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)
Aug 10, 2015
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