AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -2 The Critical Period Hypothesis He proposes that there is one critical phase between the age of two and about 13 years (before puberty) in which an individual is able to acquire first language (FL).

Detailed explanation-2: -Genies case is unique because she suffered abuse and social isolation making her case more severe. The plasticity of Genie’s brain was not able to change or adapt even though she was experiencing new things. This is a real-life case of how important early learning and plasticity of the brain is.

Detailed explanation-3: -Linguists ultimately concluded that because Genie had not learned a first language before the critical period had ended, she was unable to fully acquire a language. Furthermore, despite the clear improvements in her conversational competence it remained very low, and her vocalizations remained highly atypical.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Critical Period Hypothesis is the ability to acquire language biologically linked to age. This hypothesis claims that there is a period of growth, from early childhood to adolescence, in which full native competence is possible when learning a language.