Investigating the relationship between fast mapping, retention, and generalisation of words in children with autism spectrum disorder and typical development

Calum Hartley,Laura-Ashleigh Bird,Padraic Monaghan

doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2019.03.001

Calum Hartley, Laura-Ashleigh Bird + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2019.03.001

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Journal: Cognition	Publication Date: Mar 9, 2019
Citations: 18	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Lancaster University, University of Amsterdam

Abstract

While many studies have investigated how autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts how children identify the meanings of new words, this task alone does not constitute learning. Here we investigate fast (referent selection) and slow (retention, generalisation) word learning processes as an integrated system and explore relationships between these mechanisms in ASD and typical development. In Study 1, children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children matched on receptive vocabulary utilised mutual exclusivity to identify referents of unfamiliar words, but showed substantially reduced accuracy on delayed retention and generalisation trials. Thus, Study 2 investigated whether re-directing children’s attention to target objects following referent selection would enhance delayed retention. Participants received either social feedback (target objects were labelled and highlighted via social cues) or non-social feedback (target objects were labelled and highlighted via a flashing light). In both conditions, children with ASD were less accurate in their use of mutual exclusivity to fast-map novel words than TD children. However, children with ASD who received social feedback responded more accurately on delayed retention and generalisation trials than TD controls, and children with ASD who received non-social feedback or no feedback (in Study 1). Our findings imply that fundamental word learning mechanisms, and the relationships between them, are not qualitatively different in ASD. We argue that ASD may affect the efficiency of these mechanisms by disrupting children’s intake of linguistic input in natural environments, but difficulties may be mitigated by presenting visual and auditory stimuli in a way that appeals to the population’s strengths.

Highlights

Language acquisition is at the heart of children’s cognitive and social development (Carpenter, Nagell, & Tomasello, 1998; Tomasello, 2003; Vygotsky, 1962)
The accuracy of typically developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) did not differ on familiar trials (p = .34), but TD children were significantly more accurate than children with ASD on novel trials, t(64) = 2.97, p = .004, d = 0.91
Children with ASD were less accurate in their use of mutual exclusivity’ (ME) to fast-map novel word-referent relationships than TD children

Summary

Introduction

Language acquisition is at the heart of children’s cognitive and social development (Carpenter, Nagell, & Tomasello, 1998; Tomasello, 2003; Vygotsky, 1962). The ability to learn words is central to children’s engagement with the social world, this skill is substantially impacted by autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Tager-Flusberg & Kasari, 2013). In order to generate effective interventions that promote word learning in children with ASD, it is vital to understand which processes are atypical in their functioning. Previous research has predominantly targeted differences in how children with ASD identify the meanings of unfamiliar words, yet this process is just one component of word learning (McMurray, Horst, & Samuelson, 2012). Little attention has been paid to potential differences in retention and generalisation of word-referent relationships, and how these processes fit together as an integrated system in word learning

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