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The Comprehension of Conjunction and Disjunction by Toddlers
David J Lobina1,2, Hermann Sergio Bulf3, Maria Teresa Guasti3
1Faculty of Psychology, https://ror.org/01r9skd65UDIMA, Spain.
Journal of Child Language
|June 9, 2026
Summary
Toddlers as young as 28 months can comprehend logical connectives like conjunction and disjunction. This study reveals early language comprehension abilities in toddlers, challenging previous assumptions about late acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Language acquisition research often focuses on production, indicating late mastery of logical connectives.
- Previous studies suggest adult-like production of conjunction by age 3 and disjunction by age 6.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the comprehension of logical connectives (conjunction and disjunction) in Italian-speaking toddlers.
- To determine the earliest age of comprehension for these logical terms using an implicit measure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the intermodal preferential looking paradigm with 28-month-old toddlers.
- Collected eye-fixation data while toddlers listened to sentences with logical connectives.
- Analyzed data using a generalized additive model for online processing insights.
Main Results:
- Toddlers demonstrated the ability to discriminate between conjunctive and disjunctive sentences.
- Evidence suggests toddlers favor an inclusive interpretation of disjunction.
- Identified the earliest known comprehension of logical connectives in early language development.
Conclusions:
- Toddlers possess earlier comprehension of logical connectives than previously indicated by production studies.
- The findings provide crucial insights into the developmental trajectory of logical reasoning in language acquisition.
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