How does the Frequency of Overlapping Mappings Impact the Acquisition of Word Meanings?

Our study (the fourth in a series of experiments) investigates statistical word learning in conditions mimicking bilingualism to have further insights into how statistical regularities are accumulated if multiple mappings are acquired (1:2; one word maps onto two objects) and how their learning differs from words that only map onto one meaning (1:1; one word maps onto one object). In this online experiment, in learning phase 1 (LP1), participants will complete a cross-situational word learning task acquiring both 1:1 and 1:2 mappings. In contrast to previous experiments in which there were less 1:2 than 1:1 mappings, participants will acquire the same number of 1:1 and 1:2 mappings to rule out the possibility that the different frequencies caused differences in acquisition ease. In learning phase 2 (LP2), each word previously acquired will receive one new meaning to investigate how easily different mappings are remapped. We will analyse both accuracy and reaction times (RTs). We predict that it will be harder to acquire 1:2 than 1:1 mappings. Still, it will be easier to remap 1:2 than 1:1 mappings, even if presented the same number of times. Since RTs have not yet been explored in this paradigm, we will conduct exploratory analyses regarding the RTs. unknown other