ResearchSingle-time studyEvidence: Small studyAges 3–7
Beyond the 30-Million-Word Gap: Children's Conversational Exposure Is Associated With Language-Related Brain Function
Author or publisher Romeo et al., Psychological Science Published 2018 Reviewed by eduStack editors Last checked 13 Nov 2026
1What the study found
In a study of 4- to 6-year-olds, the number of back-and-forth conversational turns with adults predicted activity in language areas of the brain better than the number of words children heard.
2How it relates to this stage
The children studied were 4 to 6. We list it from age 3 because the advice it supports, talking with your child, applies from the preschool years.
3Sources and check record
https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797617742725 Romeo et al., Psychological Science. Beyond the 30-Million-Word Gap: Children's Conversational Exposure Is Associated With Language-Related Brain Function. 2018. doi:10.1177/0956797617742725 Last checked · 13 Nov 2026