Two adults, Albert and Herman, each speak English and German. Brain scans reveal that Albert activates the same brain region when he uses either language but Herman activates different brain regions for each language. Based on this information and on the work of Kim et al. (1997) described in your text, which description of their backgrounds is most plausible?
A) Albert learned both languages from birth. Herman learned German from birth but did not learn English until his teenage years.
B) Albert and Herman learned both languages from birth, but Herman now speaks one of the languages infrequently.
C) Herman learned English from birth, and he learned German as a teenager. Albert learned German from birth but did not learn English until his adult years.
D) Herman learned both languages from birth. Albert learned German from birth but did not learn English until his adult years.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kim et al. (1997) found that individuals who learn a second language early in life tend to use the same brain regions for both languages, while those who learn a second language later in life use different brain regions for each language. Thus, Albert, who activates the same brain region for both languages, likely learned them from birth, while Herman, who activates different regions, learned his second language later.

Two Adults, Albert and Herman, Each Speak English and German