While playing outside with his 3-year-old son David, Sam Johnson sees a fancy car speed by on their normally quiet street. "Look at that Lamborghini," he says, pointing toward the car. David has never heard that word before. The rules of fast-mapping predict that he will think it refers to:
A) The driver of the car (a proper name)
B) A unique part of the car, such as the door, for which he has no established name
C) The action of the car - speeding
D) The whole car

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fast-mapping is a cognitive process used by children to quickly associate new words with their meanings. In this context, when Sam Johnson points to the car and names it "Lamborghini," David is likely to associate the new word with the whole object he is being shown, which is the car, rather than its parts, the action it is performing, or the driver.

While Playing Outside with His 3-Year-Old Son David, Sam Johnson