Decontextualized language use during Chinese and American caregiver-child interactions

Abstract

Caregivers' use of decontextualized language (DL), language that is abstract or removed from the here and now, supports preschool-aged children's language, cognitive, and social-cognitive development. Studies comparing caregiver-child DL across cultures have focused primarily on one type of DL—past narratives. Very few studies have examined cross-cultural similarities and differences in talk about the future and explanations. The current study compared Mainland Chinese and American families' use of DL during snack time conversations between caregivers and preschool-aged children. Participants were 40 Chinese and 36 American families. DL was an integral part of routine conversations in both cultures. However, we found striking cross-cultural differences in the amount and content of future talk and explanations. We argue that the divergent patterns of DL use may reflect unique cultural beliefs and socialization goals in each culture. We also consider how cultural patterns of DL use may have implications for preschool-aged children's development.