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Ontogeny of index-finger pointing

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Ontogeny of index-finger pointing

Johanna Rüther, Ulf Liszkowski · 2024 · Journal of Child Language

Children
30 babies
Where
The Netherlands
Ages
8 to 13 months, seen every month
How
Researchers filmed the same babies every month in a room full of interesting things
What it found
Half had started pointing with their index finger by 11 months, and about 3 in 4 by 12 months. Five of the 30 hadn't started by 13 months, when the study ended. Pointing with the whole hand came earlier, from about 9 months.
Limits
A small group from one city, mostly better-off families speaking one language, and the study ended at 13 months.

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