Chomsky‰s Language Acquisition Device and Classical Conditioning Theory may explain Symbolic Acquisition.
I can think of at least five different processes that may account for the development of these Referent-Symbol associations.
Their roles may vary depending upon the stage of language development the child has reached.
1. The Language Acquisition Device (LAD): Chomsky proposed a special neurological system in the human brain that facilitates language development.
He called this the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). It is possible that this system provides the human brain with the capacity to make the referent-symbol association with minimal stimulation and little effort.
This certainly comes to mind as one observes the two and a half year old child pickup words with dazzling speed.
2. Classical Conditioning: In one of Pavlov's experiments in learning, he rang a bell when he fed a dog.