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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science pp 1–3Cite as

Critical Period

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Synonyms

Critical period; Crucial time; Sensitive period

Definition

A maturational stage during the lifespan of an organism in which the organism’s nervous system is especially sensitive to certain environmental stimuli. The organism is more sensitive to environmental stimulation during a critical period than at other times during its life.

Introduction

The phenomenon of critical period was first described by William James (1899) as “the transitoriness of instincts.” The term “critical period” was proposed by the Austrian ecologist based on his observations that newly hatched poultries, such as chicks and geese, would follow the object, usually their mother, if exposed to within a certain short time after birth.

According to Lorenz, if the young animal was not exposed to the particular stimulus during the “critical period” to learn a given skill or trait, it would become extremely struggling to develop particular behavioral pattern in the later life.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Yan Wang & Jing Guo

Authors
  1. Yan Wang
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  2. Jing Guo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yan Wang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Menelaos Apostolou

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Wang, Y., Guo, J. (2018). Critical Period. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1060-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1060-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

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