Skype me! Socially contingent interactions help toddlers learn language.
Sarah Roseberry1, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek2, Roberta M Golinkoff3
1University of Washington.
Child Development
|October 12, 2013
Summary
Socially contingent interactions, like live or video chat, are crucial for toddlers to learn new words. Non-contingent screen time does not support this early language acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Media Psychology
Background:
- Language acquisition is fundamentally social, yet the specific role of social interaction mechanisms in learning remains under-explored.
- Understanding how social cues facilitate word learning is critical for developmental and educational research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether social contingency in interactions supports word learning in toddlers.
- To compare learning outcomes across live interaction, socially contingent video chat, and non-contingent video exposure.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 36 toddlers (24-30 months) exposed to novel verbs.
- Three conditions were tested: live interaction, socially contingent video chat, and yoked non-contingent video.
- Word learning was assessed based on exposure in these distinct social contexts.
Main Results:
- Toddlers successfully learned novel verbs exclusively in socially contingent interaction conditions.
- Both live interactions and video chat interactions facilitated word learning.
- Non-contingent video exposure did not lead to significant word learning.
Conclusions:
- Social contingency is a key factor enabling language learning in young children.
- Video chat technology can support word learning if interactions are socially contingent.
- This research provides novel insights into learning via screen media, particularly video chat.
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