language development
Summary
Language development is the sequence by which children move from cooing and babbling to words, phrases and grammatical sentences, with comprehension ahead of production. The most testable point is contrasting the learning (Skinner), nativist (Chomsky) and interactionist explanations.
Detail
Meaning: Language development is how children progress from sounds to grammatical speech, with comprehension running ahead of production. A typical sequence, with ages that vary: cooing at about 2 to 4 months, babbling at about 4 to 6 months, single words near 12 months, two-word telegraphic phrases at 18 to 24 months, then rapid growth in vocabulary and grammar.
Three accounts explain how: the learning view (Skinner) says reinforcement and imitation shape speech; the nativist view (Chomsky) proposes an innate language acquisition device and universal grammar, working best in a sensitive period; interactionist views say biology and social interaction work together.
On the MCAT: Questions ask which theory an observation supports. Overgeneralization, such as "goed" or "foots", suggests children learn rules rather than only copy what they hear, which challenges a purely learning-based account. Children raised with little language exposure are used to argue for a critical period.
Common confusion: Babbling is not first words, and the nativist view does not deny that experience matters; children still need exposure to a language. Do not mix this topic with linguistic relativity, which asks whether language shapes thought.
Sources
- Psychology
- Discovering Psychology
- Psychology in Modules
Written for the MCAT and checked before it was published. For study reference only. Spotted an error? Let us know.