The Difference Between a Critical Period and a Sensitive Period

question 75

Multiple Choice

The difference between a critical period and a sensitive period is that with a critical period ___; with a sensitive period ___.

• A) the brain is at a stage where it is the most malleable; the brain is less malleable but with the right environmental stimulation it can be more malleable
• B) the environmental stimulation must occur at a specific time window or else the ability never develops; it is possible to acquire the ability outside of the time window with lots of work
• C) the time window for a specific environmental stimulation to occur is very flexible; the time window for a specific environmental stimulation is extremely rigid, and without it, the ability won't develop
• D) we see abrupt changes in the ability with environmental stimulation; the changes we see are much less abrupt

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Definitions:

Correlation

Usually a number between +1.0 and -1.0 that indicates whether and how much two variables are related. Correlation indicates whether an increase in one variable will increase or decrease another variable. Correlation indicates only that two variables are somehow related, not that one variable causes the other to increase or decrease.

Variables

Elements or factors that can change and affect the outcome of experiments or studies, often manipulated or measured by researchers.

Causal Link

The relationship between two events where one is the result of the occurrence of the other; a cause-effect relationship.

Dependent Variable

In an experiment, the variable that may change as a result of the independent variable (whatever new condition the experimenter adds). In other words, the dependent variable depends on the independent variable.