Most of the concepts and theories explaining how native languages are acquired go back to three different approaches put forward by Burrhus Federic Skinner, Noam Chomsky and Jean Piaget, either by using their ideas as a starting point or by rejecting them and formulating a new or altered Hypothesis. This paper will try to present those three basic theories, also taking into account the contexts out of which they emerged, as to fully understand linguistic, like any other scientific, views and theories, they have always to be evaluated with respect to the scientific and cultural background they appeared in.
First it will try to show how Skinners concept of ‘verbal behavior’ with respect to language acquisition emerged in the development of behaviouristic theories. This will be followed by Chomsky’s criticism of Skinner’s ideas, leading to his own theory of language and language acquisition, which will be presented. Jean Piaget offers a cognitive approach to the question. His view will be described before comparing nativist and cognitivist ideas, concerning the points whether or not innate structures exist and in how far linguistic and cognitive development are interrelated, taking the opposed views of Piaget and Chomsky, the forerunners of many other important linguists, as an example.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. B.F. Skinners behaviouristic approach
a Behaviorism
b Skinner’s Theory
c Chomsky’s Criticism
III. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar approach
IV. Piagets approach
V. The debate between Chomsky and Piaget
VI. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the foundational theories of language acquisition by analyzing the perspectives of B.F. Skinner, Noam Chomsky, and Jean Piaget. It explores the central "nature or nurture" debate, focusing on whether language is an innate human capacity or a result of environmental conditioning and cognitive development.
- Behaviorist perspective on verbal behavior and operant conditioning
- Chomsky’s critique of behaviorism and his Universal Grammar theory
- Piaget’s constructivist approach and cognitive development stages
- Comparative analysis of modular versus general cognitive organization
- The role of innate versus constructed knowledge in language learning
Excerpt from the Book
c Chomsky’s Criticism
In his article “A Review of B. F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior”, Chomsky criticises Skinners work on human verbal ability. Chomsky does not argue against Skinner’s behaviouristic studies in general, but makes clear why he thinks it is not appropriate to transfer conclusions and learning theories developed by studying the behaviour of rats and pigeons to explain human language use and acquisition. He is of the opinion that in Skinners laboratory experiments the notions of operant and response, among others, are perfectly reasonable and definable, but that transferring them to human behaviour and trying to use them out of highly controlled experimental situations with ordinary verbal behaviour is unreasonable, leaving the notions meaningless. (Chomsky 1959, p. 30) Chomsky repeatedly criticizes the loss of objectivity of Skinner’s theory, in general and especially of the basic concepts ‘stimulus’ (p. 29), ‘response’ (p. 30) and ‘reinforcement’ (p. 33), and by this the loss of all explanatory force.
Although Chomsky values Skinner’s advances concerning behaviouristic experiments on animal behaviour in his laboratory, he comes to the conclusion that Skinners theory is of no use explaining verbal behaviour or language acquisition. He tries to show that Skinners “description covers almost no aspect of verbal behaviour” if the terms are taken literally and is not superior to traditional formulations, taken metaphorically. (Chomsky 1959, p. 45) An example for this loss of objectivity would be that stimuli can only account for the wide range of possible verbal reactions by giving up the idea of their objectivity and considering that every person associates different things or ideas with a given stimulus. Only after hearing the response it is possible to identify the stimulus or property of the stimulus that induced it. (Chomsky 1959, p. 29)
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Introduces the "nature or nurture" debate and establishes the scope of comparing Skinner, Chomsky, and Piaget.
II. B.F. Skinners behaviouristic approach: Details behaviorism, operant conditioning, and Chomsky's critical review of these mechanisms applied to human language.
III. Chomsky’s Universal Grammar approach: Explains the "logical problem of language acquisition" and the concept of an innate Universal Grammar in the human mind.
IV. Piagets approach: Outlines the constructivist theory where language is viewed as a consequence of general cognitive development and sensorimotor intelligence.
V. The debate between Chomsky and Piaget: Contrasts the modular mind hypothesis against the general cognitive organization model regarding the innateness of language.
VI. Conclusion: Summarizes the consensus that while theories differ, language is not purely behavioristic, and synthesizes the ongoing dialogue between nativism and constructivism.
Keywords
Language Acquisition, Behaviorism, Universal Grammar, Jean Piaget, Noam Chomsky, B.F. Skinner, Nativism, Cognitivism, Operant Conditioning, Sensorimotor Intelligence, Nature versus Nurture, Cognitive Development, Verbal Behavior, Innateness, Constructivism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines three major theoretical approaches to first language acquisition: the behaviorist model by Skinner, the nativist model by Chomsky, and the cognitive-constructivist model by Piaget.
What are the main thematic areas?
The core themes include the debate on nature versus nurture, the existence of innate language structures, the role of external reinforcement, and the relationship between language and general cognitive development.
What is the primary research question?
The research explores how native languages are acquired by evaluating whether humans possess inborn language capacities or if acquisition is determined entirely by environmental and cognitive construction.
Which scientific methods are discussed?
The text analyzes theoretical and comparative methodology, contrasting laboratory-based animal behavior studies against human linguistic observations and cognitive development stages.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body breaks down behaviorist theory, presents Chomsky’s rejection of behaviorist methodology in linguistics, explains his Universal Grammar, and details Piaget’s developmental stages and constructivist views.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include Language Acquisition, Universal Grammar, Operant Conditioning, Cognitivism, Nativism, and Constructivism.
How does Chomsky define the 'poverty of the stimulus'?
It is the argument that children receive insufficient input to learn the complex grammar of a language through mere observation, suggesting an innate genetic endowment is required.
How does Piaget's view on innate structures differ from Chomsky's?
Piaget argues that while some functions may be innate, linguistic structures are constructed through interaction with the environment, whereas Chomsky maintains that specific language structures are hardwired in the brain.
What is the significance of 'shaping' in Skinner's theory?
Shaping is a behavioral strategy used to train specific responses by reinforcing successive approximations of a target behavior until the desired final action is achieved.
- Quote paper
- Lena Linden (Author), 2007, The basic theories of language acquisition, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/83853
