Can conditioning procedures yield representative infant vocalizations in the laboratory?

The quantity and quality of vocalizations produced in the home and laboratory by 36 typically developing infants, aged 3-18 months, were compared. Conditioning procedures were employed in order to obtain typical infant vocalizations in the laboratory. Analyses indicated that vocalizations were comparable in quantity and quality across the two settings. Earlier findings that frequency and complexity of vocalizations increase with age were also confirmed. These results suggest that with the use of conditioning procedures the laboratory can be an effective setting for recording infant vocalizations. Advantages of the laboratory setting include a favourable acoustic environment and the feasibility of maintaining stricter experimental control than is possible in more naturalistic contexts, such as the home.