Word learning biases

Word learning biases are certain biases or assumptions that allow children to quickly rule out unlikely alternatives in order to effectively process and learn word meanings. They begin to manifest themselves around 18 months, when children begin to rapidly expand their vocabulary. These biases are important for children with limited processing abilities if they are to be successful in word learning.^[1] The guiding lexical principles have been defined as implicit and explicit strategies towards language acquisition.^[2] When a child learns a new word they must decide whether the word refers to the whole object, part of the object, or the object's characteristics, solving an indeterminacy problem.

^ Markman, E. M. (1991). The whole-object, taxonomic, and mutual exclusivity assumptions as initial constraints on word meanings. In S. A. Gelman, J. P. Byrnes, S. A. Gelman, J. P. Byrnes (Eds.), Perspectives on Language and Thought: Interrelations in Development (pp. 72-106). New York, NY US: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-37497-9
^ Mervis, C. B.; Bertrand, J. (1994). "Acquisition of the Novel Name-Nameless Category (N3C) principle". Child Development. 65 (6): 1646–1662. doi:10.2307/1131285. JSTOR 1131285. PMID 7859547.

[Markman-1] Markman, E. M. (1991). The whole-object, taxonomic, and mutual exclusivity assumptions as initial constraints on word meanings. In S. A. Gelman, J. P. Byrnes, S. A. Gelman, J. P. Byrnes (Eds.), Perspectives on Language and Thought: Interrelations in Development (pp. 72-106). New York, NY US: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-37497-9

[Mervis-2] Mervis, C. B.; Bertrand, J. (1994). "Acquisition of the Novel Name-Nameless Category (N3C) principle". Child Development. 65 (6): 1646–1662. doi:10.2307/1131285. JSTOR 1131285. PMID 7859547.

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