Question

Which theory of language acquisition emphasizes the role of imitation, reinforcement, and habit formation in learning a language?

• A. Nativist Theory
• B. Behaviorist Theory
• C. Cognitive Theory
• D. Constructivist Theory

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Behaviorist Theory

Behaviorist Theory of Language Acquisition

• This theory, primarily associated with psychologists like B.F. Skinner, posits that language acquisition is a learned behavior.
• It emphasizes the role of imitation, where children attempt to copy the sounds and words they hear from their environment.
• Reinforcement plays a crucial role. When a child produces a correct utterance, they are often praised or rewarded (e.g., by parents), which strengthens the likelihood of that behavior recurring. Conversely, incorrect utterances are usually ignored or corrected, thus not being reinforced.
• The concept of habit formation is central. Through repeated listening, imitation, and reinforcement, specific language patterns become habitual.
• Behaviorism views language learning as a process of stimulus-response and operant conditioning, similar to how other behaviors are learned.
• Key Figures:
  • B.F. Skinner (major proponent)
  • Ivan Pavlov (classical conditioning, influential in behaviorist thought)
  • John B. Watson (founder of behaviorism)
• Criticisms:
  • This theory struggles to explain the creativity and generativity of language, i.e., how humans can produce and understand sentences they have never heard before.
  • It doesn't adequately account for the speed and uniformity of language acquisition across children, regardless of their environment's complexity.
  • Noam Chomsky, a prominent linguist, heavily criticized behaviorism, proposing the Innatist Theory which suggests an innate language acquisition device (LAD).
• Relevance in Teaching: While not the sole explanation for language acquisition, behaviorist principles are still applied in language teaching through drills, repetition, and positive reinforcement for correct usage.