In this 2022 historical analysis published in Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte, B. Bolman examined how early canine behavior studies in the United States contributed to the development of the critical period concept—a foundational idea in developmental psychology, biology, and neuroscience.
The article traces the emergence of critical period theory to an interdisciplinary network of American behavioral scientists, geneticists, veterinarians, and dog enthusiasts who conducted large-scale studies using dogs as central research subjects. These efforts helped build both the conceptual and logistical foundations for scientific research involving dogs, shaping how developmental processes were studied across species.
Bolman also discusses the historical intersection of dog research with eugenics-based thinking, reflecting how early behavioral studies were often linked to broader societal attempts to categorize and shape heredity, temperament, and learning potential.
Importantly, the author argues that the idea of a critical period—times in development when learning and social experiences have heightened impact—became influential not only as a scientific theory but also as a historiographical tool. It helped frame how historians understood scientific progress: as structured around key developmental moments, breakthroughs, and conceptual transitions.
The study emphasizes that dogs played a crucial, historically underrecognized role in shaping early ethological and psychological research. As highly trainable, behaviorally expressive, and genetically diverse animals, dogs helped researchers explore how early experiences influenced learning, social bonding, emotional development, and long-term behavior.
The critical period concept has since become central in understanding not only dog development but also broader theories in human learning, language acquisition, behavioral conditioning, and social attachment.
Source: Bolman, B. (2022). Critical Periods in Science and the Science of Critical Periods: Canine Behavior in America. Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte. Published March 9, 2022.
