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Intra-individual variability hypothesis of language acquisition
What is it about?
In this article, we re-analyzed visuo-motor response time data from two earlier studies. We found that children with weaker language abilities in school exhibited more variable response times compared to their peers with stronger language skills. Based on these findings, we propose a new hypothesis to explain individual differences in language development. We suggest that variability in response times at the individual level reflects instabilities in cognitive processes, which hinder the acquisition of a first language. Children experiencing these instabilities may require more repetitions to learn language.
Why is it important?
The mechanisms underlying developmental language disorders and individual differences in language development are still not well understood. This article proposes a new hypothesis that may also explain findings supporting other existing theories. This hypothesis offers a framework with the potential to integrate findings at both the behavioral and brain levels, and it can be tested using various datasets.