Mothers and fathers show no difference in spatial language use with their children, and children produce similar spatial language with each parent¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 Parent sex did not significantly affect parent spatial language quantity or quality. → Farran 2025

Evidence¶

Farran 2025¶

Farran, E. K., Fink, E., Hughes, C., Gilligan-Lee, K. A., & The NewFAMS team. (2025). Limited sex differences in spatial language in parent-child dyads. Learning and Instruction, 95, 102006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.102006

q3 · i1 · associational · r2

Within the MANOVA (N = 104), the significant omnibus parent-sex effect was not supported by follow-up ANOVAs: quantity "F (1,102) = 1.25, p = .266, ηp2 = .012"; quality "F (1, 102) = 2.38, p = .13, ηp2 = .023". The authors did not consider it further.

"follow up ANOVAs demonstrated nonsignificant effects of parent sex for each dependent variable: quantity: F (1,102) = 1.25, p = .266, ηp 2 = .012; quality: F (1, 102) = 2.38, p = .13, ηp 2 = .023, and so this main effect is not considered further."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Boys and girls show comparable spatial language use at 24 and 48 months during structured DUPLO play — related
• Tentative longitudinal interaction: mother spatial language quantity at 24 months relates negatively to boys' but positively to girls' later spatial language quality — related
• Parents use a greater variety of spatial words (higher spatial language quality) with daughters than sons, regardless of SES or talkativeness — related
• Parent spatial language is concurrently associated with child spatial language at 48 months, explaining substantial variance beyond controls — related
• Parent spatial language at 24 months does not predict child spatial language two years later — related