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Related Experiment Video

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A Method to Study Adaptation to Left-Right Reversed Audition

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Developmental changes in perception of nonnative vowel contrasts

L Polka¹, J F Werker

¹School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance

|April 1, 1994

Summary

Infants can discriminate foreign language sounds early on, but this ability declines with age. This study shows that the developmental shift in sound perception begins earlier for vowels than for consonants.

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Linguistics
Auditory Perception

Background:

Infants' ability to perceive speech sounds is crucial for language acquisition.
Previous research indicates a shift from language-general to language-specific sound perception in the first year of life, particularly for consonants.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the developmental trajectory of discriminating nonnative German vowel contrasts in English-learning infants.
To compare the developmental timing of vowel and consonant perception shifts.

Main Methods:

Head turn procedure with 6-8 and 10-12 month olds to assess discrimination of German vowel contrasts.
Habituation looking procedure with 4 and 6 month olds to assess discrimination of German vowel contrasts.

Main Results:

Younger infants (6-8 months) discriminated nonnative vowels better than older infants (10-12 months).
4-month-olds discriminated both German vowel contrasts, but 6-month-olds did not.
Discrimination performance for vowels at 6-8 months was lower than previously reported for nonnative consonants.

Conclusions:

A developmental shift from language-general to language-specific vowel perception occurs within the first year of life.
This perceptual shift for vowels emerges earlier than the previously documented shift for consonants.