The effect of differential exposure to a referent on children's communication effectiveness was investigated. 40 boys and girls from Grades K and 2 were given one or three opportunities to explore a maze-like construction approximately 22 square meters in area. Each child was then required to describe verbally the correct path through this maze to another child of the same grade and sex. The number of speakers' messages increased and the number of listeners' errors decreased as a function of increased exposure to the referent situation. Differential exposure to the referent was seen as one determinant of communication effectiveness in young children.
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