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European Journal of Developmental Psychology

Volume 4, Issue 4, 2007

When knowing the name of objects is not enough to categorize them

When knowing the name of objects is not enough to categorize them

DOI:
10.1080/17405620701269425
Thierry Nazzia* & Marie Pilardeaua

pages 435-450

Available online: 07 Nov 2007

Abstract

Two experiments explored 16-month-olds' learning of new nouns, and their use of these nouns to categorize objects. In both experiments, infants were presented with triads of perceptually dissimilar objects, which were given made-up names, two of the objects receiving the same name. Following each training phase, infants were tested on whether: (a) they could use the names to categorize the objects (Experiment 1), or (b) they had actually learned the association between the names and the objects (Experiment 2). Our results show that 16-month-olds can simultaneously learn the name of three objects, but cannot use these newly learned names to categorize the objects in the absence of any other cue to categorization. These results are discussed in light of different hypotheses regarding the way infants come to use names to categorize objects.

 

Details

  • Citation information:
  • Available online: 07 Nov 2007

Author affiliations

  • a CNRS-Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France

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