Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
06:35
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
Preserved implicit knowledge of a forgotten childhood language.
Jeffrey S Bowers1, Sven L Mattys, Suzanne H Gage
1University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK. j.bowers@bris.ac.uk
Psychological Science
|August 4, 2009
Summary
Early childhood language exposure leaves lasting traces on speech perception, even without explicit memory. Adults under 40 selectively relearned forgotten sound contrasts, unlike older adults or controls.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Early childhood language acquisition is thought to be fully forgotten if exposure ceases.
- Explicit memory for early languages is often absent in adulthood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether early language exposure leaves implicit traces in adult speech perception.
- To determine if age influences the retention of early language sound contrasts.
Main Methods:
- Adult native English speakers under 40 with prior Hindi or Zulu exposure were tested on relearning sound contrasts.
- Adult native English speakers over 40 with prior exposure were tested.
- Young control participants with no prior exposure were tested.
Main Results:
- Individuals under 40 selectively relearned subtle Hindi or Zulu sound contrasts.
- Individuals over 40 showed no relearning of the sound contrasts.
- Young control participants showed no learning of the sound contrasts.
Conclusions:
- Early language experience has a lasting, implicit impact on speech perception.
- Age is a critical factor in the retention of early phonetic learning.
- Exposing children to foreign languages offers long-term benefits for speech perception, regardless of continued exposure.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Implicit Memories
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
One key aspect of implicit...
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...
01:27Language 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.
01:16Interference and Decay
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
01:21The Nativist Approach
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...
01:22Purposive Learning
E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a bonus...