Glossary C

Glossary C

Critical period refers to period of development during which certain basic structures are formed or a child is most vulnerable or responsive to environmental influences it refers to Lenneberg's hypothesis that language development has a biological basis and there is a time in infancy when particular neurological faculties develop.

Critical (sensitive) period is defined as the time in development which is often early in life when a certain skill or ability is most easily acquired.

Critical ethical and legal issues refer to ethical concerns that have significantly impacted the work of the clinician and are usually found to be associated with important legal issues. It include the following: breach of confidentiality, confidentiality of records, privileged communication, confinement against one’s will, and the importance of malpractice insurance.

Critical experiment refers to a key experiment that purports to distinguish among competing theories

Critical Incident Technique refers to the job analysis method developed by John Flanagan that uses written reports of good and bad employee behavior.

Critical incidents refer to situations that arise in a job, with which a competent worker must be able to cope. It is a method of performance appraisal in which the supervisor records employee behaviors that were observed on the job and rates the employee on the basis of that record.

Critical period may be defined as: 1. a period of development during which a releasing stimulus can elicit a fixed action pattern (FAP );. 2. a period in development during which exposure to appropriate experiences or stimuli will bring about imprinting;. 3. a time of maximum sensitivity to or readiness for the development of a particular skill or behavior pattern.

Critical period hypothesis refers to the assumption that Language learning depends on biological maturation, and is easier to accomplish prior to puberty.