New Study: Babies Exhibit Creative Thinking Before Speaking

A recent study from the University of Birmingham and Central European University reveals that infants under one year old can creatively combine simple concepts, suggesting that this ability is crucial for early language development, SciTech Daily reported.

Published in PNAS, the research indicates that babies can quickly learn new words related to quantity and spontaneously integrate them with familiar terms.

Lead researcher Dr. Barbara Pomiechowska emphasized the significance of understanding when human creativity emerges, stating that it begins with language acquisition. The study involved 60 babies, who were taught novel words for quantities—’mize’ for one and ‘padu’ for two—and tested on their ability to combine these with object names.

Using eye-tracking technology, researchers confirmed that infants successfully understood and combined these concepts, highlighting the importance of this cognitive ability in interpreting complex language and navigating their physical and social environments.