Question

Language development happens with environmental influence, through imitation, reinforcement and conditioning.' This is the proposition of:

• A. Behaviourists
• B. Cognitivists
• C. Nativists
• D. Interactionists

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Behaviourists

The Behaviourist view of language development—most famously associated with B.F. Skinner—proposes that:

• Language is learned through interaction with the environment.

• Children acquire language by imitating the speech they hear.

• Reinforcement (positive or negative) and conditioning shape their language habits.

This theory emphasizes observable behavior and external stimuli over internal mental processes.