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Abstract What is vision's role in driving early word production? To answer this, we assessed parent‐report vocabulary questionnaires administered to congenitally blind children (N = 40, Mean age = 24 months [R: 7–57 months]) and compared the size and contents of their productive vocabulary to those of a large normative sample of sighted children (N = 6574). We found that on average, blind children showed a roughly half‐year vocabulary delay relative to sighted children, amid considerable variability. However, the content of blind and sighted children's vocabulary was statistically indistinguishable in word length, part of speech, semantic category, concreteness, interactiveness, and perceptual modality. At a finer‐grained level, we also found that words’ perceptual properties intersect with children's perceptual abilities. Our findings suggest that while an absence of visual input may initially make vocabulary development more difficult, the content of the early productive vocabulary is largely resilient to differences in perceptual access. Research HighlightsInfants and toddlers born blind (with no other diagnoses) show a 7.5 month productive vocabulary delay on average, with wide variability.Across the studied age range (7–57 months), vocabulary delays widened with age.Blind and sighted children's early vocabularies contain similar distributions of word lengths, parts of speech, semantic categories, and perceptual modalities.Blind children (but not sighted children) were more likely to say visual words which could also be experienced through other senses.
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How barriers become invisible: Children are less sensitive to constraints that are stable over time
Abstract When making inferences about the mental lives of others (e.g., others’ preferences), it is critical to consider the extent to which the choices we observe are constrained. Prior research on the development of this tendency indicates a contradictory pattern: Children show remarkable sensitivity to constraints in traditional experimental paradigms, yet often fail to consider real‐world constraints and privilege inherent causes instead. We propose that one explanation for this discrepancy may be that real‐world constraints are often stable over time and lose their salience. The present research tested whether children (N = 133, 5‐ to 12‐year‐old mostly US children; 55% female, 45% male) becomelesssensitive to an actor's constraints after first observing two constrained actors (Stable condition) versus after first observing two actors in contexts with greater choice (Not Stable condition). We crossed thestabilityof the constraint with thetypeof constraint: either the constraint was deterministic such that there was only one option available (No Other Option constraint) or, in line with many real‐world constraints, the constraint was probabilistic such that therewasanother option, but it was difficult to access (Hard to Access constraint). Results indicated that children in the Stable condition became less sensitive to the probabilistic Hard to Access constraint across trials. Notably, we also found that children's sensitivity to constraints was enhanced in the Not Stable condition regardless of whether the constraint was probabilistic or deterministic. We discuss implications for children's sensitivity to real‐world constraints. Research HighlightsThis research addresses the apparent contradiction that children are sensitive to constraints in experimental paradigms but are ofteninsensitiveto constraints in the real world.One explanation for this discrepancy is that constraints in the real world tend to be stable over time and may lose their salience.When probabilistic constraints (i.e., when a second option is available but hard to access) are stable, children become de‐sensitized to constraints across trials.First observing contexts with greater choice increases children's sensitivity to both probabilistic and deterministic constraints.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2317714
- PAR ID:
- 10538502
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Developmental Science
- Volume:
- 27
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1363-755X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13496
