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Preference for infant-directed speech in the first month after birth
1Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061.
Child Development
|October 1, 1990
Summary
Newborns and 1-month-olds show a preference for infant-directed (ID) speech over adult-directed (AD) speech. This innate preference for exaggerated prosody suggests early language acquisition may not require postnatal experience.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Infant-directed (ID) speech, characterized by exaggerated prosody, is commonly used when communicating with infants.
- Previous research suggests infants show a preference for ID speech, but the developmental timing of this preference is debated.
- Understanding early speech preferences provides insights into the foundational mechanisms of language acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate behavioral preferences for infant-directed (ID) speech versus adult-directed (AD) speech in newborns and 1-month-old infants.
- To determine if the preference for ID speech is present from birth or develops with postnatal experience.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments utilized a visual-fixation-based auditory-preference procedure.
- Infants (newborns and 1-month-olds) were presented with visual stimuli paired with either ID or AD speech.
- Looking durations towards the visual stimuli were recorded to measure speech preference.
Main Results:
- Both newborns and 1-month-old infants demonstrated a significant preference for ID speech over AD speech.
- While older infants (1-month-olds) exhibited longer overall looking times, the relative magnitude of the ID speech preference was similar across age groups.
- Differences in looking times were attributed to task variables, not differential speech processing abilities.
Conclusions:
- The preference for the exaggerated prosodic features of ID speech is present at birth.
- This innate preference suggests that early language perception may not be solely dependent on postnatal auditory experience.
- The potential role of prenatal auditory exposure to speech warrants further investigation.
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