SOCPSY 1Z03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Critical Period Hypothesis, Anti-Social Behaviour, Observational Learning

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Social Psychology
• Course: SOCPSY 1Z03
• Professor: Paul Glavin

Document Summary

Social psychology - jan 21 - genie and socialization. Primary socialization largely absent for genie: limited social interaction with parents, confined to room and specific situation (e. g. feeding, absence of attachment. Key processes identified by social learning theory absent: instrumental conditioning. Shaping: gradually increase correspondence between the learner"s behaviour and the desired response. External reinforcement vs. internal reinforcement; taught to internalize standards: observational learning. Genie"s isolation meant that she had very little opportunity to observe even basic behaviours, or more complex behaviour patterns. Without language, children are unable to successfully undergo more complex socialization and learn about the values, norms and standards of a particular culture. Evidence for the critical period hypothesis some extent after the critical period has passed, but not fully: genie"s case cannot tell us conclusively. There was some possibility that she had a disability/learning difficulty from birth. The trauma could also have caused the inhibition of language.