Preferential Looking

One sensitive measure of early vocabulary acquisition is preferential looking (PL). Because visual orientation to an image is the only overt response required, preferential looking is very suitable in studies where younger infants are the participants. In addition to PL, a comprehensive measurement of early language is parent report on the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Gestures (CDI). There is limited data that compares and contrasts parental data to PL. Early assessment of language delay is crucial to undertaking appropriate intervention yet language delay is often not identified until deficits in production are observed, as late as 2 to 3 years of age. A comprehensive, experimental measure of receptive vocabulary that spans the transition from receptive to expressive language across the first 24-30 months of life is needed. Preferential looking is one potential approach to this issue.

Computerized Comprehension Task (CCT)

It is difficult to measure language comprehension in young children, primarily due to challenges in maintaining attention. The CCT was developed to provide a direct assessment of children’s language comprehension that was both effective and administered easily. The performance-based format takes into account the limited attention capabilities of young children. This assessment builds on previous approaches by presenting images to children in a forced-choice format. The motivation to develop the CCT was based on the premise that early language comprehension is an important predictor of developmental risk. The CCT is currently in place in labs in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, and (coming soon) Mexico.

What matters most: what you say or how you say it?

In this study, we explored the roles of language, facial expressions, and voice in guiding young children’s behavior. Before children can comprehend language, voice and facial expressions are important sources for understanding their world.  We conducted this study to discover the extent to which their actions are dependent on these guiding cues.