Human Growth and Development / Unit 3 HGD 0369 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Three Theories of Language
The idea
Three accounts explain how children acquire language. The nativist account, from Noam Chomsky, holds that children have an innate language acquisition device, with experience playing a limited role; left-hemisphere areas, Broca's for production and Wernicke's for comprehension, fit a biological basis. The learning account, from Skinner, holds that language is shaped by reinforcement, with Bandura adding imitation. The interactionist account holds that biological readiness interacts with a social environment, because language exists for communication.
In practice
A toddler saying "mama" and being rewarded with a smile and a repetition of the word.
Where people slip
Caregivers matter, but learning alone cannot explain language. The environment still counts: toddlers learn words better face to face than from video, and more screen time means less caregiver talk and slower vocabulary growth. The misconception is that babies learn words as well from screens. The interactionist view usually answers a question about how nature and nurture combine in language.
Your place on the trail
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