Skype Me! Socially Contingent Interactions Help Toddlers Learn Language

TLDR

Language learning occurs in social contexts, but how social interactions facilitate language acquisition is unclear. The study examines whether social contingency supports toddlers' word learning. Thirty‑six 24–30‑month‑old toddlers were exposed to novel verbs under three conditions: live interaction, socially contingent video chat, and noncontingent yoked video. Only toddlers exposed to socially contingent interactions—live or video chat—learned the novel verbs, underscoring the role of social contingency and informing screen‑media language learning research.

Abstract

Language learning takes place in the context of social interactions, yet the mechanisms that render social interactions useful for learning language remain unclear. This study focuses on whether social contingency might support word learning. Toddlers aged 24–30 months ( N = 36) were exposed to novel verbs in one of three conditions: live interaction training, socially contingent video training over video chat, and noncontingent video training (yoked video). Results suggest that children only learned novel verbs in socially contingent interactions (live interactions and video chat). This study highlights the importance of social contingency in interactions for language learning and informs the literature on learning through screen media as the first study to examine word learning through video chat technology.