Define the blank slate notion.
Any acceptable work will include a clear definition of the blank slate notion, with an example of what blank slate theorists believe about why people are the way they are.
Analyze arguments that we are not blank slates.
Solid work here will include an explanation of at least one of Pinker’s arguments that we are not blanks slates and make clear why a blank slate theorist would expect something to happen that in fact does not happen. These should be taken from Pinker’s “common sense” arguments, the point about cultural universals, and/or the point about twin studies.
Any acceptable work will include an explanation of at least one of Pinker’s arguments that we are not blank slates.
Explain what having a relatively long period of dependence on caregivers does for human children in terms of their ability to adapt flexibly to their unique environments.
Solid work here will explain the “children are defective adults” notion and explicitly point out why it is important for us to have a period of development during which children acquire their abilities, attitudes, behaviors, and so on. That development will be explicitly tied to children’s need to adapt to a wide range of different environments. Ideally, the work will explain how things would be different if we were entirely programmed by our genes and why this would make us much less able to adapt to changing environments.
Any acceptable work will talk about the purpose of childhood as a period of adaptation to the child’s specific environment.
