Lexical Leveraging in Novel Word Learning: Different Semantic Properties Support Learners at Different Stages of Development
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| Title: | Lexical Leveraging in Novel Word Learning: Different Semantic Properties Support Learners at Different Stages of Development |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Amanda Rose Yuile (ORCID |
| Source: | Developmental Science. 2026 29(1). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH) |
| Contract Number: | R01DC018593 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Toddlers, Vocabulary Development, Taxonomy, Concept Formation, Semantics, Expressive Language, Cues |
| DOI: | 10.1111/desc.70087 |
| ISSN: | 1363-755X 1467-7687 |
| Abstract: | Toddlers better retain novel object-label mappings from taxonomic categories they have more knowledge of. Separately, words for concepts with more perceptual features are learned earlier than words for concepts with fewer perceptual features. Because these factors have only been examined separately, it is unclear whether the effects of taxonomic density stem from differences in structured taxonomic knowledge or simply reflect lower-level differences in perceptual similarity among concepts. We asked how taxonomic structure and perceptual information jointly contribute to word learning at 24 months old in an ostensive word learning task. We found that semantic category knowledge facilitated word learning. We also found that the availability of perceptual features served as additional supports for word learning by children with smaller expressive vocabularies. This indicates that structured taxonomic knowledge is a better predictor of word learning compared to lower-level perceptual features at 24 months old. However, perceptual cues may provide additional support for vocabulary growth at the start of development. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://osf.io/5jwcu |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1492080 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Toddlers better retain novel object-label mappings from taxonomic categories they have more knowledge of. Separately, words for concepts with more perceptual features are learned earlier than words for concepts with fewer perceptual features. Because these factors have only been examined separately, it is unclear whether the effects of taxonomic density stem from differences in structured taxonomic knowledge or simply reflect lower-level differences in perceptual similarity among concepts. We asked how taxonomic structure and perceptual information jointly contribute to word learning at 24 months old in an ostensive word learning task. We found that semantic category knowledge facilitated word learning. We also found that the availability of perceptual features served as additional supports for word learning by children with smaller expressive vocabularies. This indicates that structured taxonomic knowledge is a better predictor of word learning compared to lower-level perceptual features at 24 months old. However, perceptual cues may provide additional support for vocabulary growth at the start of development. |
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| ISSN: | 1363-755X 1467-7687 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/desc.70087 |
