Cultural differences in learning novel words in an attention-following versus attention-directing style

Differences in attention regulation style and their affect on word learning were explored in two different cultures, first-generation Mexican and American. Ten toddlers, five American and five Mexican-immigrant, ages 15 – 21 months, were taught nonsense words in attention-directing and attention-following styles over a two-week period. Results showed that the Mexican-immigrant children learned more words in an attention-directing style than in an attention-following style in Week One. No differences were found in vocabulary in the American children in Week One or Week Two. However, there was an overall trend that the American children learned more words than the Mexican-immigrant children in an attention-following style. These results have implications for clinical intervention.

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