Deck 12: Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood

Question 1

According to Piaget, at about age 7, children enter the stage of concrete operations and can think logically because they can take multiple aspects of a situation into account.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Seriation is the ability to infer the relationship between two objects from the relationship between each of them and a third object.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Piaget believed that children in the concrete operations stage of cognitive development used only deductive reasoning.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The existence of décalage is a major problem for the integrity of Piaget's theory.

Question 5

The increasing capacity for selective attention is believed to be due to neurological maturation.

Question 6

The efficiency of working memory stems from improvements in processing speed and storage capacity.

Question 7

The capacity of a child's working memory can directly affect his or her academic success.

Question 8

The reason preoperational children do poorly on Piagetian tasks can be related to their information-processing skills.

Question 9

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC-II) is a test for ages 6 through 16 and measures the verbal and performance abilities of children.

Question 10

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children is an individual intelligence test for ages 3 to 18 and evaluates cognitive abilities in children with diverse needs, such as autism, hearing impairments, and language disorders.

Question 11

The experiential element of Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence is the analytic aspect of intelligence.

Question 12

Both heredity and environment influence intelligence.

Question 13

Research has shown that children and adolescents who show declines in IQ over time show reductions in cortical thickness.

Question 14

Culture-relevant tests are tests that take into account the adaptive tasks that confront children in particular cultures.

Question 15

During the early school years, children often use subordinate clauses, whereas older children use more active voice.

Question 16

During early childhood, girls tend to use more controlling statements and utter more negative interactions, whereas boys tend to phrase their remarks in a more tentative, conciliatory manner.

Question 17

The phonetic approach is based on the belief that children can learn to read and write naturally, just as they learn to speak.

Question 18

Dyslexia is a chronic condition usually marked by persistent inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, low tolerance for frustration, and a great deal of activity at the wrong time and in the wrong place, such as the classroom.

Question 19

Children with innate gifts are unlikely to show exceptional achievement without motivation and hard work.

Question 20

According to Piaget, at about age ________, children enter the stage of concrete operations and begin to use mental operations to solve concrete (actual) problems.

A) 4
B) 13
C) 10
D) 7

Question 21

Which of the following is true of children in the concrete operations stage of Piagetian cognitive development?

A) They have a better understanding of spatial concepts than do preoperational children.
B) They are approximately between ages 3 and 5.
C) They learn about the environment for the first time through sensory and motor activities.
D) They think abstractly, deal with hypothetical situations, and think about possibilities.

Question 22

Eight-year-old Irene knows that it takes 20 minutes to get to her grandparents' house from her house. She also knows how to play a game that is based on a map. In the context of Piagetian cognitive development, which of the following advances in selected cognitive abilities during middle childhood is exemplified in this scenario?

A) categorization
B) conservation
C) spatial thinking
D) transitive inference

Question 23

Eight-year-old Mohammad has arranged his blue toys from the darkest to the lightest shade. In the context of the developments during Piaget's stage of concrete operations, Mohammad is demonstrating

A) centration.
B) seriation.
C) transitive inference.
D) horizontal decalage.

Question 24

Eight-year-old Julia can arrange toys according to their size, from the biggest to the smallest. She knows that if toy A is bigger than toy B and toy B is bigger than toy C, then toy A is bigger than toy C. In the context of Piagetian cognitive development, which of the following is exemplified in this scenario?

A) number and mathematics
B) seriation and transitive inference
C) cause and effect
D) spatial thinking and centration

Question 25

A researcher shows a group of 8-year-old children 20 fruits, out of which 12 are oranges. He asks them if there are more oranges or more fruits. The children answer that there are more fruits than there are oranges. In the context of Piagetian cognitive development, this scenario primarily exemplifies the concept of

A) conservation.
B) seriation.
C) transitive inference.
D) class inclusion.

Question 26

The type of logical reasoning that moves from particular observations about members of a class to a general conclusion about that class is called

A) inductive reasoning.
B) horizontal decalage.
C) deductive reasoning.
D) transitive inference.

Question 27

Seven-year-old Diya notices that when her 1-year-old brother cries, her 1-year-old cousin also cries. She concludes that all 1-year-old babies cry. In the context of the developments during Piaget's stage of concrete operations, which of the following cognitive abilities is exemplified in this scenario?

A) class inclusion
B) transitive inference
C) inductive reasoning
D) spatial thinking

Question 28

The type of logical reasoning that moves from a general premise about a class to a conclusion about a particular member of the class is called

A) transitive inference.
B) inductive reasoning.
C) deductive reasoning.
D) horizontal decalage.

Question 29

Typically, children can solve problems involving conservation of substance, such as with clay, by about age

A) 2 or 3.
B) 7 or 8.
C) 12 or 13.
D) 4 or 5.

Question 30

Eight-year-old Celine notices that her father makes a small, thick pancake and a big, thin pancake using the same amount of pancake batter. She wonders what would happen if her father went back in time and made the pancakes back into batter. Celine concludes that both pancakes contain the same amount of batter even though they look different. In the context of Piagetian cognitive development, which of the following is most likely to be true about Celine?

A) Celine experiences role confusion or identity crisis.
B) Celine is in the preoperational stage of development.
C) Celine is in the formal operations stage of development.
D) Celine understands the principle of reversibility.

Question 31

Which of the following is true about the cognitive developments related to numbers and math in children?

A) By age 9, most children can count up and down.
B) By age 3 or 4, most children can count in their heads.
C) Most children are adept at solving story problems involving addition and subtraction before the age of 7 or 8.
D) Most children develop some intuitive understanding of fractions after the age of 8 or 9.

Question 32

Which of the following refers to the conscious control of thoughts, emotions, and actions to accomplish goals or solve problems?

A) executive function
B) working memory
C) mnemonics
D) décalage

Question 33

The ________, the region that enables planning, judgment, and decision making, shows significant development from infancy through adolescence.

A) prefrontal cortex
B) pons Varolii
C) medulla oblongata
D) spinal cord

Question 34

Which of the following refers to the ability to deliberately direct one's attention and shut out distractions?

A) joint attention
B) divided attention
C) alternating attention
D) selective attention

Question 35

Which of the following is true of working memory?

A) It is a type of long-term memory.
B) It involves the short-term storage of information that is being actively processed.
C) It is commonly known as episodic memory.
D) Its efficiency decreases drastically between the ages of 6 and 10.

Question 36

In the context of information processing, a strategy to aid memory is called

A) avoidance learning.
B) assertiveness training.
C) a peripheral device.
D) a mnemonic device.

Question 37

Muhammad, a second grader, wants to memorize a list containing the following words: cat, chrysanthemum, horse, honeybee, snake, spider, and cactus. He categorizes cat, horse, and snake as animals; honeybee and spider as insects; and chrysanthemum and cactus as plants. Memorizing the names of these categories helps him remember the members of the categories. In this scenario, Muhammad is using a form of a mnemonic device called

A) rehearsal.
B) organization.
C) elaboration.
D) conformity.

Question 38

Arthur has recently moved to a new neighborhood. He repeatedly says the address of his new house so that he does not forget it before writing it down. In this scenario, Arthur is using a form of a mnemonic device called

A) elaboration.
B) organization.
C) causality.
D) rehearsal.

Question 39

Which of the following is true about the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT8)?

A) It is an individual test for ages 3 to 18.
B) It involves asking children to classify items, show an understanding of verbal and numerical concepts, display general information, and follow directions.
C) It is designed to evaluate cognitive abilities in children with diverse needs and from varying cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
D) It is based on Vygotsky's theories that emphasize potential rather than present achievement.

Question 40

Which of the following is a nontraditional individual intelligence test designed to provide fair assessments of minority children and children with disabilities?

A) Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT8)
B) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III)
C) Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC-II)
D) Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SBIS)

Question 41

Tests based on Vygotsky's theory that emphasize potential rather than past learning are known as ________ tests.

A) achievement
B) cognitive
C) dynamic
D) power

Question 42

In a dynamic test, the difference between the items a child can answer alone and the items the child can answer with help is the child's

A) reciprocal dynamic assessment.
B) zone of proximal development.
C) differential aptitude index.
D) comprehensive cognitive ability.

Question 43

A(n) ________ determines how much you could know.

A) aptitude test
B) 360-degree test
C) attitude test
D) achievement test

Question 44

A(n) ________ determines how much you currently know.

A) personality test
B) attitude test
C) aptitude test
D) achievement test

Question 45

Intelligence quotient (IQ) tests focus almost entirely on

A) academic skills.
B) creative insight.
C) self-knowledge.
D) common sense.

Question 46

Esther, a third grader, takes an intelligence test called the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales. In the context of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, which of the following will be reflected in Esther's IQ scores given by the test?

A) Esther's bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
B) Esther's logical-mathematical intelligence
C) Esther's naturalistic intelligence
D) Esther's interpersonal intelligence

Question 47

Finn, a third grader, takes an intelligence test called the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales. In the context of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, which of the following will not be reflected in Finn's IQ scores given by the test?

A) Finn's bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
B) Finn's linguistic intelligence
C) Finn's logical intelligence
D) Finn's mathematical intelligence

Question 48

Yosef agrees with Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. He is likely to believe that

A) a person who is a good soccer player ideally has a traditionally high IQ.
B) a person who is a good guitarist may not necessarily have a traditionally high IQ.
C) interpersonal intelligence is typically reflected in IQ scores.
D) naturalistic intelligence is typically reflected in IQ scores.

Question 49

Laura is a dancer and a theater artist. She is also a kindergarten teacher. In the context of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, Laura is most likely to have high

A) spatial intelligence and existential intelligence.
B) interpersonal intelligence and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
C) logical-mathematical intelligence and naturalistic intelligence.
D) intrapersonal intelligence and spatial intelligence.

Question 50

Julie is an elementary school teacher who believes in assessing students according to Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Which of the following approaches should Julie use when assessing her students?

A) She should conduct an IQ test and group students based on their scores for further tests on science and math.
B) She should conduct tests that assess their abilities in music, physical abilities, communication, and logic.
C) She should conduct an aptitude test along with a test on their English language skills.
D) She should conduct tests in the students' native language as well as in English.

Question 51

Which of the following is one of the elements of Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence?

A) the interpersonal element
B) the visual-spatial element
C) the contextual element
D) the naturalistic element

Question 52

In the context of Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence, which of the following elements is the analytic aspect of intelligence, which encompasses information-processing skills and tells people how to solve problems, how to monitor solutions, and how to evaluate the results?

A) the interpersonal element
B) the componential element
C) the experiential element
D) the contextual element

Question 53

Which of the following elements of Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence allows people to compare new information with what they already know and to come up with new ways of putting facts together?

A) the naturalistic element
B) the componential element
C) the experiential element
D) the contextual element

Question 54

Which of the following elements of Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence determines how people deal with their environment and represents their ability to size up a situation and decide what to do, adapt to it, change it, or get out of it?

A) the naturalistic element
B) the componential element
C) the experiential element
D) the contextual element

Question 55

Which of the following is true about the Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test (STAT)?

A) It measures intelligence through multiple-choice and essay questions.
B) It focuses only on the componential element of intelligence.
C) It is designed to evaluate cognitive abilities in children with diverse needs.
D) It is a measure of how much an individual could know.

Question 56

Which of the following is true about the influence of brain development on intelligence?

A) Research shows no correlation between brain size or amount of gray matter and general intelligence.
B) Connectivity between frontal and parietal brain regions has been associated with nonverbal intelligence.
C) Intelligence is lowest in those children whose cortex thins most quickly.
D) Research shows that children and adolescents who show declines in IQ over time show increases in cortical thickness.

Question 57

Which of the following is true about the influence of schooling on intelligence?

A) Schooling seems to increase tested intelligence.
B) Scores attained on assessment tests in school are not correlated with IQ.
C) The cognitive gains associated with schooling are general in nature.
D) The type of schooling does not impact intellectual performance.

Question 58

The major area of linguistic growth during the school years is in

A) class inclusion.
B) private speech abilities.
C) mnemonics.
D) pragmatics.

Question 59

Which of the following is true about the English-immersion approach to teaching English?

A) It is a system of teaching non-English-speaking children in their native language while they learn English and later switching to all-English instruction.
B) It is an approach to teaching reading that emphasizes decoding unfamiliar words.
C) It is an approach to teaching reading that emphasizes visual retrieval and use of contextual clues.
D) It is an approach to teaching English as a second language in which instruction is presented only in English.

Question 60

Which of the following is true about bilingual education?

A) It is a system of teaching non-English-speaking children in their native language while they learn English and later switching to all-English instruction.
B) It is an approach to second-language education in which English speakers and non-English-speakers learn together in their own and each other's languages.
C) It is an approach to teaching reading that emphasizes visual retrieval and use of contextual clues.
D) It is an approach to teaching English as a second language in which instruction is presented only in English.

Question 61

Serene Middle School in Russia adopts bilingual education as an approach to second-language learning. As part of the program, the school is most likely to

A) immerse language-minority children in English from the beginning.
B) first teach the students in Russian and then switch to regular classes in English when they become more proficient.
C) expose the students to English soon so that the more time they spend speaking it, the better they learn it.
D) arrange classes in which English-speaking and Russian-speaking children learn together in their own and each other's languages.

Question 62

Mokuteki Middle School in Japan adopts two-way (dual-language) learning as an approach to second-language learning. As part of the program, the school is most likely to

A) arrange classes in which English-speaking and Japanese-speaking children learn together in their own and each other's languages.
B) immerse language-minority children in English from the beginning.
C) first teach the students in Japanese and then switch to regular classes in English when they become more proficient.
D) teach English as a second language in which instruction is presented only in English.

Question 63

Connor, a first-grade teacher, teaches his students how to read by assigning them tasks that focus on memorizing sound-letter correspondences. He asks his students to pronounce the unfamiliar word "collaboration" and translate it from print to speech. In this scenario, Connor is

A) utilizing various contextual cues to help the students read.
B) emphasizing visual retrieval, which helps the students read.
C) using the whole-language approach to teaching reading.
D) using the phonetic (code-emphasis) approach to teaching reading.

Question 64

Which of the following approaches to learning reading and writing is based on the belief that children can learn to read and write naturally, just as they learn to speak?

A) the whole-language approach
B) the phonetic approach
C) the word-analysis approach
D) the metamemory approach

Question 65

Which of the following is true about the programs that use the whole-language approach to teaching English?

A) They tend to feature real literature and open-ended, student-initiated activities.
B) They generally involve rigorous, teacher-directed tasks that focus on memorizing sound-letter correspondences.
C) They tend to have classes in which English-speaking and foreign-speaking children learn together in their own and each other's languages.
D) They encourage children to become bilingual and to feel pride in their cultural identity.

Question 66

Which of the following is true about metacognition in children?

A) It can help children monitor their understanding of what they read.
B) Children with good metacognitive skills use strategies such as reading extremely fast when trying to learn information in a challenging written passage.
C) It involves children matching the visual features of letters and the phonemes.
D) Metacognitive abilities can be encouraged by focusing solely on the experiential element of intelligence.

Question 67

Postponing kindergarten entrance for age-eligible children to give them an extra year of development is known as

A) redshirting.
B) blacklisting.
C) fast mapping.
D) blueprinting.

Question 68

In the context of gender differences in academic achievement, girls tend to

A) outperform boys on science tests.
B) have more school problems than boys.
C) be more likely to repeat grades.
D) outperform boys in national reading assessments.

Question 69

In the context of gender differences in academic achievement, boys tend to outperform girls in

A) reading assessments.
B) writing assessments.
C) spatial tasks.
D) timed tests.

Question 70

The ________ is a sweeping educational reform emphasizing accountability, expanded parental options, local control, flexibility, and standardized yearly testing of progress objectives.

A) No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
B) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975
C) Free Appropriate Public Education Act of 1973
D) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

Question 71

Which of the following is true about the social and home influences on academic achievement in children?

A) Parental involvement has a positive effect on academic achievement in children.
B) Achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students reduce from kindergarten to third grade.
C) Children who are disliked by their peers tend to do better in school.
D) Children high in self-efficacy are less likely to succeed than students who do not believe in their abilities.

Question 72

Intellectual disability is indicated by an IQ score of ________, coupled with a deficiency in age-appropriate adaptive behavior, such as communication, social skills, and self-care, appearing before age 18.

A) 100-110
B) 130 or more
C) 70 or less
D) 80-90

Question 73

Which of the following is true of children with learning disabilities?

A) They often have near-average to higher-than-average intelligence.
B) They have distorted vision and hearing.
C) They easily process sensory information.
D) They tend to be more task-oriented than children without learning disabilities.

Question 74

Which of the following is true about dyslexia?

A) It is more common among girls than among boys.
B) It is primarily caused by environmental exposure to lead or high levels of mercury.
C) It hinders the development of oral as well as written language skills.
D) It is considered an issue of intelligence.

Question 75

Nick's third-grade teacher observes that he is impulsive, persistently inattentive, and distracted and has a low tolerance for frustration. She has also noticed that Nick has the ability to make his classmates laugh with his highly intelligent jokes and cartoons. Nick's lack of attention and focus in class is most likely due to

A) dyslexia.
B) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
C) intellectual developmental disorder (IDD).
D) Down's syndrome.

Question 76

Which of the following is an approach to educating the gifted that broadens and deepens knowledge and skills through extra activities, projects, field trips, or mentoring?

A) inclusion
B) acceleration
C) enrichment
D) fortification

Question 77

Which of the following is an approach to educating the gifted that moves them through the curriculum at an unusually rapid pace?

A) inclusion
B) acceleration
C) social promotion
D) redshirting

Question 78

Kristie is participating in an art competition titled "Green Earth" as part of the World Environment Day initiative in her school. She has been provided with some old magazines, color paper, scraps of colored cloth, play dough, and paints. She has to combine these materials to depict her vision of "Green Earth" in an hour's time. This problem tests Kristie's abilities in the area of

A) convergent thinking.
B) fast mapping.
C) serial processing.
D) divergent thinking.

Question 79

Which of the following is true about defining and measuring creativity?

A) High creativity and high academic intelligence go hand in hand.
B) Creativity is highly correlated with traditional IQ tests.
C) Tests of creativity call for divergent thinking.
D) Creativity can be assessed via educational assessments in schools.

Question 80

In the context of cognitive development in the concrete operational stage, describe categorization with suitable examples.