In early studies of language acquisition in chimpanzees, researchers tried to teach chimps to speak.These studies were discontinued when researchers concluded that:
A)chimps lack the cognitive capacity to understand and produce language
B)humans are the only species that is capable of conscious communication
C)chimps mastered language more quickly than human children
D)chimps lack the necessary vocal equipment to produce human speech sounds

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D because researchers discovered that chimpanzees lacked the necessary vocal equipment to produce human speech sounds. This made it impossible for them to produce human language, even if they were able to understand it to some degree. As a result of these findings, researchers shifted their focus to teaching chimps to use other forms of communication, such as sign language.

In Early Studies of Language Acquisition in Chimpanzees, Researchers Tried