Just a talking book? Word learning from watching baby videos

• Published in: British journal of developmental psychology Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 27 - 45
• Main Authors: Robb, Michael B., Richert, Rebekah A., Wartella, Ellen A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2009; British Psychological Society
• Subjects: Child Development; Communication; Communication Research; Comprehension; Control Groups; Correlation; Developmental psychology; Evaluation Methods; Female; Humans; Infant; Infants; Language Acquisition; Language Development; Learning; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Media; Reading; Receptive Language; Speech Communication; Speech Perception; Story Reading; Television; Time Factors; Time Factors (Learning); Verbal Learning; Video Technology; Videos; Videotapes; Visual Stimuli; Vocabulary; Vocabulary Development; Words; Young Children
• ISSN: 0261-510X; 2044-835X
• DOI: 10.1348/026151008X320156

This study examined the relationship between viewing an infant DVD and expressive and receptive language outcomes. Children between 12 and 15 months were randomly assigned to view Baby Wordsworth, a DVD highlighting words around the house marketed for children beginning at 12 months of age. Viewings took place in home settings over 6 weeks. After every 2 weeks and five exposures to the DVD, children were assessed on expressive and receptive communication measures. Results indicated there was no increased growth on either outcome for children who had viewed the DVD as compared to children in the control group, even after multiple exposures. After controlling for age, gender, cognitive developmental level, income, and parent education, the most significant predictor of vocabulary comprehension and production scores was the amount of time children were read to.