Skinner believed that language begins with babbling and that infants accidentally make sounds that are similar to words. When the parents hear these sounds, they reinforce the babbling with praise. If the parents only reinforce grammatical utterances, proper grammar is increased. Which theory of language development does this describe?
Explanation
Answer: A - Skinner’s view of language development was an extension of his behaviorist learning theory, which he believed applied to all areas of learning. He believed that a system of rewards, or reinforcements, was responsible to for language development. This perspective is no longer held in regard, as logically, reinforcing babbling should lead to more babbling, not the development of higher level language.
