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Aneja P, Kinna T, Newman J, Sami S, Cassidy J, McCarthy J, Tiwari M, Kumar A, Spencer JP. Leveraging technological advances to assess dyadic visual cognition during infancy in high- and low-resource settings. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1376552. [PMID: 38873529 PMCID: PMC11169819 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1376552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Caregiver-infant interactions shape infants' early visual experience; however, there is limited work from low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) in characterizing the visual cognitive dynamics of these interactions. Here, we present an innovative dyadic visual cognition pipeline using machine learning methods which captures, processes, and analyses the visual dynamics of caregiver-infant interactions across cultures. We undertake two studies to examine its application in both low (rural India) and high (urban UK) resource settings. Study 1 develops and validates the pipeline to process caregiver-infant interaction data captured using head-mounted cameras and eye-trackers. We use face detection and object recognition networks and validate these tools using 12 caregiver-infant dyads (4 dyads from a 6-month-old UK cohort, 4 dyads from a 6-month-old India cohort, and 4 dyads from a 9-month-old India cohort). Results show robust and accurate face and toy detection, as well as a high percent agreement between processed and manually coded dyadic interactions. Study 2 applied the pipeline to a larger data set (25 6-month-olds from the UK, 31 6-month-olds from India, and 37 9-month-olds from India) with the aim of comparing the visual dynamics of caregiver-infant interaction across the two cultural settings. Results show remarkable correspondence between key measures of visual exploration across cultures, including longer mean look durations during infant-led joint attention episodes. In addition, we found several differences across cultures. Most notably, infants in the UK had a higher proportion of infant-led joint attention episodes consistent with a child-centered view of parenting common in western middle-class families. In summary, the pipeline we report provides an objective assessment tool to quantify the visual dynamics of caregiver-infant interaction across high- and low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prerna Aneja
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Kinna
- School of Medicine, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob Newman
- IT and Computing, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Saber Sami
- School of Medicine, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Joe Cassidy
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Jordan McCarthy
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - John P. Spencer
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
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2
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Kanto L, Laakso M, Huttunen K. Use of pointing in parent-child interactions by hearing children of deaf and hearing parents: A follow-up from 1- to 3-years of age. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2024; 51:411-433. [PMID: 37340946 DOI: 10.1017/s030500092300020x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Pointing plays a significant role in communication and language development. However, in spoken languages pointing has been viewed as a non-verbal gesture, whereas in sign languages, pointing is regarded to represent a linguistic unit of language. This study compared the use of pointing between seven bilingual hearing children of deaf parents (Kids of Deaf Adults [KODAs]) interacting with their deaf parents and five hearing children interacting with their hearing parents. Data were collected in 6-month intervals from the age of 1;0 to 3;0. Pointing frequency among the deaf parents and KODAs was significantly higher than among the hearing parents and their children. In signing dyads pointing frequency remained stable, whereas in spoken dyads it decreased during the follow-up. These findings suggested that pointing is a fundamental element of parent-child interaction, regardless of the language, but is guided by the modality, gestural and linguistic features of the language in question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kanto
- Department of Language and Communication studies, University of Jyväskylä
- Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä
| | - Minna Laakso
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki
| | - Kerttu Huttunen
- Faculty of Humanities/Research Unit of Logopedics, University of Oulu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Oulu
- Medical Research Center Oulu
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3
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Szarkowski A, Moeller MP, Gale E, Smith T, Birdsey BC, Moodie STF, Carr G, Stredler-Brown A, Yoshinaga-Itano C, Holzinger D. Family-Centered Early Intervention Deaf/Hard of Hearing (FCEI-DHH): Cultural & Global Implications. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2024; 29:SI27-SI39. [PMID: 38422445 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enad036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
This article is the third in a series of eight articles that comprise this special issue on family-centered early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families (FCEI-DHH). It highlights the origins of FCEI-DHH in Western contexts and well-resourced locations and emphasizes the role of culture(s) in shaping FCEI-DHH. This article also cautions against the direct application of the 10 FCEI-DHH Principles presented in this issue across the globe without consideration of cultural implications. Cultural perceptions of decision-making processes and persons who can be decision-makers in FCEI-DHH are explored. Deaf culture(s) and the benefits of exposure to DHH adults with diverse backgrounds are introduced. Structural inequities that impact families' access to FCEI-DHH programs/services and systems, within and among nations and regions, are noted. The need to consider the cultural influences on families is emphasized; this applies to all levels of FCEI, including the development of systems through implementation of supports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Szarkowski
- The Institute, Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf, Beverly, MA, United States
- Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mary Pat Moeller
- Center for Childhood Deafness, Language & Learning, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Elaine Gale
- School of Education, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Bianca C Birdsey
- Global Coalition of Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (GPODHH), Durban, South Africa
| | - Sheila T F Moodie
- Health Sciences, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Gwen Carr
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention and Family Centered Practice, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arlene Stredler-Brown
- Colorado Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, Colorado Department of Human Services, Denver, CO, United States
| | | | - Daniel Holzinger
- Institute of Neurology of Senses and Language, Hospital of St. John of God, Linz, Austria
- Research Institute for Developmental Medicine, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
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4
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Szarkowski A, Moeller MP, Gale E, Smith T, Birdsey BC, Moodie STF, Carr G, Stredler-Brown A, Yoshinaga-Itano C, Holzinger D. Family-Centered Early Intervention Deaf/Hard of Hearing (FCEI-DHH): Support Principles. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2024; 29:SI64-SI85. [PMID: 38422442 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enad039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
This article is the sixth in a series of eight articles that comprise a special issue on Family-Centered Early Intervention (FCEI) for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and their families, or FCEI-DHH. The Support Principles article is the second of three articles that describe the 10 Principles of FCEI-DHH, preceded by the Foundation Principles, and followed by the Structure Principles, all in this special issue. The Support Principles are composed of four Principles (Principles 3, 4, 5, and 6) that highlight (a) the importance of a variety of supports for families raising children who are DHH; (b) the need to attend to and ensure the well-being of all children who are DHH; (c) the necessity of building the language and communication abilities of children who are DHH and their family members; and (d) the importance of considering the family's strengths, needs, and values in decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Szarkowski
- The Institute, Children's Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf, Beverly, MA, United States
- Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mary Pat Moeller
- Center for Childhood Deafness, Language & Learning, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Elaine Gale
- School of Education, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Bianca C Birdsey
- Global Coalition of Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (GPODHH), Durban, South Africa
| | - Sheila T F Moodie
- Health Sciences, School of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Gwen Carr
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention and Family Centered Practice, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arlene Stredler-Brown
- Colorado Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, Colorado Department of Human Services, Denver, CO, United States
| | | | - Daniel Holzinger
- Institute of Neurology of Senses and Language, Hospital of St. John of God, Linz, Austria
- Research Institute for Developmental Medicine, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
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5
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Ishikawa M, Senju A. Action value calculations in social context from infancy. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:227-229. [PMID: 36610863 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Infants adaptively modulate their social behaviours, such as gaze-following, to social context. We propose that such modulations are based on infants' social decision-making, to achieve the most valuable outcome. We propose an 'action value calculator model', which formulates the cognitive mechanisms underlying, and the development of, the decision-making process during interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuhiko Ishikawa
- Centre for Baby Science, Doshisha University, 4-1-1 Kizugawadai, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0295, Japan; Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK.
| | - Atsushi Senju
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK; Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
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6
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Hernandez B, Allen TE, Morere DA. ASL Developmental Trends Among Deaf Children, Ages Birth to Five. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2022; 28:7-20. [PMID: 36221907 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Language development is an important facet of early life. Deaf children may have exposure to various languages and communication modalities, including spoken and visual. Previous research has documented the rate of growth of English skills among young deaf children, but no studies have investigated the rate of ASL acquisition. The current paper examines young deaf children's acquisition of ASL skills, the rate of growth over time, and factors impacting levels and growth rates. Seventy-three children ages birth to 5 were rated three times using the Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist and given a scaled score at each rating. An average monthly gain score was calculated for each participant. The presence of a deaf parent, use of ASL at home, use of cochlear implant(s), whether the child was born deaf, and age of initial diagnosis were analyzed for their impact on the level of ASL skill and rate of growth. Results indicated that the use of ASL in the home has a significant positive effect on deaf children's ASL skill level. Additionally, children with lower initial ratings showed higher rates of growth than those with higher initial ratings, especially among school-aged children. The paper discusses implications and directions for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Hernandez
- Department of Psychology, Gallaudet University, USA
- PhD in Educational Neuroscience Program, Gallaudet University, USA
| | - Thomas E Allen
- PhD in Educational Neuroscience Program, Gallaudet University, USA
- Science of Learning Center on Visual Language and Visual Learning, Gallaudet University, USA
| | - Donna A Morere
- Department of Psychology, Gallaudet University, USA
- PhD in Educational Neuroscience Program, Gallaudet University, USA
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7
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Singleton JL, Crume PK. The socialization of modality capital in sign language ecologies: A classroom example. Front Psychol 2022; 13:934649. [PMID: 36389551 PMCID: PMC9649813 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.934649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gaze behavior is an important component of children’s language, cognitive, and sociocultural development. This is especially true for young deaf children acquiring a signed language—if they are not looking at the language model, they are not getting linguistic input. Deaf caregivers engage their deaf infants and toddlers using visual and tactile strategies to draw in, support, and promote their child’s visual attention; we argue that these caregiver actions create a developmental niche that establishes the visual modality capital their child needs for successful sign language learning. But most deaf children do not have deaf signing parents (reportedly over 90%) and they will need to rely on adult signing teachers if they are to acquire a signed language at an early age. This study examines classroom interactions between a Deaf teacher, her teacher’s aide, and six deaf preschoolers to document the teachers’ “everyday practices” as they socialize the gaze behavior of these children. Utilizing a detailed behavioral and linguistic analysis of two video-recorded book-sharing contexts, we present data summarizing the teacher’s attention-getting actions directed toward the children and the discourse-embedded cues that signal the teacher’s expectations for student participation in the signed conversation. We observed that the teacher’s behaviors differed according to the parent status of the deaf preschooler (Deaf parents vs. hearing parents) suggesting that Deaf children of Deaf parents arrive to the preschool classroom with well-developed self-regulation of their attention or gaze. The teachers also used more physical and explicit cueing with the deaf children of hearing parents—possibly to promote their ability to leverage the visual modality for sign language acquisition. We situate these socialization patterns within a framework that integrates notions of intuitive or indigenous practices, developmental niche, and modality capital. Implications for early childhood deaf education are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny L. Singleton
- Department of Linguistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Jenny L. Singleton,
| | - Peter K. Crume
- Department of Learning Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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8
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Bosworth RG, Hwang SO, Corina DP. Visual attention for linguistic and non-linguistic body actions in non-signing and native signing children. Front Psychol 2022; 13:951057. [PMID: 36160576 PMCID: PMC9505519 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.951057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence from adult studies of deaf signers supports the dissociation between neural systems involved in processing visual linguistic and non-linguistic body actions. The question of how and when this specialization arises is poorly understood. Visual attention to these forms is likely to change with age and be affected by prior language experience. The present study used eye-tracking methodology with infants and children as they freely viewed alternating video sequences of lexical American sign language (ASL) signs and non-linguistic body actions (self-directed grooming action and object-directed pantomime). In Experiment 1, we quantified fixation patterns using an area of interest (AOI) approach and calculated face preference index (FPI) values to assess the developmental differences between 6 and 11-month-old hearing infants. Both groups were from monolingual English-speaking homes with no prior exposure to sign language. Six-month-olds attended the signer’s face for grooming; but for mimes and signs, they were drawn to attend to the “articulatory space” where the hands and arms primarily fall. Eleven-month-olds, on the other hand, showed a similar attention to the face for all body action types. We interpret this to reflect an early visual language sensitivity that diminishes with age, just before the child’s first birthday. In Experiment 2, we contrasted 18 hearing monolingual English-speaking children (mean age of 4.8 years) vs. 13 hearing children of deaf adults (CODAs; mean age of 5.7 years) whose primary language at home was ASL. Native signing children had a significantly greater face attentional bias than non-signing children for ASL signs, but not for grooming and mimes. The differences in the visual attention patterns that are contingent on age (in infants) and language experience (in children) may be related to both linguistic specialization over time and the emerging awareness of communicative gestural acts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rain G. Bosworth
- NTID PLAY Lab, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Rain G. Bosworth,
| | - So One Hwang
- Center for Research in Language, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - David P. Corina
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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9
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Wermelinger S, Moersdorf L, Daum MM. How experience shapes infants' communicative behaviour: Comparing gaze following in infants with and without pandemic experience. INFANCY 2022; 27:937-962. [PMID: 35765963 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been influencing people's social life substantially. Everybody, including infants and children needed to adapt to changes in social interactions (e.g., social distancing) and to seeing other people wearing facial masks. In this study, we investigated whether these pandemic-related changes influenced 12- to 15-months-old infants' reactions to observed gaze shifts (i.e., their gaze following). In two eye-tracking tasks, we measured infants' gaze-following behavior during the pandemic (with-COVID-19-experience sample) and compared it to data of infants tested before the pandemic (no-COVID-19-experience sample). Overall, the results indicated no significant differences between the two samples. However, in one sub-task infants in the with-COVID-19-experience sample looked longer at the eyes of a model compared to the no-COVID-19-experience sample. Within the with-COVID-19-experience sample, the amount of mask exposure and the number of contacts without mask were not related to infants' gaze-following behavior. We speculate that even though infants encounter fewer different people during the pandemic and are increasingly exposed to people wearing facial masks, they still also see non-covered faces. These contacts might be sufficient to provide infants with the social input they need to develop social and emotional competencies such as gaze following.
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10
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Campbell EE, Bergelson E. Making sense of sensory language: Acquisition of sensory knowledge by individuals with congenital sensory impairments. Neuropsychologia 2022; 174:108320. [PMID: 35842021 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The present article provides a narrative review on how language communicates sensory information and how knowledge of sight and sound develops in individuals born deaf or blind. Studying knowledge of the perceptually inaccessible sensory domain for these populations offers a lens into how humans learn about that which they cannot perceive. We first review the linguistic strategies within language that communicate sensory information. Highlighting the power of language to shape knowledge, we next review the detailed knowledge of sensory information by individuals with congenital sensory impairments, limitations therein, and neural representations of imperceptible phenomena. We suggest that the acquisition of sensory knowledge is supported by language, experience with multiple perceptual domains, and cognitive and social abilities which mature over the first years of life, both in individuals with and without sensory impairment. We conclude by proposing a developmental trajectory for acquiring sensory knowledge in the absence of sensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Campbell
- Duke University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, USA.
| | - Elika Bergelson
- Duke University, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, USA
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11
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Novack MA, Chan D, Waxman S. I See What You Are Saying: Hearing Infants’ Visual Attention and Social Engagement in Response to Spoken and Sign Language. Front Psychol 2022; 13:896049. [PMID: 35846705 PMCID: PMC9280667 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.896049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infants are endowed with a proclivity to acquire language, whether it is presented in the auditory or visual modality. Moreover, in the first months of life, listening to language supports fundamental cognitive capacities, including infants’ facility to form object categories (e.g., dogs and bottles). Recently, we have found that for English-acquiring infants as young as 4 months of age, this precocious interface between language and cognition is sufficiently broad to include not only their native spoken language (English), but also sign language (American Sign Language, ASL). In the current study, we take this work one step further, asking how “sign-naïve” infants—hearing infants with no prior exposure to sign language—deploy their attentional and social strategies in the context of episodes involving either spoken or sign language. We adopted a now-standard categorization task, presenting 4- to 6-month-old infants with a series of exemplars from a single category (e.g., dinosaurs). Each exemplar was introduced by a woman who appeared on the screen together with the object. What varied across conditions was whether this woman introduced the exemplar by speaking (English) or signing (ASL). We coded infants’ visual attentional strategies and their spontaneous vocalizations during this task. Infants’ division of attention and visual switches between the woman and exemplar varied as a function of language modality. In contrast, infants’ spontaneous vocalizations revealed similar patterns across languages. These results, which advance our understanding of how infants allocate attentional resources and engage with communicative partners across distinct modalities, have implications for specifying our theories of language acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam A. Novack
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Miriam A. Novack,
| | - Dana Chan
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Sandra Waxman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
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12
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Lieberman AM, Fitch A, Borovsky A. Flexible fast-mapping: Deaf children dynamically allocate visual attention to learn novel words in American Sign Language. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13166. [PMID: 34355837 PMCID: PMC8818049 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Word learning in young children requires coordinated attention between language input and the referent object. Current accounts of word learning are based on spoken language, where the association between language and objects occurs through simultaneous and multimodal perception. In contrast, deaf children acquiring American Sign Language (ASL) perceive both linguistic and non-linguistic information through the visual mode. In order to coordinate attention to language input and its referents, deaf children must allocate visual attention optimally between objects and signs. We conducted two eye-tracking experiments to investigate how young deaf children allocate attention and process referential cues in order to fast-map novel signs to novel objects. Participants were deaf children learning ASL between the ages of 17 and 71 months. In Experiment 1, participants (n = 30) were presented with a novel object and a novel sign, along with a referential cue that occurred either before or after the sign label. In Experiment 2, a new group of participants (n = 32) were presented with two novel objects and a novel sign, so that the referential cue was critical for identifying the target object. Across both experiments, participants showed evidence for fast-mapping the signs regardless of the timing of the referential cue. Individual differences in children's allocation of attention during exposure were correlated with their ability to fast-map the novel signs at test. This study provides first evidence for fast-mapping in sign language, and contributes to theoretical accounts of how word learning develops when all input occurs in the visual modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Lieberman
- Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, 2 Silber Way, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Allison Fitch
- Department of Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Arielle Borovsky
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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13
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Stallworthy IC, Sifre R, Fenoglio A, Dahl C, Georgieff MK, Elison JT. Birthweight moderates the association between chronological age and infants’ abilities to respond to cues for joint attention. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22239. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.22239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robin Sifre
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Angela Fenoglio
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Claire Dahl
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Michael K. Georgieff
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
- Department of Pediatrics University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Jed T. Elison
- Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
- Department of Pediatrics University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
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14
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Astor K, Gredebäck G. Gaze following in infancy: Five big questions that the field should answer. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 63:191-223. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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15
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Fitch A, Arunachalam S, Lieberman AM. Mapping Word to World in ASL: Evidence from a Human Simulation Paradigm. Cogn Sci 2021; 45:e13061. [PMID: 34861057 PMCID: PMC9365062 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Across languages, children map words to meaning with great efficiency, despite a seemingly unconstrained space of potential mappings. The literature on how children do this is primarily limited to spoken language. This leaves a gap in our understanding of sign language acquisition, because several of the hypothesized mechanisms that children use are visual (e.g., visual attention to the referent), and sign languages are perceived in the visual modality. Here, we used the Human Simulation Paradigm in American Sign Language (ASL) to determine potential cues to word learning. Sign-naïve adult participants viewed video clips of parent-child interactions in ASL, and at a designated point, had to guess what ASL sign the parent produced. Across two studies, we demonstrate that referential clarity in ASL interactions is characterized by access to information about word class and referent presence (for verbs), similarly to spoken language. Unlike spoken language, iconicity is a cue to word meaning in ASL, although this is not always a fruitful cue. We also present evidence that verbs are highlighted well in the input, relative to spoken English. The results shed light on both similarities and differences in the information that learners may have access to in acquiring signed versus spoken languages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Fitch
- Deaf Education and Deaf Studies, Boston University.,Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology
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16
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Goodwin C, Carrigan E, Walker K, Coppola M. Language not auditory experience is related to parent-reported executive functioning in preschool-aged deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Child Dev 2021; 93:209-224. [PMID: 34633656 PMCID: PMC9293362 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Much research has found disrupted executive functioning (EF) in deaf and hard‐of‐hearing (DHH) children; while some theories emphasize the role of auditory deprivation, others posit delayed language experience as the primary cause. This study investigated the role of language and auditory experience in parent‐reported EF for 123 preschool‐aged children (Mage = 60.1 months, 53.7% female, 84.6% White). Comparisons between DHH and typically hearing children exposed to language from birth (spoken or signed) showed no significant differences in EF despite drastic differences in auditory input. Linear models demonstrated that earlier language exposure predicted better EF (β = .061–.341), while earlier auditory exposure did not. Few participants exhibited clinically significant executive dysfunction. Results support theories positing that language, not auditory experience, scaffolds EF development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Goodwin
- Department of Linguistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Emily Carrigan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kristin Walker
- The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Marie Coppola
- Department of Linguistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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17
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Szarkowski A, Dirks E. Fathers of Young Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Children: A Systematic Review. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2021; 26:187-208. [PMID: 33454727 PMCID: PMC8527996 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enaa039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Much of the literature exploring the role of parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) has focused on mothers; yet, the involvement and perspectives of fathers is valuable and warrants attention. Following the PRISMA guidelines, this systematic literature review examined the peer-reviewed research that has differentially explored the experiences of fathers and mothers of young DHH children. Utilizing three databases (Web of Science, PsychINFO, Scopus) and spanning 50 years (1969-2019), 457 non-duplicated articles were identified that included the fathers of DHH children, birth to six years. Independent review of the titles, abstracts, and keywords by the authors limited these to 119. Full manuscripts were assessed for eligibility; 37 were deemed appropriate for inclusion in this systematic review. The papers included have been organized into the following themes: perspectives on parenting, parental stress and coping, parent-child interaction, involvement in early intervention, parental self-efficacy, and benefits of fathers' inclusion. Recommendations for future research include: (a) actively recruiting fathers in research, (b) differentially analyzing fathers' and mothers' experiences in research studies, (c) using information gleaned from research regarding father-child and mother-child interactions to guide interventions/programming, (d) recognizing the bidirectional influences of fathers and their DHH children, (e) moving beyond descriptive studies to explore fathers' influences on child outcomes, and (f) recognizing diverse family constellations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Szarkowski
- Children’s Center for Communication/Beverly School for
the Deaf (CCCBSD)
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston
Children’s Hospital
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical
School
| | - Evelien Dirks
- Correspondence should be sent to Evelien Dirks, Dutch Foundation
for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child, Lutmastraat 167, Amsterdam 1073 GX, The
Netherlands (e-mail: )
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18
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Bosworth RG, Stone A. Rapid development of perceptual gaze control in hearing native signing Infants and children. Dev Sci 2021; 24:e13086. [PMID: 33484575 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Children's gaze behavior reflects emergent linguistic knowledge and real-time language processing of speech, but little is known about naturalistic gaze behaviors while watching signed narratives. Measuring gaze patterns in signing children could uncover how they master perceptual gaze control during a time of active language learning. Gaze patterns were recorded using a Tobii X120 eye tracker, in 31 non-signing and 30 signing hearing infants (5-14 months) and children (2-8 years) as they watched signed narratives on video. Intelligibility of the signed narratives was manipulated by presenting them naturally and in video-reversed ("low intelligibility") conditions. This video manipulation was used because it distorts semantic content, while preserving most surface phonological features. We examined where participants looked, using linear mixed models with Language Group (non-signing vs. signing) and Video Condition (Forward vs. Reversed), controlling for trial order. Non-signing infants and children showed a preference to look at the face as well as areas below the face, possibly because their gaze was drawn to the moving articulators in signing space. Native signing infants and children demonstrated resilient, face-focused gaze behavior. Moreover, their gaze behavior was unchanged for video-reversed signed narratives, similar to what was seen for adult native signers, possibly because they already have efficient highly focused gaze behavior. The present study demonstrates that human perceptual gaze control is sensitive to visual language experience over the first year of life and emerges early, by 6 months of age. Results have implications for the critical importance of early visual language exposure for deaf infants. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ahWUluFAAg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rain G Bosworth
- National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Adam Stone
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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19
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Abstract
Natural sign languages of deaf communities are acquired on the same time scale as that of spoken languages if children have access to fluent signers providing input from birth. Infants are sensitive to linguistic information provided visually, and early milestones show many parallels. The modality may affect various areas of language acquisition; such effects include the form of signs (sign phonology), the potential advantage presented by visual iconicity, and the use of spatial locations to represent referents, locations, and movement events. Unfortunately, the vast majority of deaf children do not receive accessible linguistic input in infancy, and these children experience language deprivation. Negative effects on language are observed when first-language acquisition is delayed. For those who eventually begin to learn a sign language, earlier input is associated with better language and academic outcomes. Further research is especially needed with a broader diversity of participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Lillo-Martin
- Department of Linguistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1145, USA
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Jonathan Henner
- Department of Specialized Education Services, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina 27412, USA
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20
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Byers-Heinlein K, Tsui RKY, van Renswoude D, Black AK, Barr R, Brown A, Colomer M, Durrant S, Gampe A, Gonzalez-Gomez N, Hay JF, Hernik M, Jartó M, Kovács ÁM, Laoun-Rubenstein A, Lew-Williams C, Liszkowski U, Liu L, Noble C, Potter CE, Rocha-Hidalgo J, Sebastian-Galles N, Soderstrom M, Visser I, Waddell C, Wermelinger S, Singh L. The development of gaze following in monolingual and bilingual infants: A multi-laboratory study. INFANCY 2021; 26:4-38. [PMID: 33306867 PMCID: PMC8763331 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Determining the meanings of words requires language learners to attend to what other people say. However, it behooves a young language learner to simultaneously encode relevant non-verbal cues, for example, by following the direction of their eye gaze. Sensitivity to cues such as eye gaze might be particularly important for bilingual infants, as they encounter less consistency between words and objects than monolingual infants, and do not always have access to the same word-learning heuristics (e.g., mutual exclusivity). In a preregistered study, we tested the hypothesis that bilingual experience would lead to a more pronounced ability to follow another's gaze. We used a gaze-following paradigm developed by Senju and Csibra (Current Biology, 18, 2008, 668) to test a total of 93 6- to 9-month-old and 229 12- to 15-month-old monolingual and bilingual infants, in 11 laboratories located in 8 countries. Monolingual and bilingual infants showed similar gaze-following abilities, and both groups showed age-related improvements in speed, accuracy, frequency, and duration of fixations to congruent objects. Unexpectedly, bilinguals tended to make more frequent fixations to on-screen objects, whether or not they were cued by the actor. These results suggest that gaze sensitivity is a fundamental aspect of development that is robust to variation in language exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anja Gampe
- University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Liquan Liu
- Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Leher Singh
- National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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21
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Lieberman AM, Borovsky A. Lexical Recognition in Deaf Children Learning American Sign Language: Activation of Semantic and Phonological Features of Signs. LANGUAGE LEARNING 2020; 70:935-973. [PMID: 33510545 PMCID: PMC7837603 DOI: 10.1111/lang.12409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Children learning language efficiently process single words, and activate semantic, phonological, and other features of words during recognition. We investigated lexical recognition in deaf children acquiring American Sign Language (ASL) to determine how perceiving language in the visual-spatial modality affects lexical recognition. Twenty native- or early-exposed signing deaf children (ages 4 to 8 years) participated in a visual world eye-tracking study. Children were presented with a single ASL sign, target picture, and three competitor pictures that varied in their phonological and semantic relationship to the target. Children shifted gaze to the target picture shortly after sign offset. Children showed robust evidence for activation of semantic but not phonological features of signs, however in their behavioral responses children were most susceptible to phonological competitors. Results demonstrate that single word recognition in ASL is largely parallel to spoken language recognition among children who are developing a mature lexicon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Lieberman
- Language and Literacy Department, Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, 2 Silber Way, Boston, MA 02215
| | - Arielle Borovsky
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2122
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22
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Mood D, Szarkowski A, Brice PJ, Wiley S. Relational Factors in Pragmatic Skill Development: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants and Toddlers. Pediatrics 2020; 146:S246-S261. [PMID: 33139438 PMCID: PMC11215649 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-0242d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, we review relational factors in early childhood believed to contribute in unique ways to pragmatic skill development in deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) infants and toddlers. These factors include attending to infant interactions with caregivers and others, supporting development of theory of mind through play and use of mental state language (ie, describing one's own or others' thoughts, feelings, and beliefs), and providing accessible opportunities for social interaction. On the basis of a review of the literature and clinical experience, we offer prescriptive strategies for supporting DHH children's development in these areas. To improve outcomes for DHH children, medical care providers and allied health professionals have a responsibility to support the development of young DHH children's pragmatic abilities by understanding these variables, coaching caregivers regarding their importance, and facilitating referrals for support when necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Mood
- Section of Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado;
- Contributed equally as co-first authors
| | - Amy Szarkowski
- Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf, Beverly, Massachusetts
- Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Contributed equally as co-first authors
| | | | - Susan Wiley
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinatti Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
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23
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Kelly C, Morgan G, Bannard C, Matthews D. Early Pragmatics in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants. Pediatrics 2020; 146:S262-S269. [PMID: 33139439 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-0242e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES A set of important pragmatic skills emerge during infancy and pave the way for later language learning. It is thought these early social communication skills develop through infant-caregiver interaction. In a microanalysis, we tested whether deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) infants (typically at high risk of reduced access to rich communicative interaction in infancy) are less likely to engage in gestural and vocal pragmatic behaviors. METHODS We coded the naturalistic communication of 8 DHH infants who had no additional needs, who were not preterm or low birth weight, whose parents were hearing, monolingual English speakers, and who had spoken English as their primary target language. The frequency of use of 5 types of infant communication known to positively predict later language development (show gestures, give gestures, index-finger pointing, communicative vocalizations, and early word use) was compared with that of 8 typically hearing infants matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS Hearing loss had a significant negative effect on the frequency with which infants engaged in all types of early communication that predict later language development. CONCLUSIONS DHH infants are at high risk of delay in the gestural and vocal communicative skills that lay the foundations for later language. Delay in the gestural domain suggests this is not simply a consequence of difficulties in imitating auditory stimuli. There is significant potential to lift DHH infants onto a positive developmental trajectory by supporting caregivers to nurture interaction from the first year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara Kelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Morgan
- Division of Language & Communication Science, City, University of London, London, United Kingdom; and
| | - Colin Bannard
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle Matthews
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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24
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Astor K, Lindskog M, Forssman L, Kenward B, Fransson M, Skalkidou A, Tharner A, Cassé J, Gredebäck G. Social and emotional contexts predict the development of gaze following in early infancy. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:201178. [PMID: 33047063 PMCID: PMC7540771 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The development of gaze following begins in early infancy and its developmental foundation has been under heavy debate. Using a longitudinal design (N = 118), we demonstrate that attachment quality predicts individual differences in the onset of gaze following, at six months of age, and that maternal postpartum depression predicts later gaze following, at 10 months. In addition, we report longitudinal stability in gaze following from 6 to 10 months. A full path model (using attachment, maternal depression and gaze following at six months) accounted for 21% of variance in gaze following at 10 months. These results suggest an experience-dependent development of gaze following, driven by the infant's own motivation to interact and engage with others (the social-first perspective).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Astor
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marcus Lindskog
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Linda Forssman
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ben Kenward
- Department of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Mari Fransson
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anne Tharner
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Gustaf Gredebäck
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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25
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Meristo M, Strid K. Language First: Deaf Children from Deaf Families Spontaneously Anticipate False Beliefs. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2020.1749057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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