In 2 experiments, we taught 120 3-year-olds and 120 adults novel words for unfamiliar solid
objects or perceptually similar nonsolid substances described as belonging either to the toy
domain or the food domain. In a forced-choice task, participants extended the novel words to
one of two test items: a same-shape test item (i.e., one that shared a common shape with the
standard but differed in colour, texture, or smell) or a same-substance test item (i.e., one that
shared a common colour, texture, and smell with the standard but differed in shape).
Participants made more same-shape choices in the solid than in the nonsolid conditions. This
tendency varied depending on whether the same-shape item differed from the standard in
colour, texture, or smell. Participants also made more same-shape choices for items described
as toys than for the same items described as food. This tendency was consistent regardless of
whether the same-shape item differed from the standard in colour, texture, or smell. The
findings confirm previous reports that children's word extensions are affected by the solidity
of the referent. They also reveal that these extensions are guided by information about the
referent's conceptual domain. Finally, these results provide the first evidence that these
extensions are influenced by the smell, texture, and colour of the referent.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/9702 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Lavin, Tracy A. |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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