Verbs drive real-time object state representation during language processing in children under 3 years of age
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21746358 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Boyang Qin (0000-0002-2968-2127, Zhaoqing University), Marieke van Heugten (0000-0002-4758-2314, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 101-120 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Language Learning and Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1547-3341 • E-ISSN: 1547-5441 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15475441.2025.2480063 |
| OpenAlex | W4408873102 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 56 |
Adults’ language-mediated event representations are greatly constrained by verbs. However, it is unclear whether children use verb information in a similar fashion. Using the Looking While Listening paradigm, we conducted two experiments to test whether children between 32 and 36 months incorporate verb type and tense when representing object state during language processing. Children were shown images of an object in different states (e.g. an open vs. a closed box), while listening to sentences labeling this object. In Experiment 1, sentences included either a stative or a non-stative verb (e.g. “David opened/owned the box!”). In Experiment 2, sentences included non-stative verbs in either past or future tense (e.g. “David’s gonna open/opened the box”). Children’s looking behavior differed as a function of verb type and tense, with more attention to images implying a modified object state (e.g. an open box) for non-stative verbs and past tense verbs compared to stative and future tense verbs. These effects occurred after noun onset, indicating that this use of verb knowledge is not anticipatory in nature. Taken together, these findings suggest that by age three, children’s object state representations are sufficiently detailed in nature to be updated as a function of verb information
Linguistics · Natural language processing · Programming language · Speech recognition · Computer Science · Language Development and Disorders · Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism · Psychology · Reading and Literacy Development · Artificial Intelligence
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |