Final answer:
According to B.F. Skinner, language is shaped through operant conditioning, a learning process where behaviors are modified by their consequences, such as reinforcement from parents.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Skinner, language is shaped through operant conditioning. Skinner, a behaviorist, believed that language learning comes from reinforcement and feedback, which can include positive reinforcement from parents or others when communication attempts are successful. This contrasts with Chomsky's view, who proposed that there is an innate biological capacity for language acquisition, known as the language acquisition device (LAD). However, current research suggests that language development is influenced by both innate biological factors and environmental learning.
For instance, when a child attempts to speak and is correctly understood or praised, they receive positive reinforcement which encourages further attempts and finesse in language use. This learning process is a part of the broader concept of operant conditioning, where behaviors are shaped and maintained by their consequences. Skinner's operant conditioning chamber experiments with animals, commonly known as the Skinner box, exemplify this reinforcement process, though his theory has been expanded to explain human language development as well.
While Skinner emphasized the role of environmental factors and reinforcement, it's acknowledged that both nature and nurture play roles in language acquisition, reconciling the perspectives of Skinner and Chomsky to some extent.