Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
06:34
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
SES differences in language processing skill and vocabulary are evident at 18 months
Anne Fernald1, Virginia A Marchman1, Adriana Weisleder1
1Department of Psychology, Stanford University, USA.
Developmental Science
|February 26, 2013
Summary
Early language development shows disparities. By 18 months, infants from higher socioeconomic status (SES) families had better vocabulary and language processing skills than lower-SES peers, a gap widening by 24 months.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Sociology
Background:
- Early language proficiency is crucial for cognitive development.
- Family socioeconomic status (SES) can influence child development outcomes.
- Understanding disparities in early language skills is essential for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To track developmental changes in spoken language processing efficiency in relation to vocabulary learning.
- To examine differences in early language development based on family socioeconomic status (SES).
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 48 English-learning infants from 18 to 24 months.
- Real-time measures of spoken language processing.
- Analysis of vocabulary acquisition and processing efficiency.
Main Results:
- Significant disparities in vocabulary and language processing efficiency were observed at 18 months between infants from higher- and lower-SES families.
- By 24 months, a 6-month gap in critical language processing skills emerged between SES groups.
- Similarities and striking differences in early language proficiency were noted across diverse family backgrounds.
Conclusions:
- Socioeconomic disparities significantly impact early language development and processing skills.
- Interventions may be needed to address language skill gaps in infants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Early identification of language processing differences is critical for supporting equitable development.
More Related Videos
05:35Experience 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
06:15Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism
Published on: October 3, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:22Language 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...
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...
01:27Language 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.
01:10Higher 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...
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...
01:24Components 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...
01:28Lateralization
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
01:21The Nativist Approach
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...