Study of 1,001 Kids Finds Speech Exposure, Not Gender or Income, Drives Early Language Growth
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Study analyzed language development in 1,001 children ages 2-48 months across 43 languages and 12 countries using day-long audio recordings and machine learning.
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Major predictors of language development were age, clinical factors like prematurity, and amount of speech children hear from adults.
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Socioeconomic status, gender, and multilingualism did not predict language development.
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For every 100 adult vocalizations heard per hour, children produced 27 more of their own vocalizations.
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Results challenge previous beliefs about influences on language development and provide more nuanced understanding.