Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2025
05:35
Experience 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
6.7K
Infants' short-term memory for consonant-vowel syllables
Rochelle S Newman1, Vidda M Simpson1
1University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|October 16, 2022
Summary
Eleven-month-old infants show similar auditory short-term memory (STM) limits for speech and non-speech sounds. Their STM capacity for processing sequences appears constrained, regardless of sound type.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Auditory Perception
- Infant Psychology
Background:
- Auditory short-term memory (STM) is crucial for language acquisition.
- Previous research suggests infants can process sequences of sounds.
- Limited data exists on direct comparisons of speech versus non-speech STM capacity in early infancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if auditory short-term memory (STM) capacity for speech sounds differs from nonlinguistic sounds in 11-month-old infants.
- To compare infant STM performance on linguistic versus non-linguistic auditory sequences.
- To determine the capacity limits of auditory STM in early development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the head-turn preference procedure to measure infant listening times.
- Presented 11-month-old infants with auditory streams of 2 or 4 repeating syllables.
- Compared infant responses to constant sequences versus sequences that varied with each repetition.
Main Results:
- Infants listened longer to varying 2-syllable sequences compared to constant ones, indicating STM engagement.
- No significant difference in listening time was observed for varying 4-syllable sequences.
- This suggests a capacity limitation for auditory STM in 2-syllable sequences.
Conclusions:
- Infants demonstrate similar auditory short-term memory (STM) limitations for both speech and non-speech stimuli.
- Early auditory STM capacity appears constrained, irrespective of whether the sounds are linguistic or non-linguistic.
- Findings suggest a foundational similarity in how infants process sequential auditory information in early development.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory
273
Improving short-term memory can be achieved through techniques like chunking and rehearsal. Chunking involves organizing information into larger, more manageable units. This technique is particularly useful for information that exceeds the typical memory span of between five and nine items. For instance, logging into an online account with a password like "ta89vq0179gz" involves grouping letters and numbers into three chunks—ta89, vq01, and 79gz. It makes large amounts of...
273
01:22Language Development
429
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...
429
01:23Mnemonic Devices
163
Mnemonic devices are cognitive tools that facilitate memory retention by linking new information to familiar patterns or organizational strategies. These techniques are beneficial for remembering complex or lengthy sets of information by simplifying and structuring them in easily retrievable ways.
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
163
01:14Sensory Memory
288
Sensory memory captures information from the environment in its original form for a very brief duration, just long enough to be exposed to visual, auditory, and other senses. This type of memory is detailed and rich but quickly lost unless certain strategies are employed to transfer it into short-term or long-term memory. Sensory information is continuously bombarding the human brain, yet only a small fraction is absorbed, as most of it does not significantly impact daily life. For instance,...
288
01:18Long-Term Memory
242
Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
242
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
937
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
937