the symbolism of pictures clara yoon nathan winkler-rhoades
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The Symbolism of Pictures
Clara YoonNathan Winkler-Rhoades
What are symbols?
Something that stands for something elseNot necessarily similar to their referentNot natural – Created
Use of symbols ~ 18 monthsWords, gestures, pictures?
By 18 months…
Words are interpreted referentially (Xu, et al. 2005)
Paradigm: Two-word trial, One-word trialSurprised when # of kinds didn’t match # of labelsAt chance for emotional expressionsWorks at 10 months
Iconic gestures are recognized (Tomasello et al., 1999)
Children take a hammering motion as referring to hammers, e.g.
Pictures as Symbols
Why are we interested in pictures?Different from other symbols?
On one theory, pictures are more salient as objects than words or gestures, and hence harder to see as symbols
Pictures present a puzzle:Innate ability to perceive content of pictures (Hochberg and Brookes 1969)
Yet apparent difficulty understanding that they refer to the world
‘Pygmalion’ errors (DeLoache, et al. 1998)
Dollhouse task failure until 30 months (DeLoache, 1991, 2000)
Pictures as Symbols
To review:At first, mistake for actual referentsSomehow eventually, like adults, children recognize symbols as representations
Dual representationAt what point recognize symbolic significance?
Role of Language
Language plays role?Attract attentionMediates reference
Evidence of its importanceCallaghan (2000)
Match picture with objectOnly success when lexical labels could individuate themOnly when familiar
Winkler-RhoadesNo label, designate map for placing doll, not targetsUnfamiliar, need labels (?)
ISU - Questions
How do we learn that pictures can refer to things? That they can inform us about how the world is?Does language play a role in helping children figure out representational status of pictures?
Xu and Baker (2005)
Modified manual search procedureTo understand how infants use property or kind info for object individuation
Xu and Baker (2005) Results
Infants looked longer on switch trialsLabels did not matterFamiliarity did not matter
For us, important to establish that they would be surprised at switch trials
ISU – Pilot Method
18 month olds11 in familiar label, 7 in novel label, 7 in novel no labelVery similar to Xu and Baker (2005)
Box and novel objectsSwitch trials and non-switch trialsFamiliar, unfamiliarLabeled, unlabeled
Who wants to be a baby?
TrueTrial
False Trial
ISU - Pilot Alternatives/Logic
Longer reaching time on Switch than No SwitchExpect the same object to be present, confused
No difference in reaching time between Switch and No Switch (at chance)
No expectations on what object should be presentPerhaps just interest in reaching, or not reaching
Labels/Familiar Alternatives
LabelsIncreased recognition of symbolic significanceAt chance
FamiliarityIncreased recognition of symbolic significanceAt chance
ISU - Pilot Results – Label Cond.
n=11 n=7
ISU - Method
Same general procedureUse pictures instead of first object remove/replaceStill Switch/No Switch trialsStill novel objectsFamiliar/UnfamiliarLabel/No label
ISU – Alternatives/Logic
Could use picture as symbolOn Switch trials, longer reaching timeUse picture to signify one object insideConfusion on why other object
Could NOT use picture as symbolNo difference in reaching times between Switch and No Switch
Doesn’t use picture as information at allNo expectationsAt chance
Further Directions
Specific/generic?Older/younger?Within same kind?Any ideas from you?
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