Mutual Exclusivity Principle in early word learning states:

• A. Children assume objects have multiple labels; a new word maps to the unfamiliar object
• B. Children map a new word to the familiar object
• C. Children assume objects have a single label; a new word maps to the unfamiliar object
• D. Children ignore new words until context

Answer: (C)

The Mutual Exclusivity Principle is a bias in early word learning where objects are assumed to have only one label. When a child already knows the name of a familiar object, they tend to map a new word to the unfamiliar object instead of to the familiar one. This helps them quickly figure out what a new word refers to by resolving referential ambiguity during fast mapping.

For example, if a child sees a known object like a ball and an unfamiliar object and hears a new word, they’ll map that new word to the unfamiliar object because the familiar object already has a known label. This is what the correct option describes: a single-label assumption leading to the new word linking with the unfamiliar object.

The other ideas don’t fit the bias: assuming a single object can have multiple labels would contradict the principle; mapping a new word to the familiar object doesn’t use the disambiguating cue the principle relies on; and ignoring new words isn’t how toddlers typically learn.