Developmental Psychology - Language Acquisition

Study: DeCasper, Spence (1986) "The Cat in the Hat" in the Womb

• Women 7.5 months pregnant read children's stories.

• Mothers repeatedly read one story twice a day until birth.

• Three days after birth, infants preferred the story heard in the womb.

• Measured by sucking on the nipple (attention indicator).

• Language development starts before birth.