Typically and Atypically Developing Children' Generalizations of Novel Names: the Role of Semantic Distance

Children often learn the extension of novel words with a limited number of exemplars. There is evidence that the opportunity to compare stimuli is beneficial for learning and generalizing novel names in typically developing (TD) children (e.g., Gentner, 2010). However, so far,, comparison situations have not been studied in children with intellectual disabilities (ID) (Chapman & Kay-Raining Bird, 2012). This is important since they are in need of well-devised learning situations. We manipulated the role of semantic distance within training stimuli and between training and test stimuli and their influence on taxonomically-based generalization. We hypothesized more difficulties for ID children especially in “larger” semantic distance cases.