A baby’s attention span may seem brief, but new research shows that some words and gestures can significantly extend their focus. A study from the University of California, Davis, has found that using labeling words such as “bear” helps infants engage longer with their surroundings. Using spatial words like “here” or “there” further increases their interaction.
Gestures, especially pointing, combined with these words, hold babies’ attention even more effectively. The findings were published online on September 1 in the journal Developmental Psychology.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research was led by Erim Kızıldere, a psychology Ph.D. student, and senior author Lisa Oakes, Distinguished Professor of psychology at UC Davis. It was conducted in the Infant Cognition Lab between 2016 and 2017.
Parents played with their 9-month-old infants using a puzzle featuring cartoon animals, including a lion, monkey, zebra, and bear. The babies wore head-mounted eye trackers, which measured where and for how long they looked.
What Researchers Found
The study tested how long babies looked at objects depending on the type of words parents used:
- Neutral words (not labels or spatial): 3.1 seconds of attention
- Labeling words (“lion” or “bear”): 3.9 seconds
- Spatial words (“here” or “there”): 3.6 seconds
- Labeling plus spatial words: 6.1 seconds
- Labeling plus spatial words with gestures: 8.4 seconds
The study involved 49 North American caregivers and their infants.
Why 9-Month-Olds Were Chosen
The team selected 9-month-old infants because this is when babies begin to follow someone’s gaze and understand the space around them. At this stage, they can also start responding to early words describing objects and locations.
“Because parents used a lot of spatial language, we had the opportunity to measure how babies respond to it,” said Oakes.
Building Blocks for Later Skills
Researchers believe that these longer periods of focus may contribute to stronger spatial reasoning as children grow. Spatial reasoning is key for understanding how objects exist and move in space, and it plays a critical role in later skills such as problem-solving, math, and navigation.
“When infants focus their attention longer on the objects around them, those experiences can build up and may lead to better spatial reasoning later in their lives,” said Kızıldere.
Simple strategies like combining labeling and spatial words with pointing gestures can help babies engage more deeply with their environment. Over time, these small moments may support crucial cognitive skills.
For parents and caregivers, the research highlights the importance of talking to babies in diverse and specific ways. Far from being too young to benefit, infants are already developing foundations for language and spatial awareness well before they say their first words.
