Poster #40 - Metamemory in preschoolers' novel word learning.

• In Event: Poster Session 20

Abstract

Children are excellent word learners, but how they figure out the names for things is debated. Through cross-situational word learning (CSWL) infants are able to learn word-object pairings by tracking label and object co-occurrences (Yu et al., 2011). Preschoolers' memory abilities are positively related to their CSWL, suggesting that memory plays an important role in CSWL (Vlach & DeBrock, 2017; 2019). However, it is unknown to what extent children's metamemory abilities is related to their CSWL. Yet preschoolers demonstrate metamemory abilities, they are more confident and able to decide to exclude or include items that they remember (Hembacher & Ghetti, 2014). In the current study, we will test if preschoolers' metamemory abilities is related to their CSWL.

Participants will include two- to five-year-olds (N=75). During training in the CSWL task children see two items on a screen at a time and hear them labeled. The children are not told which label corresponds to each item and must track these presentations across trials to learn the word-item mappings. At test children see two objects on the screen at a time and are asked to point to the correct referent for the label (e.g. Which one is the dax?). Children's CSWL is assessed as their accuracy of identifying the correct referent over a distractor. To assess children's metamemory, children are asked on each test trial how confident they are in their decision on a 3-point scale and if they wanted their answer included in their final score or not, similar to Hembacher and Ghetti (2014).

The relation between children's CSWL and their metamemory will be assessed with multiple regression. We predict that children will be more accurate in their word-referent mappings for items they were more confident about and decided to include in their final score. The implications of these results will aid our understanding of the mechanisms that support word learning and help us to further understand the relationship between memory and language development.

Authors

• Abbie Thompson, Valparaiso University
  Presenting Author

• Larissa Chavarria, Valparaiso University

• Allie Kom, Valparaiso University

• Gabriella Frangopoulos, Valparaiso University

• Elena Rodriguez, Valparaiso University