THE CONTRAST THEORY OF NEGATIVE INPUT

Beliefs about whether or not children receive corrective input for gra mmatical errors depend crucially on how one defines the concept of cor rection. Arguably, previous conceptualizations do not provide a viable basis for empirical research(Gold, 1967; Brown & Hanlon, 1970; Hirsh- Pasek, Treiman & Schneiderman, 1984) Within the Contrast Theory of neg ative input, an alternative definition of negative evidence is offered , based on the idea that the unique discourse structure created in the juxtaposition of child error and adult correct form can reveal to the child the contrast, or conflict, between the two forms, and hence pro vide a basis for rejecting the erroneous form. A within-subjects exper imental design was implemented for 36 children (mean age 5;0), in orde r to compare the immediate effects of negative evidence with those of positive input, on the acquisition of six novel irregular past tense f orms. Children reproduced the correct irregular model more often, and persisted with fewer errors, following negative evidence rather than p ositive input.