Natural selection of the critical period for language acquisition.

AUTOR(ES)

Komarova, N L

RESUMO

The language acquisition period in humans lasts about 13 years. After puberty it becomes increasingly difficult to learn a language. We explain this phenomenon by using an evolutionary framework. We present a dynamical system describing competition between language acquisition devices, which differ in the length of the learning period. There are two selective forces that play a role in determining the critical learning period: (i) having a longer learning period increases the accuracy of language acquisition; (ii) learning is associated with certain costs that affect fitness. As a result, there exists a limited learning period which is evolutionarily stable. This result is obtained analytically by means of a Nash equilibrium analysis of language acquisition devices. Interestingly, the evolutionarily stable learning period does not maximize the average fitness of the population.

Documentos Relacionados

• Kilo-sequencing: an ordered strategy for rapid DNA sequence data acquisition.
• Brain signatures of artificial language processing: Evidence challenging the critical period hypothesis
• SOS1, a Genetic Locus Essential for Salt Tolerance and Potassium Acquisition.
• A Rhizobium leguminosarum mutant defective in symbiotic iron acquisition.
• Sistema embarcado para aquisição de imagens astronômicas.