EXPLORING NOUN AND PREDICATE COMPREHENSION IN ITALIAN-SPEAKING TODDLERS BY USING THE COMPUTERISED VERSION OF THE PICTURE NAMING GAME

In the last decade, the processes underlying lexical acquisition have been the focus of a large number of studies using visually-based measures. Yet, limited research using haptic measures has been conducted. The present study explored the relationship between lexical comprehension accuracy (correct response, type of error) and speed of processing (haptic response time) in two lexical categories: nouns and predicates. We predicted a greater frequency of correct answers for nouns vs predicates and a different distribution of haptic responses as a function of different types of responses (i.e. correct vs incorrect). Forty-five Italian children (mean age: 32.1 months) participated in the study. All children carried out the noun and predicate comprehension tasks of the computerized adaptation of the Picture Naming Game (PiNG) using a touchscreen. Data evidenced a greater frequency of correct responses for nouns than predicates and similar distribution of errors (incorrect, no response) in two tasks. A different distribution of haptic responses as a function of the accuracy emerged: faster haptic responses were associated with correct responses, and slower haptic responses and higher interindividual variability were associated to incorrect responses. Differences in haptic responses between nouns and predicates emerged in the correct but not in the incorrect responses. In agreement with other authors, we suggest that a more stable conceptual representation of meanings allows faster access to the mental lexicon.