How does the social-communicative environment impact early language acquisition? An ecological perspective

2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23361
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: 辻 晶 東京大学, ニューロインテリジェンス国際研究機構, 助教 (30850490)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: day-long recordings / language acquisition

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

As explained in more detail below, we have not been able to fully launch the research for Q1 (day-long recordings of infants). We have prepared other parts of the project so they are in place once we can resume the project.
(Q2) Output: We have piloted and put in place the experiments for measuring infant phonetic and word knowledge.
Participant recruitment: Since this is a new babylab, recruiting a database of infant participants is a crucial condition for a successful study. We have actively conducted public events (at Miraikan and at city-level parent-targeted events) in order to recruit prospective participants for our study. We have also employed a postdoc to work on this project (other funds), who is, however, still not able to enter Japan due to the pandemic.

Current Status of Research Progress

3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.

Reason

In FY 2019, we were not yet able to progress with the research project as planned, due to delay in the production of the wearable recording devices (Babycloud recorders) we plan on using for the day-long recordings of infants. We are in active discussion with the producers and have piloted the device multiple times, giving feedback to improve functioning. We are therefore confident the final product will fit our needs.
Although the recorders were finally meant to be delivered by end of FY 2019, the global pandemic delayed the process even further. We are now in the process of signing a purchase agreement and foresee delivery during summer.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

We are planning to launch the longitudinal study pertaining to research question 1, as described in the proposal, as soon as the recorders are delivered, the postdoc has been able to enter the country, and it is safe again to test infant participants.
All the elements of the study are in place, but will be contingent on the delays caused by the global pandemic.

Causes of Carryover

We were not able to launch the part of the research pertaining to Q1 (due to delays in production and the pandemic), which includes purchase of recording devices as well as personnel costs to hand-code the resulting infant recordings. We will launch the study without delay once the devices have arrived and it is safe to test infant participants again, and will use the funds as previously planned.