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Published on: February 8, 2019
Object perception and object naming in early development
1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA; Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|January 20, 2011
Summary
Young children may rely more on perception than world knowledge for early object naming. This perceptual foundation allows rapid name learning, even with differing conceptual organizations between children and adults.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Object naming is a fundamental human capacity.
- Debate exists on whether perception or world knowledge drives early object naming in children.
- Adults heavily utilize conceptual knowledge for object naming and categorization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of perception versus world knowledge in early object naming.
- To propose that perception plays a unique role in initial name acquisition.
- To explain how children rapidly learn object names despite differing conceptual frameworks.
Main Methods:
- The study proposes a theoretical framework, not empirical methods.
- It contrasts adult and child object naming processes.
- It hypothesizes the nature of early naming mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Perception may be foundational for early object naming.
- Certain world knowledge guiding adult naming emerges later in development.
- Early naming mechanisms might be perceptually encapsulated.
Conclusions:
- A perception-based foundation facilitates rapid early name learning.
- Encapsulated perceptual mechanisms allow children to acquire names efficiently.
- Developmental differences in conceptual organization do not impede early naming acquisition.
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