• Question: How do people learn to respond to their names?

    Asked by hannahjanehunt to Antonia, Douglas, Hugh, Matt, Tom on 14 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Matthew Hurley

      Matthew Hurley answered on 13 Jun 2010:

      Just the same as we learn anything I think (although I bet Antonia’s got a better explanation). Something happens close in time to something else, if this happens enough we learn that the two are linked. If I press a dodgy button on my computer and it crashes I soon learn not to press it!. The same as if my mum calls my name and smiles and feeds me – I soon learn that’s my name. As I get older I keep hearing this name and subconsciously know it’s me.

    • Photo: Antonia Hamilton

      Antonia Hamilton answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      That’s a great question, and I’m not sure we really know. Babies hear their own name a lot, and also see their Mum looking at them. So gradually they work out that the sound ‘John’ is a special sound that is important to them. Most children work this out by the time they are 12 months old, and the children who don’t might be at more risk of autism.

Comments