Statistical Regularities Shape Semantic Organization throughout Development

Abstract

Our knowledge about the world is represented not merely as a collection of concepts, but as an organized lexico-semantic network in which concepts can be linked by relations, such as “taxonomic” relations between members of the same stable category (e.g., cat and sheep), or association between entities that occur together or in the same context (e.g., sock and foot). To date, accounts of the origins of semantic organization have largely overlooked how sensitivity to statistical regularities ubiquitous in the environment may play a powerful role in shaping semantic development. The goal of the present research was to investigate how associations in the form of statistical regularities with which labels for concepts co-occur in language (e.g., sock and foot) and taxonomic relatedness (e.g., sock and pajamas) shape semantic organization of 4-5-year-olds and adults. To examine these aspects of semantic organization across development, we conducted three experiments examining effects of co-occurrence and taxonomic relatedness on cued recall (Experiment 1), word-picture matching (Experiment 2), and looking dynamics in a Visual World paradigm (Experiment 3). Taken together, the results of the three experiments provide evidence that co-occurrence-based links between concepts manifest in semantic organization from early childhood onward, and are increasingly supplemented by taxonomic links. We discuss these findings in relation to theories of semantic development.

The relationship between reasoning and language ability: comparing children with cochlear implants and children with typical hearing

“…This might be the case as language acquisition often starts later in children with CI. Unger et al [59] found evidence that links between words in the semantic network are influenced by co-occurrence. However, links between words based on co-occurrence can only be established after having received a sufficient amount of language input.…”

Experience and Maturation: The Contribution of Co-occurrence Regularities in Language to the Development of Semantic Organization

“…Extensive evidence suggests that from early development into adulthood, semantic organization is shaped by associative semantic links. Associative links, such are those between apple, eat and juicy, connect concepts whose labels or real-world counterparts are often experienced together (Blaye, Bernard-Peyron, Paour, & Bonthoux, 2006;Fenson, Vella, & Kennedy, 1989;Lin & Murphy, 2001;Unger, Savic, & Sloutsky, 2020;Walsh, Richardson, & Faulkner, 1993).…”

“…For example, the link between apple and juicy can support inferring that mipp is a fruit upon hearing "mipp is juicy" (Sloutsky, Yim, Yao, & Dennis, 2017). These and other contributions of associative links to semantic organization emerge early in development (e.g., Blaye et al, 2006;Fenson et al, 1989;Sloutsky et al, 2017;Unger et al, 2020), and persist into adulthood (e.g., Kutas & Federmeier, 2000;Lin & Murphy, 2001;Sloutsky et al, 2017).…”

“…For example, upon learning that apples are rich in vitamins, people can generalize this knowledge to pears and other fruits (Gelman, 2009;Gelman & Meyer, 2011;Heit, 2000;Sloutsky, 2010). In contrast to the early emergence of associative links, that are in some form present as early as 14 months of age (Friedrich and Friederici, 2004;2006), extensive evidence suggests that taxonomic links emerge more gradually over semantic development, typically not being robust before the age of six (Bjorklund & Jacobs, 1985;Blaye et al, 2006;Lucariello, Kyratzis, & Nelson, 1992;Lucariello & Nelson, 1985;Monnier & Bonthoux, 2011;Tversky, 1985;Unger et al, 2020;Walsh et al, 1993).…”

“…Previous studies of semantic development suggest that taxonomic links between familiar concepts are often weak and task-dependent at age 4, start to emerge from age 6, and become robust only in adulthood (Blaye et al, 2006;Nelson, 1977;Tversky, 1985;Unger, Savic, & Sloutsky, 2020). Given this developmental trajectory, we recruited 4-year-old children and adults, two age groups that are expected to show striking differences in reliance on taxonomic links.…”