Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
06:48
Lexical Decision Task for Studying Written Word Recognition in Adults with and without Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: June 25, 2019
The relationship between socio-economic status and lexical development.
Esther Black1, Sue Peppé, Fiona Gibbon
1Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics
|April 17, 2008
Summary
This study found no significant link between receptive vocabulary scores, measured by the British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS-II), and socio-economic status in typically developing children. Further analysis explored potential reasons for conflicting research findings.
Area of Science:
- Child language development
- Psycholinguistics
- Socioeconomic factors in education
Background:
- The British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS-II) is a common tool for assessing receptive vocabulary in children.
- Previous research suggests a link between receptive vocabulary and socioeconomic status, but findings are inconsistent.
- This inconsistency highlights the need for further investigation into factors influencing vocabulary acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between receptive vocabulary and socioeconomic status in typically developing children.
- To review existing literature on receptive vocabulary and socioeconomic status.
- To explore potential reasons for discrepancies in previous study findings.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on receptive vocabulary and socioeconomic status.
- Administration of the British Picture Vocabulary Scale, second edition (BPVS-II) to 76 typically developing children aged 4-11.
- Classification of participants based on socioeconomic status (deprivation category) in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant correlation was found between BPVS-II scores and socioeconomic status.
- Analysis of error patterns and word frequency within the BPVS-II was conducted.
- Discrepancies between current findings and prior studies were examined.
Conclusions:
- The study did not support a direct association between receptive vocabulary and socioeconomic status in the studied population.
- Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay of factors affecting vocabulary development.
- Implications for the use of the BPVS-II in assessing primary school-aged children are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:22Language Development
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
01:22Vygotsky's Cognitive Development in Cultural Context
Lev Vygotsky, a pioneering Russian psychologist, developed a theory of cognitive development that centers on the influence of social and cultural factors. Unlike Jean Piaget, who emphasized the child's direct interaction with the physical world as key to development, Vygotsky argued that cognitive growth is an interpersonal process that unfolds within a cultural context. For Vygotsky, a child's learning cannot be separated from their social environment, which includes the values, beliefs, and...
01:27Introduction to Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
01:30Information Processing Approach
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the recognition that people have...