Publications [#351808] of Michael Tomasello

Journal Articles

1. Liebal, K; Behne, T; Carpenter, M; Tomasello, M (2009). Infants use shared experience to interpret pointing gestures.. Developmental science, 12(2), 264-271. [doi]
   (last updated on 2025/06/16)

   Abstract:
   We investigated whether 1-year-old infants use their shared experience with an adult to determine the meaning of a pointing gesture. In the first study, after two adults had each shared a different activity with the infant, one of the adults pointed to a target object. Eighteen- but not 14-month-olds responded appropriately to the pointing gesture based on the particular activity they had previously shared with that particular adult. In the second study, 14-month-olds were successful in a simpler procedure in which the pointing adult either had or had not shared a relevant activity with the infant prior to the pointing. Infants just beginning to learn language thus already show a complex understanding of the pragmatics of cooperative communication in which shared experience with particular individuals plays a crucial role.