Chapter 5 - 'Sensitive And Critical Periods In Psychological Devlopment'

Question 1

Define what ‘sensitive period’ refers to.

Answer 1

A period of time during development where an individual is more responsive to certain types of environmental experiences or learning.

Question 2

State the sensitive period for native language.

Answer 2

Up to the age of 12, gradually declining at 7.

Question 3

Define what ‘critical period’ refers to.

Give an example of a critical period in development.

Hint. Quack quack.

Answer 3

A period in development where an organism is most vulnerable to the deprivation or absence of certain environmental stimuli.

Question 4

State how long the critical period is for humans.

Answer 4

Up to 6 years.

Question 5

Give an example of ‘imprinting’.

Answer 5

Duckling will imprint and follow the first noisy moving object encountered at birth.

Question 6

State under what circumstances imprinting will not occur.

Answer 6

E.g when a duckling is too young or too old.

Question 7

State when sensitive periods most frequently occur.

Answer 7

During pre-natal development before birth. (When the individual is going through rapidly occurring changes in physical and growth development.