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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of Wernicke's and Broca's Areas in Studies of Language Learning and Word Acquisition
Published on: July 13, 2019
Direct and indirect cues to knowledge states during word learning
Megan M Saylor1, C Brooke Carroll
1Vanderbilt University, Psychology and Human Development, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. m.saylor@vanderbilt.edu
Abstract:
The present study investigated three-year-olds' sensitivity to direct and indirect cues to others' knowledge states for word learning purposes. Children were given either direct, physical cues to knowledge or indirect, verbal cues to knowledge. Preschoolers revealed a better ability to learn words from a speaker following direct, physical cues to their knowledge state. Implications for children's emerging pragmatic competence are discussed.
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