Question

Differentiate between experience-dependent and experience-expectant circumstances and provide one example of each.

a) Experience-dependent circumstances are those that are necessary for normal development, while experience-expectant circumstances are not essential. Example: Learning to play a musical instrument (experience-dependent) vs. learning to swim (experience-expectant).
b) Experience-dependent circumstances are those that are common to all humans, while experience-expectant circumstances are unique to individuals. Example: Learning a language (experience-dependent) vs. developing a specific skill (experience-expectant).
c) Experience-dependent circumstances are those that can be influenced by external factors, while experience-expectant circumstances are entirely determined by genetics. Example: Developing allergies (experience-dependent) vs. inheriting eye color (experience-expectant).
d) Experience-dependent circumstances are those that are predictable and expected, while experience-expectant circumstances are unpredictable. Example: Learning to read (experience-dependent) vs. surviving a natural disaster (experience-expectant).

Answer 1

Experience-dependent development is influenced by unique environmental factors such as learning a musical instrument, while experience-expectant development involves common environmental inputs required for normal brain development like language acquisition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question addresses the difference between experience-dependent and experience-expectant circumstances in developmental biology. Contrary to the options provided by the student, experience-dependent circumstances refer to those that are unique and shaped by individual environmental factors, for instance, learning a new language or a musical instrument.

On the other hand, experience-expectant circumstances are common to all humans and concern the environmental inputs that our brains expect for normal development, such as visual and auditory stimuli. An example of experience-expectant development would be language acquisition in children, as humans have a biological predilection for language learning which is refined by exposure to speech in their environment.

In contrast, learning to play a musical instrument is an example of experience-dependent development, which varies greatly based on individual exposure and practice.