Learning in Complex Environments: The Effects of Background Speech on Early Word Learning

Authors

Brianna T.M. McMillan, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
Jenny R. Saffran, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2016

Publication Title

Child Development

Abstract

Although most studies of language learning take place in quiet laboratory settings, everyday language learning occurs under noisy conditions. The current research investigated the effects of background speech on word learning. Both younger (22- to 24-month-olds; n = 40) and older (28- to 30-month-olds; n = 40) toddlers successfully learned novel label–object pairings when target speech was 10 dB louder than background speech but not when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was 5 dB. Toddlers (28- to 30-month-olds; n = 26) successfully learned novel words with a 5-dB SNR when they initially heard the labels embedded in fluent speech without background noise, before they were mapped to objects. The results point to both challenges and protective factors that may impact language learning in complex auditory environments.

Volume

87

Issue

6

First Page

1841

Last Page

1855

DOI

10.1111/cdev.12559

ISSN

00093920

Rights

© 2016 the Authors

Comments

Archived as published.

Recommended Citation

McMillan, Brianna T.M. and Saffran, Jenny R., "Learning in Complex Environments: The Effects of Background Speech on Early Word Learning" (2016). Psychology: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/psy_facpubs/108