Ollie Bream | 2025 I.S. Symposium

Name: Ollie Bream
Title: The Gift of Gab: An Investigation of the Influence of Toy Type on Preverbal Infant Volubility
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Minor: Education
Advisor: Joan Furey

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between toy type and volubility in preverbal infants. More specifically, this research examined whether electronic or traditional toys were associated with a greater number of prelinguistic vocalizations in infants between 8 and 12 months of age. This study extended existing research on the influence of toy type on infant volubility and expanded our understanding of the impact of toys on typically developing children’s spoken language. In this investigation, I used an experimental research design where I altered toy type (traditional or electronic) and tallied each infant’s vocalizations. The major conclusion of this study was that the type of toy (traditional or electronic) could influence the number of vocalizations a child made, due to specific features of the toy, suggesting that the impact of toy type on infant volubility was more complex than prior studies indicated. Individuals (early intervention specialists and guardians) who are seeking to increase the number of vocalizations preverbal children make need to thoughtfully consider the features of the toys they employ.

Posted in Symposium 2025 on April 23, 2025.