Video Content: Module 3

 "Genie Wiley and the critical period hypothesis of language development"

The critical period hypothesis states that there is a critical age, before puberty, that one must learn language. If one has not learned to speak before puberty it is much more difficult, and sometimes impossible, to learn language and speak in a meaningful way. This hypothesis has been supported by cases of feral children. Feral children have lived in social isolation with little to no human contact or care. There have been several cases of feral children, and each one of them had difficulty learning language.

One of the most tragic cases was Genie, who had been neglected and abused for the first twelve years of her life. Psychologists took an interest in her when she was found, and presented the researchers with a unique opportunity to test the critical period hypothesis. In Genie’s case, she had already reached the age of puberty so if she were able to learn language it would prove the critical period hypothesis wrong. Genie was able to add more words to her vocabulary, but she could not speak in grammatically correct sentences or use language in any meaningful way. While Genie did miss the critical period, she was also severely neglected and abused for many years, which could have resulted in cognitive damage. Genie’s inability to learn language does support the critical period hypothesis, but because of the other circumstances surrounding her life before puberty there may be other contributing factors.

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