Part 1

1. How does plasticity play a role in Davids’s story? Was it hopeful or discouraging about

his situation?

Plasticity is an idea that abilities, personality, and other human characteristics can change

over time. It consists of two aspects: People can change over time, and new behavior

depends partly on what has already happened. In David’s situation when predictions on

his development were dire, plasticity meant hope for David to learn and change. There

were dozens of educators who taught him, and the interaction of nature and nurture with

the help of his family has made him learn ahead and became contributive to the society.

2. Is there a critical period or sensitive period in developing language? What do you think

and why?

Language learning depends on a time frame of sensitive periods. Which means that if

language is not developed during the sensitive periods where it developed more easily,

language skill can still be acquired later on. For language learning, sensitive period is

between ages 1 and 3. If the first language is learned after the sensitive period, the

grammar is impaired. And Accent-free speech usually must be learned before puberty. It

might be related to when you leave home for school or work, that I believe family life

might be the most important factor. I have seen people who came to united states before

puberty but is not as fluent as a native speaker due to foreign family. Also there are

people who started learning new language way into adulthood and became fluent with the

language after marriage.

 3. What developmental outcomes for David were determined by nature? What

developmental outcomes were determined by nurture?

Nature: Genes shown in similar friendly smile. Traits, capacities, and limitations that

each individual inherits genetically from his or her parents at the moment of conception.

Nurture: Mother had rubella early in pregnancy, surgeries, educators/specialized

preschool/educations, and the ongoing family support. All the environmental influences

that affect the individual after conception, including mother’s nutrition while pregnant to

the implicit values of the nation.

Part 2

1. What is determined by nature and what is determined about nurture?

Nature: Traits, capacities, and limitations that each individual inherits genetically from

his or her parents at the moment of conception.

Nurture: All the environmental influences that affect the individual after conception,

including mother’s nutrition while pregnant to the implicit values of the nation.

2. What are some similarities between brothers and what are some differences?

Similarities: Genes shown in the appearance where people identified by the looks. Also

maybe in the similarity of the jobs that the biological brothers are capable of.
 Differences: The foster parents’ circumstances in different regions and neighborhood

might have attributed to some appearance differences such as haircut and lighter skin

color.

3. How did environment and context impact their development?

Prenatal environment has contributed most of the similarities. The foster parents’

circumstances in different regions and neighborhood might have attributed to some

appearance differences such as haircut and lighter skin color.