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Nonsimultaneous stimulus presentations and their role in listener naming
Maithri Sivaraman1, Dermot Barnes-Holmes2, Herbert Roeyers1
1Department of Experimental, Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|September 20, 2021
Summary
This study investigated toddler language development by presenting objects and names non-simultaneously. Multiple exemplar training improved listener naming, suggesting it helps establish novel language transformations.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Previous naming studies presented objects and names simultaneously, potentially confounding results.
- This setup may not require novel (entailed) transformations of function for successful naming tests.
- The current study controlled for this by using sequential, nonsimultaneous presentations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence of entailed transformations of function in toddler naming.
- To assess the effectiveness of multiple exemplar training (MET) in establishing generalized listener naming responses.
- To refine methods for studying behavioral processes in listener-naming using nonsimultaneous stimulus presentations.
Main Methods:
- Eight typically developing toddlers participated.
- Objects and names were presented nonsimultaneously during name training.
- Four participants received multiple exemplar training (MET); four served as a control group.
Main Results:
- All participants failed initial listener-naming tests without MET.
- MET led to listener naming improvements in 4 participants.
- Control participants showed no consistent performance improvements.
Conclusions:
- Multiple exemplar training (MET) effectively establishes generalized listener responses, involving entailed transformations of function.
- Nonsimultaneous stimulus presentation offers a precise method for studying naming processes.
- This approach aids in understanding the behavioral mechanisms underlying language acquisition.
