Quantifying Sources of Variability in Infancy Research Using the Infant-Directed-Speech Preference

Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, vol. 3, pp. 24–52

Abstract

Psychological scientists have become increasingly concerned with issues related to methodology and replicability, and infancy researchers in particular face specific challenges related to replicability: For example, high-powered studies are difficult to conduct, testing conditions vary across labs, and different labs have access to different infant populations. Addressing these concerns, we report on a large-scale, multisite study aimed at (a) assessing the overall replicability of a single theoretically important phenomenon and (b) examining methodological, cultural, and developmental moderators. We focus on infants’ preference for infant-directed speech (IDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS). Stimuli of mothers speaking to their infants and to an adult in North American English were created using seminaturalistic laboratory-based audio recordings. Infants’ relative preference for IDS and ADS was assessed across 67 laboratories in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia using the three common methods for measuring infants’ discrimination (head-turn preference, central fixation, and eye tracking). The overall meta-analytic effect size (Cohen’s d) was 0.35, 95% confidence interval = [0.29, 0.42], which was reliably above zero but smaller than the meta-analytic mean computed from previous literature (0.67). The IDS preference was significantly stronger in older children, in those children for whom the stimuli matched their native language and dialect, and in data from labs using the head-turn preference procedure. Together, these findings replicate the IDS preference but suggest that its magnitude is modulated by development, native-language experience, and testing procedure.

Authors 100

1. Michael C. Frank

   University of Zurich · Stanford University

   Affiliation as printed

   Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich University

   Stanford University (450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-2004 - United States)

2. Katie Alcock

   Lancaster University

   Affiliation as printed

   Lancaster University (Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YW - United Kingdom)

3. Natalia Arias‐Trejo

   Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

   Affiliation as printed

   UNAM - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México = National Autonomous University of Mexico (Av. Universidad 3004, Col, Copilco Universidad, Coyoacán, 04510 Ciudad de México, - Mexico)

4. Gisa Aschersleben

   Saarland University

   Affiliation as printed

   Universität des Saarlandes [Saarbrücken] (Universität des Saarlandes Campus D-66123 Saarbrücken - Germany)

5. Dare A. Baldwin

   University of Oregon

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Oregon [Eugene] (1585 E 13th Ave. Eugene, OR 97403 - United States)

6. Stéphanie Barbu

   Centre d'Etude en Ethologie et Cognition

   Affiliation as printed

   EthoS - Ethologie animale et humaine (Campus de Beaulieu, 263 av. du Général Leclerc, Bâtiment 25 - 35042 RENNES Cedex - France)

7. Elika Bergelson

   Duke University

   Affiliation as printed

   Duke University [Durham] (Durham, NC 27708 - United States)

8. Christina Bergmann

   Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

   Affiliation as printed

   Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (Wundtlaan 1 6525 XD Nijmegen The Netherlands - Netherlands)

9. Alexis K. Black

   Haskins Laboratories

   Affiliation as printed

   Haskins Laboratories (300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511 - United States)

10. Ryan P. Blything

    University of Bristol

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Bristol [Bristol] (Senate House, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH - United Kingdom)

11. Maximilian P. Böhland

    Technische Universität Dresden

    Affiliation as printed

    TU Dresden - Technische Universität Dresden = Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden 01062 Dresden - Germany)

12. Petra Bolitho

    Victoria University of Wellington

    Affiliation as printed

    Victoria University of Wellington (PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand)

13. Arielle Borovsky

    Purdue University West Lafayette

    Affiliation as printed

    Purdue University [West Lafayette] (Hovde Hall, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907 - United States)

14. Shannon M. Brady

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Affiliation as printed

    UCLA - University of California [Los Angeles] (Los Angeles, Californie 90095 - United States)

15. Bettina Braun

    University of Konstanz

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Konstanz (78457 Konstanz - Germany)

16. Anna Brown

    University of Liverpool

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Liverpool (Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom - United Kingdom)

17. Krista Byers‐Heinlein

    Concordia University

    Affiliation as printed

    Concordia University [Montreal] (1455 Boulevard de Maisonneuve O, Montréal, QC H3G 1M8 - Canada)

18. Linda Campbell

    University of Newcastle Australia

    Affiliation as printed

    UoN - University of Newcastle [Callaghan, Australia] (University Drive, Callaghan NSW 2308 - Australia)

19. Cara H. Cashon

    University of Louisville

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Louisville (Louisville Kentucky USA - United States)

20. Mihye Choi

    University of Massachusetts Boston

    Affiliation as printed

    UMass Boston - University of Massachusetts [Boston] (100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125-3393 - United States)

21. Joan Christodoulou

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Affiliation as printed

    UCLA - University of California [Los Angeles] (Los Angeles, Californie 90095 - United States)

22. Laura K. Cirelli

    University of Toronto

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Toronto at Mississauga (3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 - Canada)

23. Stefania Conte

    University of Milano-Bicocca

    Affiliation as printed

    UNIMIB - Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca = University of Milano-Bicocca (Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1 - 20126, Milano - Italy)

24. Sara Cordes

    Boston College

    Affiliation as printed

    BC - Boston College (140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 - United States)

25. Christopher Martin Mikkelsen Cox

    University of York

    Affiliation as printed

    University of York [York, UK] (Heslington, York, YO10 5DD - United Kingdom)

26. Alejandrina Cristià

    Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique

    Affiliation as printed

    LSCP - Laboratoire de sciences cognitives et psycholinguistique (29, rue d'Ulm 75005 PARIS - France)

27. Rhodri Cusack

    Trinity College Dublin

    Affiliation as printed

    Trinity College Dublin (College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland - Ireland)

28. Catherine Evans Davies

    University of Leeds

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Leeds (Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT - United Kingdom)

29. Maartje de Klerk

    Utrecht University

    Affiliation as printed

    Universiteit Utrecht / Utrecht University [Utrecht] (Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht - Netherlands)

30. Claire Delle Luche

    University of Essex

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Essex (Wivenhoe Park Colchester CO4 3SQ - United Kingdom)

31. Laura Edwina De Ruiter

    University of Manchester

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Manchester [Manchester] (Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL - United Kingdom)

32. Dhanya Dinakar

    Western Sydney University

    Affiliation as printed

    Western Sydney University (Australia)

33. Kate C. Dixon

    University of Louisville

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Louisville (Louisville Kentucky USA - United States)

34. Virginie Durier

    Centre d'Etude en Ethologie et Cognition

    Affiliation as printed

    EthoS - Ethologie animale et humaine (Campus de Beaulieu, 263 av. du Général Leclerc, Bâtiment 25 - 35042 RENNES Cedex - France)

35. Samantha Durrant

    University of Liverpool

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Liverpool (Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom - United Kingdom)

36. Christopher T. Fennell

    University of Ottawa

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Ottawa [Ottawa] (75 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 - Canada)

37. Brock Ferguson
38. Alissa L. Ferry

    University of Manchester

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Manchester [Manchester] (Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL - United Kingdom)

39. Paula Fikkert

    Radboud University Nijmegen

    Affiliation as printed

    Radboud University [Nijmegen] (Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen - Netherlands)

40. Teresa Flanagan

    Franklin & Marshall College

    Affiliation as printed

    Franklin and Marshall College (P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 - United States)

41. Caroline Floccia

    University of Plymouth

    Affiliation as printed

    Plymouth University (Drake Circus Plymouth Devon PL4 8AA United Kingdom - United Kingdom)

42. Megan Foley

    Florida State University-Panama

    Affiliation as printed

    Florida State University [Panama City] (United States)

43. Tom Fritzsche

    University of Potsdam

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Potsdam = Universität Potsdam (Am Neuen Palais 10, House 9 14469 Potsdam - Germany)

44. Rebecca Louise Ann Frost

    Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

    Affiliation as printed

    Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (Wundtlaan 1 6525 XD Nijmegen The Netherlands - Netherlands)

45. Anja Gampe

    University of Zurich

    Affiliation as printed

    UZH - Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich (Rämistrasse 71 CH-8006 Zürich - Switzerland)

46. Judit Gervain

    Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception

    Affiliation as printed

    LPP - UMR 8242 - Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception (Centre Biomédical des Saints Pères 45 rue des Saints Pères 75270 Paris cedex 06 - France)

47. Nayeli Gonzalez‐Gomez

    Oxford Brookes University

    Affiliation as printed

    Oxford Brookes University (Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK - United Kingdom)

48. Anna Gupta Aachen

    Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Universiteit Leiden = Leiden University (Leiden University | 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands - Netherlands)

49. Laura Elisabeth Hahn

    Radboud University Nijmegen

    Affiliation as printed

    Radboud University [Nijmegen] (Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen - Netherlands)

50. J. Kiley Hamlin

    University of British Columbia · University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus

    Affiliation as printed

    UBC - University of British Columbia (Vancouver Campus, , 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 / Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7 - Canada)

51. Erin E. Hannon

    University of Nevada, Las Vegas

    Affiliation as printed

    WGU Nevada - University of Nevada [Las Vegas] (4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, États-Unis - United States)

52. Naomi Havron

    Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique

    Affiliation as printed

    LSCP - Laboratoire de sciences cognitives et psycholinguistique (29, rue d'Ulm 75005 PARIS - France)

53. Jessica F. Hay

    University of Tennessee at Knoxville

    Affiliation as printed

    The University of Tennessee [Knoxville] (Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 - United States)

54. Mikołaj Hernik

    Central European University - Budapest Campus

    Affiliation as printed

    CEU - Central European University [Budapest, Hongrie] (Nador u. 9 1051 Budapest. - Hungary)

55. Barbara Höhle

    University of Potsdam

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Potsdam = Universität Potsdam (Am Neuen Palais 10, House 9 14469 Potsdam - Germany)

56. Derek Michael Houston

    The Ohio State University

    Affiliation as printed

    OSU - The Ohio State University [Columbus] (281 W Lane Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 - United States)

57. Lauren H. Howard

    Franklin & Marshall College

    Affiliation as printed

    Franklin and Marshall College (P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 - United States)

58. Mitsuhiko Ishikawa

    Kyoto University

    Affiliation as printed

    Kyoto University (Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 606-8501 - Japan)

59. Shoji Itakura

    Kyoto University

    Affiliation as printed

    Kyoto University (Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 606-8501 - Japan)

60. Iain R. Jackson

    University of Manchester

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Manchester [Manchester] (Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL - United Kingdom)

61. Krisztina Varga Jakobsen

    James Madison University

    Affiliation as printed

    James Madison University (United States)

62. Marianna Jartó

    Universität Hamburg

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Hamburg (Mittelweg 177, 20148 Hamburg - Germany)

63. Scott P. Johnson

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Affiliation as printed

    UCLA - University of California [Los Angeles] (Los Angeles, Californie 90095 - United States)

64. Caroline Junge

    Utrecht University

    Affiliation as printed

    Universiteit Utrecht / Utrecht University [Utrecht] (Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht - Netherlands)

65. Didar Karadağ

    Boğaziçi University

    Affiliation as printed

    Boǧaziçi üniversitesi = Boğaziçi University [Istanbul] (34342 Bebek, Istanbul - Turkey)

66. Natalia Kartushina

    University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    UiO - University of Oslo (P.O 1072 Blindern 0316 Oslo - Norway)

67. Danielle J. Kellier

    Stanford University

    Affiliation as printed

    Stanford University (450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-2004 - United States)

68. Tamar Keren‐Portnoy

    University of York

    Affiliation as printed

    University of York [York, UK] (Heslington, York, YO10 5DD - United Kingdom)

69. Kelsey Klassen

    University of Manitoba

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Manitoba [Winnipeg] (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3T 2N2 - Canada)

70. Melissa Kline

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 - United States)

71. Eon-Suk Ko

    Chosun University

    Affiliation as printed

    CU - Chosun University (South Korea)

72. Jonathan Frank Kominsky

    Harvard University

    Affiliation as printed

    Harvard University (Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138 - United States)

73. Jessica Elizabeth Kosie

    University of Oregon

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Oregon [Eugene] (1585 E 13th Ave. Eugene, OR 97403 - United States)

74. Haley Elisabeth Kragness

    McMaster University

    Affiliation as printed

    McMaster University [Hamilton, Ontario] (1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8 - Canada)

75. Andrea A. R. Krieger

    Saarland University

    Affiliation as printed

    Saarland University [Saarbrücken] (66123 Saarbrücken - Germany)

76. Florian Krieger

    University of Luxembourg

    Affiliation as printed

    uni.lu - Université du Luxembourg = University of Luxembourg = Universität Luxemburg (Université du Luxembourg [Siège] – 2, place de l’Université – L-4365 Esch-sur-Alzette – Luxembourg - Luxembourg)

77. Jill Lany

    University of Notre Dame

    Affiliation as printed

    UND - University of Notre Dame [Indiana] (Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 - United States)

78. Roberto J. Lazo

    University of Miami

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Miami [Coral Gables] (1320 S Dixie Hwy, Coral Gables, FL 33146 - United States)

79. Michelle Lee

    University of California San Diego

    Affiliation as printed

    UC San Diego - University of California [San Diego] (UCSD, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093 USA - United States)

80. Chloé Leservoisier

    Centre d'Etude en Ethologie et Cognition

    Affiliation as printed

    EthoS - Ethologie animale et humaine (Campus de Beaulieu, 263 av. du Général Leclerc, Bâtiment 25 - 35042 RENNES Cedex - France)

81. Clara C. Levelt Aachen

    Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Universiteit Leiden = Leiden University (Leiden University | 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands - Netherlands)

82. Casey Lew‐Williams

    Princeton University

    Affiliation as printed

    Princeton University (Princeton, NJ 08544 USA - United States)

83. Matthias Lippold

    University of Göttingen

    Affiliation as printed

    Georg-August-University = Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Wilhelmsplatz 1, 37073 Göttingen, Allemagne - Germany)

84. Ulf Liszkowski

    Universität Hamburg

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Hamburg (Mittelweg 177, 20148 Hamburg - Germany)

85. Liquan Liu

    Western Sydney University

    Affiliation as printed

    Western Sydney University (Australia)

86. Steven G. Luke

    Brigham Young University

    Affiliation as printed

    BYU - Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah 84602 - United States)

87. Rebecca Allred Lundwall

    Brigham Young University

    Affiliation as printed

    BYU - Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah 84602 - United States)

88. Viola Macchi Cassia

    University of Milano-Bicocca

    Affiliation as printed

    UNIMIB - Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca = University of Milano-Bicocca (Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1 - 20126, Milano - Italy)

89. Nivedita Mani

    University of Göttingen

    Affiliation as printed

    Georg-August-University = Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Wilhelmsplatz 1, 37073 Göttingen, Allemagne - Germany)

90. Caterina Marino

    Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception

    Affiliation as printed

    LPP - UMR 8242 - Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception (Centre Biomédical des Saints Pères 45 rue des Saints Pères 75270 Paris cedex 06 - France)

91. Alia Martin

    Victoria University of Wellington

    Affiliation as printed

    Victoria University of Wellington (PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand)

92. Meghan Mastroberardino

    Concordia University

    Affiliation as printed

    Concordia University [Montreal] (1455 Boulevard de Maisonneuve O, Montréal, QC H3G 1M8 - Canada)

93. Victoria Mateu

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Affiliation as printed

    UCLA - University of California [Los Angeles] (Los Angeles, Californie 90095 - United States)

94. Julien Mayor

    University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    UiO - University of Oslo (P.O 1072 Blindern 0316 Oslo - Norway)

95. Katharina H. Menn

    Radboud University Nijmegen

    Affiliation as printed

    Radboud University [Nijmegen] (Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen - Netherlands)

96. Christine Michel

    Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences

    Affiliation as printed

    IMPNSC - Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences [Leipzig] (P.O. box 500355 04303 Leipzig - Germany)

97. Yusuke Moriguchi

    Kyoto University

    Affiliation as printed

    Kyoto University (Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 606-8501 - Japan)

98. Benjamin Morris

    University of Chicago

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Chicago (Edward H. Levi Hall 5801 South Ellis Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60637 - United States)

99. Karli M. Nave

    University of Nevada, Las Vegas

    Affiliation as printed

    WGU Nevada - University of Nevada [Las Vegas] (4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154, États-Unis - United States)

100. Thierry Nazzi

     Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception

     Affiliation as printed

     LPP - UMR 8242 - Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception (Centre Biomédical des Saints Pères 45 rue des Saints Pères 75270 Paris cedex 06 - France)