Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
06:34
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
Infants' sensitivity to word boundaries in fluent speech
J Myers1, P W Jusczyk, D G Kemler Nelson
1Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo 14260, USA.
Journal of Child Language
|February 1, 1996
Summary
By 11 months, infants can detect word boundaries in fluent speech. This ability relies on more than just speech rhythm or familiarity with words.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Understanding how infants process spoken language is crucial for cognitive development research.
- Early identification of word units in continuous speech is a foundational skill for language acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate infants' sensitivity to word boundaries in fluent speech.
- To determine the developmental trajectory of this sensitivity and the cues infants utilize.
Main Methods:
- Infants listened to speech stimuli with pauses inserted at word boundaries (Coincident) versus within words (Noncoincident).
- Behavioral responses (listening time) were measured across different age groups (4.5, 9, and 11 months).
- Stimuli were manipulated (e.g., low-pass filtering) and varied (e.g., word familiarity, stress patterns) to isolate contributing factors.
Main Results:
- Eleven-month-olds showed a significant preference for Coincident versions, indicating sensitivity to word boundaries.
- Younger infants (4.5 and 9 months) did not exhibit this preference.
- Sensitivity at 11 months was not solely dependent on prosodic cues or prior word knowledge.
Conclusions:
- Infants develop sensitivity to word boundaries in fluent speech by 11 months of age.
- This sensitivity is supported by multiple cues beyond prosody and familiarity.
- Findings provide insights into the early mechanisms of speech segmentation in infants.
More Related Videos
05:35Experience 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
06:07Exploring Infant Sensitivity to Visual Language using Eye Tracking and the Preferential Looking Paradigm
Published on: May 15, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
01:22Language Development
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...
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:14Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
Exploration...
01:21The Nativist Approach
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...