Which theorist is associated with the view that humans have an inborn propensity to develop language?

Which theorist is associated with the view that humans have an inborn propensity to develop language?

• A. B.F. Skinner
• B. Lev Vygotsky
• C. Noam Chomsky
• D. Jean Piaget

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is that language ability is inborn, a built-in part of the human mind rather than something learned only from the outside world. This view is best associated with Noam Chomsky, who proposed that humans are born with an innate language faculty—often described as a language acquisition device—that guides how we pick up grammar and structure. He also posits universal grammar, suggesting there are common underlying rules to all languages. Children seem to acquire complex syntax rapidly and creatively, even with limited and imperfect input, which supports the notion of an internal mechanism that facilitates language development. The idea also ties to the idea of a critical period for language learning, during which this innate capacity develops most naturally. By contrast, B.F. Skinner is famous for a behaviorist take, explaining language as shaped by imitation and reinforcement. Lev Vygotsky highlights the social and cultural context, arguing language develops through interaction within the learner’s zone of proximal development. Jean Piaget ties language to overall cognitive development, asserting that changes in thinking patterns drive linguistic growth. While these perspectives offer important insights, they do not posit an inborn, specialized language faculty in the same way Chomsky does.

The idea being tested is that language ability is inborn, a built-in part of the human mind rather than something learned only from the outside world. This view is best associated with Noam Chomsky, who proposed that humans are born with an innate language faculty—often described as a language acquisition device—that guides how we pick up grammar and structure. He also posits universal grammar, suggesting there are common underlying rules to all languages. Children seem to acquire complex syntax rapidly and creatively, even with limited and imperfect input, which supports the notion of an internal mechanism that facilitates language development. The idea also ties to the idea of a critical period for language learning, during which this innate capacity develops most naturally.

By contrast, B.F. Skinner is famous for a behaviorist take, explaining language as shaped by imitation and reinforcement. Lev Vygotsky highlights the social and cultural context, arguing language develops through interaction within the learner’s zone of proximal development. Jean Piaget ties language to overall cognitive development, asserting that changes in thinking patterns drive linguistic growth. While these perspectives offer important insights, they do not posit an inborn, specialized language faculty in the same way Chomsky does.