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Grammatical constructions in typical developing children: effects of explicit reinforcement, automatic reinforcement
Leni Ostvik1, Svein Eikeseth, Lars Klintwall
1Oslo and Akershus University College.
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
|July 4, 2012
Summary
Preschoolers increased their use of passive voice grammar when modeled by an adult, even without explicit rewards. This suggests automatic reinforcement from imitating adult language structures plays a key role in language acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Child Language Acquisition
Background:
- Preschoolers typically favor active grammatical constructions.
- Previous research explored adult modeling and reinforcement in child language development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if preschool children imitate adult passive voice usage.
- To compare automatic reinforcement from modeling versus explicit rewards.
Main Methods:
- Adult modeling of passive grammatical voice with preschool-aged children.
- Observation of children's spontaneous use of passive versus active voice.
- Analysis of imitation rates and reinforcement effects.
Main Results:
- Five out of six children increased passive voice usage after adult modeling.
- The imitation effect persisted despite explicit rewards for active voice.
- One child showed no change in passive voice usage.
Conclusions:
- Children exhibit a strong tendency to imitate adult grammatical structures automatically.
- Automatic reinforcement from mimicking adult language may outweigh explicit rewards in language acquisition.
- This provides insight into how children acquire complex grammar without direct instruction.
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