Behaviorist Theory

The Behaviorist Theory, as applied to language development, says that children hear language and imitate what they hear (Cox, 2002). Children keep imitating as long as they receive positive reinforcement. For example, a mother says "Mama," the baby repeats it, and the mother smiles or laughs at her child's mimicry. The positive response from the mother encourages the baby to continue imitating that particular sound. According to the theory, if the child receives negative or no feedback, the child would not develop language (Morrow, 2005).

The Behaviorist Theory emphasizes language development as a result of a nurturing environment (Morrow, 2005). However, it does not clearly explain how children develop language despite a negative or neutral environment, nor does it explain how children put words together beyond imitation.