Nature vs. Nurture in Language Development
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Questions and Answers

What was the primary belief of behaviorists regarding speech and language development prior to the 1960s?

  • The quality of environmental involvement plays a crucial role in the language development process. (correct)
  • Language development is solely a result of the hard work of the environment with no pre-existing disposition.
  • Children are genetically predisposed to talk regardless of their environment.
  • Oral communication skills are primarily innate and require minimal environmental interaction.

    • What is a core tenet of the nativist perspective in the 'nature-versus-nurture' debate?

  • Language development is primarily a learned behavior, influenced by environmental factors.
  • The nativist perspective fully discounts the influence of the environment on language development.
  • Humans are born with a predisposition to acquire language, making it an instinctual process. (correct)
  • There is no genetic basis for language acquisition. It is solely learned through the environment.

    • What is the main difference between the views of behaviorists and nativists concerning the role of environment in language development?

  • Behaviorists believe the environment is insignificant, while nativists emphasize its crucial role.
  • Both emphasize the environment equally but differ on if children will learn without specific environment conditions.
  • Behaviorists believe the environment shapes all language abilities, whereas nativists consider it a secondary factor. (correct)
  • Both agree on the amount and way that the environment affects language learning, differing only on biological aspects.

    • Which statement best describes the general view of the two sides in the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate regarding the role of genetics during the 1960s and 70s?

    <p>Neither group fully disregarded the opposing viewpoint, but focused on their primary proposed factors. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one key aspect that both behaviorists and nativists agreed upon generally?

    <p>That humans are biologically equipped to acquire language to a certain extent. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the concept of duality of patterning in language?

    <p>The combination of sounds in many arrangements to create words and sentences (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD), as theorized by Chomsky?

    <p>To act as an innate reservoir that contains information about the rules of language structure. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the behaviorist perspective, what is the most critical factor in the language acquisition process?

    <p>The environment and regularities observed in language development (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of 'mands' in Skinner's operant conditioning model of language acquisition?

    <p>To request or demand something. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the concept of 'recursion' in language?

    <p>The creation of complex and embedded arrangements of words and phrases. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of the interactionist approach to language development?

    <p>The interaction between biological predispositions and environmental influences. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the 'age of acquisition effect' in language development?

    <p>The observation that words learned earlier are retrieved faster than those learned later. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to transformational generative grammar, what distinguishes 'deep structure' from 'surface structure'?

    <p>Deep structure is the universal set of rules and structures, whereas surface structure is the specific language production. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of 'intraverbal' behavior, according to Skinner's operant conditioning?

    <p>A child looks down at the ground and says 'ball' after her parent asks 'Where did the ball go?' (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of mirror neurons in the context of language development?

    <p>They link observed actions with physical actions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best represents the semantic view of language acquisition?

    <p>Language based on underlying semantic relationships rather than deep structure. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which area of the brain is most strongly associated with speech and language production?

    <p>Broca's area. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a core concept within the interactionist perspective on language development?

    <p>Language development is a result of dynamic interactions. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main feature of the 'cognitive view' of language acquisition?

    <p>The focus is on how the underlying processes of cognition relate to language development. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes using language to deceive or invent forms for artistic expression?

    <p>Prevarication (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Nature vs. Nurture in Language Development

    • Early views (pre-1960s): Behaviorism emphasized learned oral communication skills, needing both biological/mental readiness and a supportive environment.

    • Nativist perspective (1960s-1970s): Nativists argued children are naturally/genetically inclined to learn language, with a strong language instinct. This view suggested minimal environmental influence was required for language development.

    • Nature-Nurture balance: Neither side completely dismisses the other factor. The debate centers on the relative importance of biology/genetics versus environment in language acquisition.

    Universal and Unique Human Language

    • Universal language qualities: Language is a universal human characteristic involving features like duality of patterning, recursion, prevarication, reflexivity, and learnability.

    • Human speech uniqueness: Certain aspects, like recursion and duality of patterning, are unique to humans, allowing complex sentence structures and an endless capacity for expression.

    Biological Basis of Language

    • Brain areas: Wernicke's and Broca's areas are critical for language processing.

    • Mirror neurons: While not solely human, these neurons assist in linking observation to action, relevant to interaction and language development.

    • Brain adaptability: The brain's dynamic and self-organizing ability plays a role in language development stages.

    • Early language development: Naming deficits (around 18-20 months), and an age-of-acquisition effect influencing word retrieval speed, are observed.

    Language Acquisition Device (LAD) and Universal Grammar (UG)

    • Language Acquisition Device (LAD): A hypothesized innate structure containing language rules. The LAD aids fast and effortless language acquisition.

    • Universal Grammar (UG): A development of Chomsky’s theory about the innate deep structure of language, potentially universal grammatical rules. This deep structure results in various surface structures dependent on the specific language.

    Behaviorist Perspective on Language Acquisition

    • Focus on observable behaviors: Behaviorists analyze observable behaviors in children for clues about language development. Culture and the situation are identified as factors.

    • Emphasis on environmental input: Behaviorists believe environmental factors are critical in the language learning process, often viewing children as passive learners.

    • Operant conditioning principles: Skinner's operant conditioning framework (reinforcement and punishment) is used to explain language learning.

    Operant Conditioning Application to Verbal Behaviors

    • Operant conditioning process: A learned response is targeted, with antecedents (stimuli) and consequents (reinforcement or punishment) impacting the frequency of a response.

    • Types of verbal behaviors: Examples of operant conditioning applied to verbal learning in children include imitation (echoic), associating words with objects/actions (tact), requesting (mand), social interaction (intraverbal), and forming sentences (autoclitic).

    Interactionist Approach

    • Combined biological & environmental factors: The interactionist approach emphasizes a complex interplay between innate abilities and environmental influences in language development.

    • Sematic, Cognitive, and Social Interactionist views: These views suggest varied interactions, including language's connection to deeper meaning (semantic), cognitive development, and social interaction.

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    Description

    Explore the ongoing debate of nature versus nurture in language acquisition. Discover early behaviorist views, the nativist perspective, and the balance between biology and environment in children's language development. Learn about universal qualities of human language that differentiate it from other forms of communication.

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