Toddlers’ Responses to ‘Baby Talk’ Linked to Social, Cognitive, and Language Abilities

Across languages and cultures, caregivers tend to have one thing in common: they speak to babies in a happy, sing-song way that they would never use with adults. This type of speech, sometimes called “infant-directed speech,” “baby talk,” or “motherese,” is a particularly exaggerated form of emotionally expressive speech. In a recent study, researchers found that toddlers respond to this emotionally expressive speech in different ways, and these varied responses are linked with their social, linguistic, and cognitive abilities.

Resource Link: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/research-highlights/2022/toddlers-responses-to-baby-talk-linked-to-social-cognitive-language-abilities

Topic(s): Family-Centered Practices, Social-emotional development, Teaching practices