Genie, a 14-year-old child, was abused all her life and never exposed to language. What is the primary reason for her inability to develop proper language?
A) Genie was severely abused.
B) Genie was past puberty when first exposed to language.
C) Genie was born with a lower-than-normal IQ.
D) Genie's parents could neither speak nor hear.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The critical period for language development is during childhood, specifically before puberty. Since Genie was already 14 years old when she was first exposed to language, it was too late for her brain to fully develop the necessary neural connections to acquire language. The abuse she suffered likely contributed to her lack of development in other areas as well, but it was not the primary reason for her inability to develop proper language. Her IQ is also unrelated to her language development, as language acquisition is a separate cognitive process. The fact that her parents could not speak or hear may have limited her exposure to language, but it is not the primary reason for her inability to develop proper language.

Genie, a 14-Year-Old Child, Was Abused All Her Life and Never