Harris Gillian, Mason Sarah
School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Curr Nutr Rep. 2017;6(2):190-196. doi: 10.1007/s13668-017-0203-0. Epub 2017 Apr 29.
A sensitive period in development is one in which it is easier for learning to take place; the behaviour can however still be learned at a later stage, but with more difficulty. This is in contrast to a critical period, a time at which a behaviour must be learned, and if this window of opportunity is missed, then the behaviour can never be acquired. Both might determine food acceptance in childhood.
There is evidence to support the idea of a sensitive period for the introduction of tastes, a critical period for the introduction of textures and for the development of oral motor function, and a possible critical period for the introduction of new foods but only in children where there is an innate disposition to develop early and extreme disgust responses.
There are both sensitive and critical periods in the acquisition of food preferences.
发育中的敏感期是指学习更容易发生的时期；然而，这种行为在后期仍可习得，但难度更大。这与关键期形成对比，关键期是指必须学习某种行为的时期，如果错过这个机会窗口，那么这种行为就永远无法习得。两者都可能决定儿童期的食物接受情况。
有证据支持味觉引入存在敏感期、质地引入及口腔运动功能发育存在关键期，以及新食物引入可能存在关键期，但仅适用于天生倾向于早期产生极端厌恶反应的儿童。
在食物偏好的形成过程中存在敏感期和关键期。
