1. Recognizing a communicative signal 2. Resolving communicative ambiguity 3. Prioritizing a communicator’s intentions

1. Infants’ understanding of
communicative interactions
Talk at Kyoto Institute of Technology
July 11, 2015
Alia Martin
Harvard University
Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (2016)

7. “cup!”

8. “cup!”

11. 1. Recognizing a communicative signal
2. Resolving communicative ambiguity
3. Prioritizing a communicator’s
intentions
Outline

12. 1. Recognizing a communicative signal
2. Resolving communicative ambiguity
3. Prioritizing a communicator’s
intentions
Talk Outline

13. Can infants recognize a
communicative signal?

14. “cup!”

15. “cup!”

16. *cough*

17. *cough*
?

18. “cup!”

19. “cup!”
koppu!

20. “cup!”
tasse!
becher!
taza!
katora!
koppu!

21. Do infants recognize that
speech is communicative?

22. Infant attention to speech
• Infants prefer speech to other sounds
(Vouloumanos & Werker, 2004; 2007; Shultz & Vouloumanos, 2010)
• 6-month-olds recognize speech is
human-produced and human-
directed (Vouloumanos et al., 2009; Legerstee et al., 2000)
• 10-month-olds expect mutual gaze
between speakers (Beier & Spelke, 2011)

23. Infant attention to speech
• Newborns prefer speech to other
sounds (Vouloumanos & Werker, 2004; 2007; Shultz & Vouloumanos,
2010)
• 6-month-olds recognize speech is
human-produced and human-
directed (Vouloumanos et al., 2009; Legerstee et al., 2000)

24. • Newborns prefer speech to other
sounds (Vouloumanos & Werker, 2004; 2007; Shultz & Vouloumanos,
2010)
• 6-month-olds recognize speech is
human-produced and human-
directed (Vouloumanos et al., 2009; Legerstee et al., 2000)
Infant attention to speech

25. Do infants recognize that
speech is communicative?

26. Do infants recognize that
speech is communicative?
12-month-olds

27. Procedure

28. Procedure
Communicator Addressee

29. Procedure
Communicator Addressee

30. Communicator Familiarization

31. Addressee Familiarization

32. Test

33. Test

34. Speech
“Koba!”

35. Cough
*cough*

36. Target Non-target

37. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Speech Cough Recipient
Speech
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-target
Results
*
*
Martin, Onishi, & Vouloumanos, 2012

38. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Speech Cough Recipient
Speech
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-target
Results
*
*
Martin, Onishi, & Vouloumanos, 2012

39. Interim summary
• 12-month-olds recognize that speech
can transfer information about an
object, but coughing cannot

40. Interim summary
• 12-month-olds recognize that speech
can transfer information about an
object, but coughing cannot
– even though infants themselves always
have information about the target

41. Interim summary
• 12-month-olds recognize that speech
can transfer information about an
object, but coughing cannot
– even though infants themselves always
have information about the target
• Communication, or mere presence of
speech?

42. Communicator Familiarization

43. Addressee Familiarization

44. Test
“koba!”

45. Test
Target Non-target
“koba!”

46. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Speech Cough Recipient
Speech
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-target
Results
Martin, Onishi, & Vouloumanos, 2012
*
*
*
Addressee
Speech

47. Do 6-month-old infants
recognize that speech is
communicative?

48. • understand some common words used
in their environment (Bergelson & Swingley, 2012; Tincoff
& Jusczyk, 1999; 2012)
• no evidence for learning a word in a
single trial
6-month-olds…

49. 6-month-olds…
• understand some common words used
in their environment (Bergelson & Swingley, 2012; Tincoff
& Jusczyk, 1999; 2012)
• no evidence for learning a word in a
single trial

50. “****”

51. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough +
Visual Access
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-Target
*
Results: 6-month-olds
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014

52. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough +
Visual Access
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-Target
Results: 6-month-olds
*
*
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014

53. Information transfer
Target Non-target
“****”

54. Communicator Familiarization
Addressee Visual Access

55. Addressee Familiarization

56. Test
*cough*
Target Non-target

57. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough +
Visual Access
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-Target
Results: 6-month-olds
*
*
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014

58. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Speech Cough Cough +
Visual Access
LookingTime(s)
Target
Non-Target
*
* *
*
Results: 6-month-olds
Vouloumanos, Martin, & Onishi, 2014

59. Discussion
• 6- and 12-month-old infants recognize
that the form of speech is
communicative
– transfers information from one person to
another

60. Discussion
• 6- and 12-month-old infants recognize
that the form of speech is
communicative
– transfers information from one person to
another
• May provide a mechanism for
language and knowledge acquisition

61. THANKS!
Collaborators
Athena Vouloumanos
Kris Onishi