Which statement is NOT a valid criticism of Skinner's theory of language acquisition?
A)Grammar is rarely explicitly taught.
B)Language expression cannot be shaped by approximations.
C)Children generate many more grammatically correct sentences than what they could possibly hear.
D)Overgeneralization of grammatical rules suggests that trial-and-error grammar learning is not occurring.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Skinner's theory of language acquisition emphasizes the importance of shaping language expression through the use of approximations, so statement B is not a valid criticism of this theory. The other statements, however, raise valid criticisms of Skinner's theory, such as the fact that grammar is rarely explicitly taught (A), children can generate many more grammatically correct sentences than what they are exposed to (C), and there is evidence of overgeneralization of grammatical rules that suggests trial-and-error learning may not be the sole mechanism of language acquisition (D).

Which Statement Is NOT a Valid Criticism of Skinner's Theory