learning mechanism that contributes to language acquisition.
ISSN:0009-3920
DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01715.x