Is There a Critical Period for Language? When the Sad

question 230

Essay

Is there a critical period for language? When the sad story of Genie was broadcast on television, many people wondered what the future would hold for a 13-year-old girl who had survived on minimal physical care. What did psychologists learn about language acquisition through their efforts to teach language to Genie? In what ways does Genie's story illustrate some drawbacks to the case study method?

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Definitions:

Crespi

An individual potentially linked to a specific study or theory within the field of psychology, but without more context, it's unclear which accomplishments or theories are referred to.

Anticipatory Response Mechanism

A psychological or physiological response that occurs in anticipation of a future event or situation, often as a form of adaptive behavior.

Incentive Motivation

Motivation that is derived from some property of the act itself, rather than being generated internally, often involving a reward or punishment as stimulus.

Cognitive Aspects

Features or components related to the process of thinking and understanding, including perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning.