A new study from the University of California, Davis, finds that combining words that label objects, such as “bear,” with spatial words such as “here” or “there” captures infants’ attention for longer than using those types of words alone or using other words that are neither labels nor spatial. Adding gestures, such as pointing, holds babies’ attention the longest. 

The study, the first believed to measure associations between spatial words and infants’ attention, was published online Sept. 1 in the journal Developmental Psychology.

Fei Li, Associate Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the project: “Quantum Algorithms for High-Performance Analysis of Single-Cell Omics Data and Explainable Drug Discovery.”

Ziwei Zhu, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the project: “III: Small: Harnessing Interpretable Neuro-Symbolic Learning for Reliable Ranking.”