Lexical‐processing efficiency leverages novel word learning in infants and toddlers

Abstract

Children who rapidly recognize and interpret familiar words typically have accelerated lexical growth, providing indirect evidence that lexical processing efficiency (LPE) is related to word-learning ability. Here we directly tested whether children with better LPE are better able to learn novel words. In Experiment 1, 17- and 30-month-olds were tested on an LPE task and on a simple word-learning task. The 17-month-olds' LPE scores predicted word learning in a regression model, and only those with relatively good LPE showed evidence of learning. The 30-month-olds learned novel words quite well regardless of LPE, but in a more difficult word-learning task (Experiment 2), their LPE predicted word-learning ability. These findings suggest that LPE supports word-learning processes, especially when learning is difficult.

Infants’ Lexical Processing Efficiency is Related to Vocabulary Size by One Year of Age

“…For example, by 17 months of age, infants who have better lexical recognition skills are better able to learn novel words in a fairly straightforward task (i.e., when labels are spoken in common ostensive labeling contexts such as "Look, it's a ____") as a single object is presented). By 30 months, LPE no longer predicts word learning in this simple task, but it does when they need to use distributional cues within the sentence to establish reference (Lany, 2017). These findings suggest that LPE may support word learning when it is challenging, and perhaps especially when the words surrounding a novel label provide crucial cues to meaning.…”

“…At least one study has already begun to ask this question in older infants (Lany, 2017). One way to gain traction in understanding how LPE may support early lexical growth would be to test whether it relates to word-learning processes.…”

“…One way to gain traction in understanding how LPE may support early lexical growth would be to test whether it relates to word-learning processes. At least one study has already begun to ask this question in older infants (Lany, 2017). For example, by 17 months of age, infants who have better lexical recognition skills are better able to learn novel words in a fairly straightforward task (i.e., when labels are spoken in common ostensive labeling contexts such as "Look, it's a ____") as a single object is presented).…”

“…Specifically, by the time they reach 18 months of age infants with relatively good LPE already have larger vocabularies according to the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (MCDI), a widely used parent report measure of vocabulary size, and also learn more words across the following 6 to 12 months (Fernald & Marchman, 2012;Fernald, Marchman, & Weisleder, 2013;. Furthermore, at 16-18 months of age infants who are relatively fast at recognizing familiar words in a LPE task are also better able to learn novel nonce words than infants who are relatively slow, even when given the same amount of exposure to the new words (Lany, 2017). These data suggest that infants with relatively good LPE are better able to form robust and accurate lexical representations as they encounter new words, thereby supporting growth in the lexicon.…”

Individual differences in lexical processing efficiency and vocabulary in toddlers: A longitudinal investigation

“…Several studies have reported significant correlations between LWL measures and vocabulary size concurrently in infants (Fernald et al, 2006;Fernald, Marchman, & Weisleder, 2013), and under some conditions this relationship can be observed by as young as 12 months (Lany et al, 2018). Moreover, in some circumstances, infants with comparatively efficient lexical processing learn more words in a word-learning task than those with less efficient lexical processing (Lany, 2018). Retrospectively, individual differences in LWL at 24 months predict size of vocabulary, grammatical complexity, and rate of growth in vocabulary over the first year (Fernald et al, 2006).…”