Criticisms of Skinner Flashcards
What is the first objection called?
Developmental Milestones
What does the developmental milestones criticism say?
Children around the world learn language at the same pace
Why does the Developmental Milestones criticism object to Skinners theory?
If Skinner’s theory was correct, children would learn language at different speeds
What is the second objection to Skinner’s theory called?
Logical Mistakes
What does the Logical Mistakes criticism say?
If children learn all words by imitation, then why do they sometimes make up words?
Name a word children make up
“foots”
How does the Logical Mistakes criticism object to Skinner’s theory?
It says why would children only imitate their parents when there are some words the parents dont say?
What is the third main objection to Skinner’s theory?
Exceptions
What does the Exceptions criticism say?
Children who arent able to speak have a normal comprehension of speech
What was a study which represented the Exceptions criticism?
Lenneburg studied a boy who could not speak so couldnt imitate but had normal language comprehension
How does the Exceptions criticism object to Skinners theory?
Children who cant follow Imitation an Reinforcement still understand language
What is the 4th main objection of Skinners theory called?
Critical Period
What does the Critical Period criticism say?
Some children with little language contact when they’re young can still learn language quickly if they’re still young. If they’re past the critical period it is much harder
Why does the Critical Period criticism object to Skinners theory?
Because it says that children who are older than in this critical period find it difficult to acquire language
What is the 5th main objection to Skinners theory called?
Caretaker Reinforcement
What does the Caretaker Reinforcement say about grammar?
If children learn correct vocab usage and grammar from their parents, then the parents must be correcting them on these things all of the time when they are not.
How does the Caretaker Reinforcement criticism object to Skinners theory?
As it says children instead reinforce their childrens sentences based on truth value rather than if they made a grammatically correct sentence
What is the 6th main objection to Skinners theory called?
Resistance to Correction
What does the Resistance to Correction Criticism say?
If children learn their language based on corrections from their parents, why do they never accept their parents corrections?
How does the Resistance to Correction criticism object to Skinners theory?
Children often do not implement corrections to their utterances.
What is the final main objection to Skinners theory called?
Functions of Language
What does the Functions of Language Criticism say?
Children have multiple purposes for learning language
What is an example of a linguist who supports the Functions of Language criticism? What does he say?
David Crystal says children start using language as they love the phonological aspects of it
How does the Functions of Language criticism object to Skinners theory?
It shows there are more than 2 purposes to learning language - Getting what they want, Getting attention
