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Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language 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...
Language and Cognition01:27

Language 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.
Three Developmental Domains01:29

Three Developmental Domains

Human development is typically examined across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. These domains represent the significant areas of change and continuity throughout the lifespan, from infancy to late adulthood.
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and weight,...
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs. “eh”). Phonemes combine to...
Introduction to Developmental Psychology01:27

Introduction 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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking (IPL): Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism
10:11

Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking (IPL): Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism

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Individual differences in language development: relationship with motor skill at 21 months.

Katherine J Alcock1, Kirsty Krawczyk

  • 1Department of Psychology, Fylde College, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YF, UK. k.j.alcock@lancaster.ac.uk

Developmental Science
|August 18, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Oral motor skills significantly impact early language production in toddlers. However, language comprehension relies more on cognitive and socioeconomic factors, suggesting distinct developmental pathways.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Linguistics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Language development is often linked to motor skills, especially manual gestures.
  • The precise nature of the motor-language connection in early childhood requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between various motor abilities and language development in 21-month-old children.
  • To differentiate the motor correlates of language production versus comprehension.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed 129 children aged 21 months on diverse motor skills: manual gestures (symbolic, meaningless, sequential memory), oral motor control, and gross/fine motor skills.
  • Evaluated language abilities (production and comprehension).
  • Controlled for cognitive and socio-economic status.

Main Results:

  • Oral motor control strongly predicted language production (vocabulary, sentence complexity).
  • Symbolic abilities showed a smaller contribution to language production.
  • Language comprehension was primarily associated with cognitive and socio-economic measures.

Conclusions:

  • Existing theories (e.g., symbolic, working memory, mirror neuron) inadequately explain the language-motor link.
  • A shared neural and motor foundation for oral movements may underlie the association between oral motor skills and language development.