Premium
Effect of Twinning on Chinese and English Vocabulary Knowledge
Author(s) -
Wong Simpson W.L.,
Cheung Him,
Zheng Mo,
Yang Xiujie,
McBride Catherine,
Ho Connie SukHan,
Leung Judy SzeMan,
Chow Bonnie WingYin,
Waye Mary Miu Yee
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13400
Subject(s) - psychology , vocabulary , developmental psychology , nonverbal communication , vocabulary development , foreign language , linguistics , mathematics education , philosophy
Vocabulary knowledge was tested in a native (Cantonese‐Chinese) and foreign (English) language in 150 twins and 150 singletons aged 6–11 years, matched on age, gender, grade level, nonverbal intelligence, parents’ education, family income, and number of siblings and household members. The singletons clearly outperformed the twins on the native vocabulary, but this “twinning effect” was much less noticeable for the foreign vocabulary. The effect on English vocabulary was further reduced after exposure to English at home was controlled. Given that these participants learned most of their English in school rather than home, the present findings support the notion that the twinning effect is associated with increased competition for family interaction in twins compared with singletons.