Critical Period
Lyndsay Woelfel
Introduction
The critical period in development is one of the most important developmental aspects of a human’s life. This is the period in a child’s life where the things around them impact the way that they are so much more than anything else.
When the window for the critical period closes, things like language and vision become especially hard, or they become nearly impossible.
There is not an exact time frame for the critical period, as it depends on the person as well as their genetic and biological factors. Environmental and cultural factors play a role in this as well.
Synaptic transmission and structural changes are the most telling ways to mark the beginning and ending of the critical period in a person’s brain.
Sensitive Period VS. Critical Period
The youtube video above describes the sensitive period versus the critical period. They can commonly be mistaken for each other.
The sensitive period starts gradually and ends gradually as well. These can happen for different situations. Our brains are sensitive to certain information. When they close, we are still able to learn, but it’s extremely difficult and the process takes a longer amount of time
Critical periods are a certain amount of time and they are only able to produce synapses in certain situations during this time. If the critical period is not used within the time that it is supposed to be, it may lead to deficiencies in those areas.
Areas of Development
There are three different main areas of development that make up critical development
Language Acquisition: Language may not be fully acquired if not exposed to it..
Vision: Receiving visual input is required to develop the visual cortex. Without this, there may be deficiencies in sight and interpretation of visual stimuli.
Attachment/Emotional Development: If attachment isn’t formed during the critical period, it could lead to stunts in emotional and social development
Structures in Critical Periods
References
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/critical-period#:~:text=A%20critical%20period%20is%20a,debate%20(Sengpiel%2C%202007).