The function and evolution of child-directed communication

Abstract

Humans communicate with small children in unusual and highly conspicuous ways (child-directed communication (CDC)), which enhance social bonding and facilitate language acquisition. CDC-like inputs are also reported for some vocally learning animals, suggesting similar functions in facilitating communicative competence. However, adult great apes, our closest living relatives, rarely signal to their infants, implicating communication surrounding the infant as the main input for infant great apes and early humans. Given cross-cultural variation in the amount and structure of CDC, we suggest that child-surrounding communication (CSC) provides essential compensatory input when CDC is less prevalent—a paramount topic for future studies.

Local Temporal Regularities in Child-Directed Speech in Spanish

“…Such studies could help to further our understanding of the possible enhancement of delta-theta phase synchronization in CDS and its potential role in phonological development. In addition to cross-linguistic evidence, cross-cultural investigations are needed to contextualize these findings regarding the temporal regularities of child-adapted speech, as there are also cultural and socioeconomic factors that shape the quantity and quality of IDS and CDS (Cristia et al, 2019;Schick et al, 2022;see Cristia, 2022 for a systematic review). Although there is evidence of the maturation of cortical tracking of delta-rate versus theta-rate AMs in infants (Attaheri et al, 2021) and children (Ríos-López et al, 2020), as well as about the potential role that it has for phonological development and reading acquisition (Ríos-López et al, 2021), further studies are needed to fill the gap regarding the emergence of cortical tracking of syllables from infancy and during childhood, and how this may be aided by the temporal regularities of IDS and CDS.…”

“It's not just what we say or do, but how we say and do it”

“…Some authors (e.g., Abu-Zhaya et al, 2016;Werker et al, 1994) use the term "infant-directed communication" as a broad term that combines all forms of behaviour that are modified when an adult interacts with an infant or young child (speech, gestures, facial expressions, touch, actions with objects, and so on) compared to interaction/communication with other adults. Schick et al (2022) similarly used the term "child-directed communication" to refer to "all communication specifically directed at children, in which the properties and structure of the signal often change in predictable ways" (p. 2), including speech, gestures, and actions. Another broader term sometimes used is "infant/child-directed input" (Brand et al, 2007).…”

“…Daniel Stern (1997;reprint 2002) referred to the entire constellation of parental behaviours as "infant-elicited social behaviours" and noted that "they would be considered outright bizarre if performed toward anyone but an infant (with the partial exception of a young animal or perhaps a lover)" (p. 24). Similarly, Schick et al (2022) pointed out that adults "communicate with small children in unusual and highly conspicuous ways" (p. 1). From these observations alone, it is clear that adults tend to alter their overall communication on multiple levels in a very unique and specific way when interacting with infants.…”

Learning language in vivo

“…CDL A is associated with earlier and cumulatively larger gains in vocabulary and speed of word recognition, and has implications for aspects of syntactic development (e.g., Bates & Goodman, 1999;Frank et al, 2021). That said, other sources of input (e.g., observable talk between others) likely contribute significantly beyond vocabulary (e.g., Benigno et al, 2007;Foushee et al, 2021;Oshima-Takane, 1988;Schick et al, 2022).…”