This study investigates how 36-60 month old children interpret newly learned categories as being more narrowly or more broadly inclusive. (i.e., does a child understand a new word learned for a particular dog as referring to just that dog? or the breed? or all animals...?) The children are shown some familiar objects and are taught novel labels for them. They are then shown other familiar objects from a larger array and are asked whether these other objects can be called by the same name from a larger array of choices. We also measure children's general vocabulary knowledge and their personal levels of familiarity with the objects used in the experiment. This is a one-time experimental session which lasts about 30 minutes.

Children in this study visit the lab once a week for nine weeks and are taught twelve words in a naturalistic setting where they play with the objects while we name them. During some sessions we test learning of the new names. In other sessions children are asked to extend novel names to novel objects. This will help us understand how learning the training words relates to learning novel words as well as how children generalize words to new instances of a category. A vocabulary measure is completed each week to track children's vocabulary development over the course of the study and at a one-month follow-up. We are interested in how children's experiences in the lab affect their development outside of the lab. The participants in this study are 15-21 months of age.

This study investigates how young children name objects. The children participating in this task are 18 to 23-months-old. They are shown a novel object and are given a name for it. They are then asked to find another object that can be called by the same name. They are given a choice between four objects that match the first one in either: shape, material, color, or color and material. We also measure children's vocabulary to see how object choices are influenced by the words children already know. The entire experiment lasts about 20 minutes.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how young children learn new words that sound like words they already know. Children currently participating in this study are 20 months-of-age. Children are given sets of novel objects to play with for a short amount of time. During this time the experimenter names the objects with made-up names. The children then spend five minutes coloring with the experimenter. After this delay period, the children are asked to pick which name went with which object. Children are also asked to say the new names when shown new examples of the made-up objects.

This study examines how children know what objects go together and how early language influences object grouping. Children are given several toys to play with that can be grouped in different ways. Then children learn something new about the toys and we look at how this new knowledge changes how they play with the toys. This study is for 15 to 17 month-old children.

This study examines children's attention to shape and information about an artist's intent when naming pictures of familiar things. Children are initially asked to draw pictures of things that look similar, for example a balloon, a lollipop and a spoon. The children then look at pictures drawn by others and are asked to describe them. Finally, they are asked to remember and describe the pictures they drew in the beginning of the experiment. This study is for children between 32- and 48-months-of-age.