The Language Acquisition Device: An Introduction to Analyzing B. F. Skinner’s Theory

B.F. Skinner developed the theory supporting the concept that learning occurs as a result of reinforcements and punishments. This theory of conditioning is called "operant conditioning" and associates the likeliness of an event with either a reinforcement or punishment; the first increasing the likelihood of a behavior taking place again, and the second decreasing the likelihood of such an event occurring again. Language acquisition for children occurs very gradually and takes a long time. Some specialists argue that most of language acquisition in young children occurs as a result of B.F. Skinner's theory on operant conditioning.

The concept of shaping is very applicable in such a situation in the way that the child's behavior (speaking & language learning) occurs gradually, with different "steps" that could be considered stages of shaping. The baby, in the process of developing specific sounds, reproduces the sound he is so often repeated: "ma- ma." His mother, upon hearing this sound, immediately picks him up ecstatically, swings him around, and rewards his behavior of speaking in small words such as “ma-ma” with her love. This is an example of positive, primary reinforcement. Intermittent reinforcement is the concept that the child will be rewarded randomly, without a specific, known exact outcome.

This forces the leamer to continue using the word and forcing him- or herself to make efforts. She, the mom, must make sure that the rewards are intermittent in the way that the child will continue repeating different words, and when the correct association (such as "da-da" with the child's daddy) occurs, the child will be rewarded.

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The shaping process will continue, and as the rewards continue coming, the child will continue learning. As the shaping progresses, the child will learn new words and associations. Through the process of positive reinforcements, the child will learn to use verbs appropriately and accordingly. Simultaneously, if a child doesn't use the verbs or nouns appropriately, he will not be rewarded, which will force him to use them in appropriate contexts or situations.

Noam Chomsky is a linguistics professor at MIT. He developed the "universal grammar theory," which states that the human brain is pre- programmed to have the capacity to develop language capabilities. The brain can be regarded as a machine ready to be programmed. All humans share the same capabilities to learn a language.

Specialists argue that your origins do not dictate whether or not you, as an individual, will be capable of learning a language. If a Spanish-born child is put in an Arabic setting, he will be able to learn Arabic as well as a child who originates from such a culture if they're put in the same setting. Any human is capable of learning any language. The human brain contains the necessary tools to learn any language on earth: an inborn universal grammar.

The language acquisition device in such a situation is the brain, which can most definitely be regarded as universal. One interesting aspect of language acquisition is the tendency of humans to overgeneralize rules of grammar. Specialists such as John Cacioppo insist that the overgeneralization effect occurs all over the world, regardless of the language. Such a statement comes along the lines of over-applying certain grammar rules. A child will say, "She goed to the store" instead of "she went to the store." Such an overgeneralization is universal, and speaks to the idea that the over- generalization is applicable to Chomsky's inborn universal grammar. The older child will grow and learn to fix such issues through more contact with individuals speaking the language properly.

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