Nature Vs Nurture
Chapter 2 Review
Miranda Prout
1. What three questions are important to consider when examining a language development theory? Write out each question AND provide a description of the major points of all three.
i. What do infants bring to the task of language learning?
This question brings about the much-debated “nature vs. nurture” argument, whereby some theorists argue that a child’s language development is “pre-programmed” in a child, others argue all language children acquire is through experience. Each theory takes a place on the spectrum, with most theories arguing variations of both nature and nurture. ii. What mechanisms drive language acquisition?
When formulating theories that address the mechanisms that drive language acquisition, …show more content…
Some theorists believe the frequency of hearing language is more important in acquiring, others contend that specific types of language information are crucial.
2. Explain the difference between “nature-inspired” and “nurture-inspired” and present the extreme position for each perspective.
Nurture-inspired theories argue that children learn all of their language through experience. An extreme nurture position would be a child who has no innate language ability; nothing a child is born with has prepared them to learn language. On the other end of the spectrum, nature-inspired theories contend that a child has inborn language ability. An extreme nurture theory would be that a child is born with innate language tools and fine-tunes these upon exposure to their parent’s language. Theories of language acquisition generally appear somewhere between these two extremes.
3. Summarize and describe three major NATURE-inspired theories of language development.
Noam Chomsky, a famous linguist, formulated one of the most predominant nature-inspired theories of language development. His theory, called Universal Grammar, states that children are created with an innate knowledge of general grammar common to all languages, and as the child becomes to exposed to their native language, they fine-tune their knowledge to the grammar of that particular …show more content…
Summarize and describe three major NURTURE-inspired theories of language development.
The Behaviorist Theory, created by B.F. Skinner is predominantly nurture inspired, and is based around basic operant conditioning. Operant conditioning, the belief that children’s behaviours that are reinforced will continue and be enhanced, and behaviour that are discouraged become repressed, fits strongly within the nurture spectrum. In terms of language acquisition, a child will attempt to vocalize, and if those vocalizations are reinforced, they continue, and these reinforcements shape their speech development.
Another theory in the forefront of child development is Vygotsky’s Social Interactionist Theory, based on a concept known as zones of proximal development. This concept is known as the difference between the level of development the child is currently in and his/her potential. When addressing language using Vygotsky’s theory, one would suggest linguistic abilities are driven by social and cognitive
Miranda Prout
1. What three questions are important to consider when examining a language development theory? Write out each question AND provide a description of the major points of all three.
i. What do infants bring to the task of language learning?
This question brings about the much-debated “nature vs. nurture” argument, whereby some theorists argue that a child’s language development is “pre-programmed” in a child, others argue all language children acquire is through experience. Each theory takes a place on the spectrum, with most theories arguing variations of both nature and nurture. ii. What mechanisms drive language acquisition?
When formulating theories that address the mechanisms that drive language acquisition, …show more content…
Some theorists believe the frequency of hearing language is more important in acquiring, others contend that specific types of language information are crucial.
2. Explain the difference between “nature-inspired” and “nurture-inspired” and present the extreme position for each perspective.
Nurture-inspired theories argue that children learn all of their language through experience. An extreme nurture position would be a child who has no innate language ability; nothing a child is born with has prepared them to learn language. On the other end of the spectrum, nature-inspired theories contend that a child has inborn language ability. An extreme nurture theory would be that a child is born with innate language tools and fine-tunes these upon exposure to their parent’s language. Theories of language acquisition generally appear somewhere between these two extremes.
3. Summarize and describe three major NATURE-inspired theories of language development.
Noam Chomsky, a famous linguist, formulated one of the most predominant nature-inspired theories of language development. His theory, called Universal Grammar, states that children are created with an innate knowledge of general grammar common to all languages, and as the child becomes to exposed to their native language, they fine-tune their knowledge to the grammar of that particular …show more content…
Summarize and describe three major NURTURE-inspired theories of language development.
The Behaviorist Theory, created by B.F. Skinner is predominantly nurture inspired, and is based around basic operant conditioning. Operant conditioning, the belief that children’s behaviours that are reinforced will continue and be enhanced, and behaviour that are discouraged become repressed, fits strongly within the nurture spectrum. In terms of language acquisition, a child will attempt to vocalize, and if those vocalizations are reinforced, they continue, and these reinforcements shape their speech development.
Another theory in the forefront of child development is Vygotsky’s Social Interactionist Theory, based on a concept known as zones of proximal development. This concept is known as the difference between the level of development the child is currently in and his/her potential. When addressing language using Vygotsky’s theory, one would suggest linguistic abilities are driven by social and cognitive