Compare and contrast the terms "critical period" and "sensitive period," and discuss how observations of imprinting led to the development of these concepts
What will be an ideal response?
Watching diverse animal species in their natural habitats, Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen observed behavior patterns that promote survival. The best known of these is imprinting, the early following behavior of certain baby birds, such as geese, which ensures that the young will stay close to the mother and be fed and protected from danger. Imprinting takes place during an early, restricted time period of development. If the mother goose is absent during this time but an object resembling her in important features is present, young goslings may imprint on it instead.
Lorenz's and Tinbergen's observations of imprinting led to the concept of the critical period. It refers to a limited time during which the child is biologically prepared to acquire certain adaptive behaviors but needs the support of an appropriately stimulating environment. A sensitive period refers to a time that is optimal for certain capacities to emerge because the individual is especially responsive to environmental influences. However, its boundaries are less well defined than those of a critical period. Development can occur later, but it is harder to induce. The term sensitive period applies better to human development than the strict notion of a critical period.
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According to the discussion in the chapter on long-term memory, ecological validity
a. is typically greater in the research on encoding than in the research on autobiographical memory. b. is relatively strong when the research examines the correspondence between a real-life event and the memory of the event. c. is more likely in the research on implicit memory than in the research on explicit memory. d. is a concept that was strongly emphasized in the early history of cognitive psychology, but it is now considered relatively unimportant.
The study of how members of a species allocate their resources to enhance their inclusive fitness is called _______.
a. exclusive inclusive fitness theory b. strategic generational theory c. survival tactics theory d. life history theory
The effects of amphetamine are often difficult to distinguish from schizophrenia.
Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)
The ____ transmits information regarding the body's movement from the cerebral hemisphere to the region of the brain that fine tunes and coordinates motor movement, the cerebellum. a. midbrain c. pons b. medulla d. substantia nigra
Fill in the blank(s) with correct word