A main source for the ages
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.