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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

Getting beyond the "convenience sample" in research on early cognitive development.

¹Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. afernald@stanford.edu

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences

|June 16, 2010

Summary

Early cognitive and language development research often excludes impoverished children, limiting understanding of environmental impacts. Addressing this gap is crucial for discovering how early life experiences shape development.

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Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Science
Linguistics

Background:

Existing research on early cognitive and language development primarily involves middle-class infants.
Children in poverty may face reduced cognitive stimulation during critical early years.
This exclusion limits understanding of environmental influences on development.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the need for inclusive research in early cognitive and language development.
To emphasize the role of environmental support in the ontogeny of cognitive and language abilities.
To address the gap in research concerning children from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on early childhood development.
Analysis of socioeconomic disparities in cognitive stimulation.
Theoretical framework for environmental contributions to development.

Main Results:

Current research overlooks significant environmental factors affecting development in impoverished populations.
Socioeconomic status is a critical variable influencing early life cognitive and language exposure.
Exclusionary research practices hinder a comprehensive understanding of developmental trajectories.

Conclusions:

Inclusive research is essential to fully understand cognitive and language development across diverse populations.
Environmental support plays a vital role in the ontogeny of cognitive and language skills.
Future research must incorporate children from all socioeconomic backgrounds to advance developmental science.