Critical Periods: Critical Periods Is there a time to learn ?
Failed, passed, did not reach it ?: Failed, passed, did not reach it ?
What is a critical period ?: What is a critical period ? Critical period in cellular development (1920’s and 1930’s)
Cell taken from an amphibian embryo and transplanted to a new location would develop in accordance with its new environment. However would not work after the critical period. (Scott, 1962)
Fetal development: Week 3 to 9 of foetal development, the foetus is of great sensitivity to tetratogens (drugs, alcohol, tobacco) (C.Broderick, 2003)
Critical Periods: Critical Periods Our main concern is whether or not certain cognitive or neuronal developments must take place within a certain time frame called “critical period”.
Excessive amount of cells at birth (C.Broderick, 2003)
Early stimulation:
- Visual system: 2 contradicting findings
- Hubel & Wiesel, 2005
- Sinha, 2003
Critical Periods…other evidences: Critical Periods…other evidences
Language Learning:
- Chomsky
- High Amplitude Sucking Test (Field, 2003)
Critical periods and feral children: Critical periods and feral children What are feral children ?
“Feral children, also known as wild children or wolf children, are children, who have grown up with minimal or no human contact. They are alleged to have been raised by animals (frequently by wolves) or to have somehow survived on their own. (LaPointe, 2005)”
Special case:
- Genie “the wild child”
Is this evidence for critical periods ?
Is it ever too late to learn…: Is it ever too late to learn… Critical periods related to other cognitive processes: behavioral attachment, social abilities, motor learning, etc.
Connection Structures
Stimulation
Child’s development period,
Need and environement.
References: References Books:
C.Broderick, P & Blewitt, P.(2003). The Life Span: Human development for helping professionals.
New-Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Field, John (2003). Psycholinguistics. New Fetter Lane, London: Routledge.
Homel, P., Palij M., Aaronson D. (1987). Childhood Bilinguialism:Aspects of Linguistic, Cognitive and Social Development. New-Jersey, USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Hubel, D. & Wiesel, T. (2005). Brain and visual perception: The story of a 25-year collaboration. viii, New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.
Scott, J.P. (1978). Critical Periods. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Dowden, Hutchison & Ross, Inc.
B. Gleason, J. (1997). The development of language. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Journals:
Bertocini, J., Bijeljac-Babic, R & W. Jusczyk, P. (1988). An Investigation of Young Infants' Perceptual Representations of Speech Sounds. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, March, Vol. 117, No. 1, 21-33.
LaPointe, L. (2005). Feral Children. Journal of Medical Speech-Language Pathology, Vol 13(1) Mar 2005, vii-ix.
(2007) New study challenges “critical period”. Science Scope, v.30, no6, p.8.
Video:
Secret of the wild child WGBH Educational Foundation ; producer and director, Linda Garmon ; execu