This file accompanies 2 podcasts made. 1: on Sensitive vs Critical periods of learning & 2: Experience expectant vs Experience dependent learning. See www.ePsychVCE.com for links to the podcasts via itunes or podomatic.com (free download either way)

1. Sensitive Periods
• During development there
are specific times when a
biological event is more
‘sensitive’ to environmental
stimuli e.g. language
acquisition (age 3-7) – i.e. a
SENSITIVE PERIOD
• We can still learn after the
sensitive period has
closed, but the learning
process is less efficient.
• Note: Sensitive periods
start and end gradually

2. Critical Periods
• Refers to a finite period in which an
organism has heightened sensitivity to
external stimuli that are compulsory
for development of a particular skill
• e.g. certain areas of the visual cortex
are only capable of synapse formation
during early stages of
development, once the crucial period
has elapsed the individual will have
some visual impairment
• E.g. Hubel & Wiesal temporarily
blindfolded a kitten during a critical
period (of visual development) from
birth to 3 months when the blindfold
was taken off, it never fully developed
vision in the blindfolded eye. It
actually resulted in reduced dendritic
branching at the end of the neuron in
comparison to the non deprived eye
which had increased afferent activity
as the eye developed.

3. Sensitive period vs
Critical periods
Sensitive periods Critical periods
Starts and ends Gradually abruptly
During the period It is a period of maximal The organism has
sensitivity heightened sensitivity to
external stimuli that are
compulsory for
development of a
particular skill
After the period The skill can still be The cortical areas
learned, but less efficiently allocated for the particular
skill will adapt and
perform a different
function.
Examples Language development Full development of visual
capabilities (from @ 8
months to 3 years)

4. Experience expectant learning
• During EXPERIENCE EXPECTANT
LEARNING – the brain ‘expects’
and is primed for being
exposed to the environmental
‘experience’ resulting in a
rewiring of the brain (i.e. the
establishment of a neural
pathway resulting in learning)
• E.g the brain expects to be
exposed to visual images,
sounds, etc. in order for our
visual, auditory, etc systems to
develop.

5. Experience dependent learning
• EXPERIENCE DEPENDENT
LEARNING – refers to additional
skills developed over the lifespan
(that the brain doesn’t expect
• E.g. an eskimo child learning how
to build an igloo – which may be
dependent on Observational
learning (or Operant conditioning)
• There is no optimal period for
experience dependent learning e.g.
you can learn how drive when your
16, 30 or 50 (older people may
struggle due to age related
memory decline e.g. slowing of the
Central.N.S)

6. Experience Expectant vs
Experience Dependent Learning
Experience expectant learning Experience dependent
learning
Stage of Lifespan that Early in life Over the lifespan in response
the genetic structural to complex environmental
modifications occur stimuli
During which period During the ‘Sensitive Periods’ There is no optimal period i.e.
It occurs over the lifespan
Language Development of primary language Development of 2nd Language
(the brain expects to be exposed to (it is dependent on exposure
language) to environmental stimuli)
General or Specific General – e.g. We are all exposed Unique to individuals e.g.
to visual stimuli, thus the brain Exposure to igloo building at a
expects and is highly responsive to young age for eskimos
visual stimuli during the sensitive
periods