Lennenberg (1967) hypothesized that hemispheric differences did not exist at birth (i.e., developed throughout childhood) based on evidence that:
A) damage to the right hemisphere in the first two years of life resulted in as much disruption of speech development as damage to the left hemisphere
B) isolated and feral children were eventually able to learn some language
C) infant brains are better able to reorganize function after injury
D) removal of the right hemisphere results in less language disruption than removal of the right hemisphere.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lennenberg's hypothesis that hemispheric differences did not exist at birth was based on the evidence that damage to either hemisphere in the first two years of life resulted in similar disruption of speech development. This suggests that both hemispheres are critical for language development in early childhood and that differences in hemispheric specialization develop later in life.

Lennenberg (1967) Hypothesized That Hemispheric Differences Did Not Exist at Birth