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Abstract Header

Word Learning in Context

Yao, Xin
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1291060246

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Word learning is a difficult problem. On the one hand, young children could learn new words with few positive examples quickly and easily. On the other hand, word learning itself involves many complicated cognitive processes. For example, one needs to map a new label to an object and generalize the new label from one object to the entire category of the object. Some researchers have suggested that word learning involves hypotheses testing: when young children learn new words, they rely on a priori constrains that could help them limit the space of hypotheses. According to this view, the constraints allow young word learners not to consider some of the possible hypotheses; whereas others are ruled out some others are ruled out on the basis of positive examples given to the word learner. Other researchers have further developed this idea. Instead of ruling in or ruling out the hypotheses, young word learners are updating these possibilities by using a Bayesian approach to hypotheses testing. However, the five experiments in the current study suggest that hypotheses testing, including the Bayesian approach, is not necessary. In particular, hypotheses testing could not account for all the reported findings. Instead, semantic word association, which could provide young word learners a certain word-learning context, could also help young children to learn new words.
Vladimir Sloutsky, PhD (Advisor)
John Opfer, PhD (Committee Member)
Laura Wagner, PhD (Committee Member)
Developmental Psychology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Yao, X. (2010). Word Learning in Context [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1291060246

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Yao, Xin. Word Learning in Context. 2010. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1291060246.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Yao, Xin. "Word Learning in Context." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1291060246

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.