Certificate In Psychology (CPSY) Practice Exam

What does the theory of critical or sensitive periods suggest about child development?

1. Development can occur at any stage with equal success

2. There are optimal times for gaining specific skills or knowledge

3. Biological and environmental factors do not interact

4. Development is solely determined by genetic inheritance

The correct answer is: There are optimal times for gaining specific skills or knowledge

The theory of critical or sensitive periods emphasizes that there are specific windows of time during which a child is especially receptive to acquiring certain skills or knowledge. This perspective suggests that for optimal development, exposure to particular stimuli or experiences is most effective during these designated periods. For example, language acquisition is often cited as a skill that benefits significantly from early exposure, as children show remarkable ability to learn languages more readily during certain early years of life. In this context, while development can indeed occur outside these periods, the success and ease with which skills are acquired are greatly influenced by the timing of the experiences. As a result, this theory highlights the importance of age and timing in child development rather than suggesting that development is uniform across all stages or that it is determined exclusively by biological or environmental factors.