Final answer:
Noam Chomsky proposed that children possess an innate Language Acquisition Device (LAD), challenging Skinner's belief that language is learned solely through reinforcement. Chomsky's perspective that language acquisition entails both nature and nurture has been influential in the study of linguistics and cognitive development. Correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of how children acquire language has been a significant area of study in psychology and linguistics. Behaviorist B. F. Skinner proposed that language learning occurs through reinforcement and feedback mechanisms. However, renowned linguist Noam Chomsky argued against Skinner's behaviorist theory, introducing the concept of an innate language facility in humans. Chomsky posited that humans are born with a Language Acquisition Device (LAD), which is responsible for the natural and universal ability to acquire language.
Chomsky's criticism of Skinner's approach reshaped the field, asserting that while reinforcement plays a role, there is a biological predisposition for language acquisition. The critical period hypothesis aligns with Chomsky's theory, suggesting efficiency in language learning is maximal in early childhood and decreases with age. The general consensus among researchers now is that nature and nurture both contribute to how children learn language, combining inborn biological mechanisms and interaction with the linguistic environment.