Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Study Reveals How Labels and Gestures Boost Infant Attention

9/5/2025

47 11

Summary

Story summary

A UC Davis study shows that combining labeling words like "bear" with spatial words like "here" captures infants' attention longer.
Gestures, such as pointing, increase attention duration to an average of 8.4 seconds.
The research involved 49 North American caregivers and their 9-month-old infants, emphasizing early spatial understanding.
Longer attention spans may enhance spatial reasoning in later development.

1 of 1

Story summary

A UC Davis study shows that combining labeling words like "bear" with spatial words like "here" captures infants' attention longer.
Gestures, such as pointing, increase attention duration to an average of 8.4 seconds.
The research involved 49 North American caregivers and their 9-month-old infants, emphasizing early spatial understanding.
Longer attention spans may enhance spatial reasoning in later development.