Sign-language exposure impacts early vocal learning.

A study led by Rain Bosworth and Adam Stone from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf used eye-tracking technology to study the gaze patterns of infants while they observed sign language. They tested two groups of hearing infants, one with hearing parents who were never exposed to sign language and one with deaf, signing parents. The study found that infants of non-signing parents tended to focus on the “signing space”, an area in front of the torso where hands predominantly fall when signing, when compared to children of signing parents. Children of signing parents as young as 5 months tended to focus on the face, with less direct gazes aimed at the hands.

Research on the effects of sign language exposure during early vocal learning has been sparse prior to this study. The researchers speculate that children of signers may be able to utilize peripheral vision to see the signing space, which could enable them to focus on the face of the signer without detracting from attention paid to the hands. Focusing on the face is likely to be important for social interactions. In contrast to children who are familiar with signing, children of hearing parents who have never been exposed to signing might find signing stimuli to be novel and salient, explaining their increased interest. Knowing where to look—and what to pay attention to—is an important stepping stone for robust language learning, and this study shows how exposure to sign language from an early age affects how this skill matures.  Learn more at Science Daily: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210408152244.htm