NVESTIGATING LEXICAL ACQUISITION PATTERNS: CONTEXT AND COGNITION



was the dependent factor. Significant differences were found both for the immediate post test
(Kruskal-Wallis, 1 Way ANOVA: X2= 18.5, df=2, p<.0005) and the delayed post test
(Kruskal-Wallis, 1 Way ANOVA: X2= 23.01, df=2, p<.0000).

Post hoc analysis for the immediate post test, revealed that the 5 year-olds performed
significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z=3.3 p<.005). Also, the 6 year
olds performed significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z=4.2, p<.0000).
The same pattern was found for the delayed post test (Mann-Whitney: Z=3.2, p<.005; Z=4.7,
p<.0000). No significant differences were found between the 5- and the 6 year-olds.

Whether the same pattern was evident within each linguistic condition was also investigated.
Overall, the same pattern was found. Significant differences were found for the Inference
condition, during the immediate post test (Kruskall-Wallis, 1 Way ANOVA: X2= 7.1, df=2,
p<.05) while a trend for significance for the same pattern was found for the delayed post test.
The same pattern was found for the Analogy (immediate: Kruskall-Wallis, 1 Way ANOVA:
X2= 19.7, df=2, p<.0005; delayed: Kruskall-Wallis, 1 Way AN0VA: X2= 18.9, df=2,
p<.0005) and Lexical contrast conditions (immediate: Kjuskal-Wallis, 1 Way AN0VA: X2=
10.4, df=2, p<.005; delayed: Kruskall-Wallis, 1 Way ANOVA: X2= 6.9, df=2, p<.05). No
significant differences were found for the Definition condition.

Post hoc analysis of children’s responses in the Inference condition revealed that during the
immediate post test the 5 year-olds performed significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-
Whitney: Z=2.6, p<.05). During the delayed post test the 5 year-olds performed significantly
better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z=2.1, p<.05). The 6 year-olds also performed
significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z= 2.1, p<.05). Post hoc analysis
of children’s responses in the Analogy condition indicated that during the immediate post
test the 5 year-olds performed significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney:
Z=2.6, p<.05) and the 6 year-olds performed significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-
Whitney: Z= 4.2, p<.0000). Also, the 6 year-olds performed significantly better than the 5
year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z=2.2, p<.05). During the delayed post test the 5 year-olds
performed significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z=3.08, p<.005) and the
6 year-olds performed significantly better than the 4 year-olds (Mann-Whitney: Z=4.04,
p<.0005).

146



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