Question 1

Which statement about exposure to stress is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Some stress, but not too much, can aid cognition. While high levels of stress can be damaging to development, moderate levels of stress can promote cognitive flexibility and resilience. It is important for children to learn how to manage and cope with stress in healthy ways.

Question 2

A magician's goal is to get the audience to focus on one aspect of his show while he manipulates another.This is easy to do with preoperational children,as they are fooled by their tendency to:

Accepted Answer

Preoperational children are known for demonstrating centration, meaning they focus on only one aspect of a situation and ignore all other aspects. This makes it easy for a magician to divert their attention to one part of the show while manipulating another part without the children noticing.

Question 3

Piaget believed that until about age 6,it is difficult for children to think:

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that children under the age of 6 were in the preoperational stage of development, during which they have difficulty thinking logically. They may also struggle with conservation, classification, and reversibility. While they may exhibit egocentric thinking (believing everyone thinks and sees the world as they do), this is not exclusively true for children under 6 and can continue into later stages of development. Similarly, while animism (belief that inanimate objects have feelings and thoughts) is characteristic of the preoperational stage, it is not the best choice in this question. Finally, subjectivity is a broad concept that, while relevant to Piaget's theory, is not specific enough to be the best choice in this question.

Question 4

One of the milestones of preoperational thought is the ability to:

Accepted Answer

The ability to use symbolic thought is a key milestone of preoperational thought. This refers to the child's ability to use words, images, or gestures to represent objects or experiences that are not physically present. This is seen in imaginative play, drawing, and language development. While understanding reversibility, displaying conservation, and thinking logically are also important cognitive achievements, they are not necessarily specific to preoperational thought.

Question 5

Preoperational intelligence:

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, preoperational intelligence is characterized by the development of symbolic thinking, which allows children to use words, images, and gestures to represent objects and concepts that are not present. This type of thinking enables them to engage in imaginative play and language use. Logical reasoning and reversibility of thought develop later, in the concrete operational stage. Preoperational intelligence also relies on children's motor skills and senses, but this is not the main characteristic of this stage.

Question 6

Aaron was playing under the kitchen table when he stood up suddenly and bumped his head.He pointed at the table and sternly said,"Mean table!" Aaron is demonstrating Piaget's concept of:

Accepted Answer

Aaron is demonstrating animism, which is the belief that inanimate objects have feelings or intentions. By calling the table "mean," Aaron is attributing human-like qualities to the table.

Question 7

Studies of maltreated children suggest that excessive stress-hormone levels in early childhood:

Accepted Answer

Excessive stress-hormone levels in early childhood due to maltreatment can cause permanent damage to the brain's pathways, particularly in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which are responsible for memory and emotional regulation, respectively. This can lead to long-term consequences, such as increased risk of anxiety, depression, and ptsd.

Question 8

Nine-year-old Brandon has no problem understanding that the 20-year-old woman who sometimes stays with him is both a student and a babysitter.According to Piaget,this is because Brandon's thinking has moved beyond:

Accepted Answer

Brandon's ability to understand that the woman can be both a student and a babysitter indicates that his thinking has moved beyond centration, which is the focus on one aspect of a situation to the exclusion of others. Piaget identified centration as a characteristic of preoperational thought, which typically occurs in children aged 2 to 7 years. By age 9, children like Brandon are in the concrete operational stage, where they can consider multiple aspects of a situation simultaneously.

Question 9

After seeing her new haircut for the first time,Tamara began crying inconsolably.She cried,"You turned me into a boy!" Tamara's statement is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Tamara's statement indicates a focus on appearance, as she is upset about the way she looks after her haircut.

Question 10

Romanian children raised in orphanages demonstrated _____ when shown pictures of emotional faces.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that children raised in orphanages have less reactivity in their limbic system, which is responsible for emotional regulation and processing, when shown pictures of emotional faces. This is likely due to the lack of consistent emotional support and nurturing in their early years.

Question 11

The Piagetian term for a particular type of centration in which a child thinks about the world only from his or her personal perspective is called:

Accepted Answer

Egocentrism refers to the tendency of young children to only consider their own perspective or point of view when thinking about the world. This type of centration can lead to misunderstandings and difficulties in communication, as children may assume that others see and think about things in the same way that they do.

Question 12

Based on what you know about the immaturity of the amygdala in early childhood,what is a likely experience that many young children have?

Accepted Answer

The amygdala is involved in processing emotions such as fear, and its immaturity in young children can lead to experiences like frightening nightmares.

Question 13

_____ is the belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive,moving around,and having sensations and abilities that are human-like.

Accepted Answer

Animism is the belief that natural objects and phenomena are animated by spirits or gods. This belief is common among young children, who often imagine that inanimate objects have human-like qualities, such as feelings or intentions. Egocentrism refers to the tendency of young children to focus on their own perspective and ignore the viewpoints of others. Centration is the tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation, while ignoring other important aspects. Static reasoning is the belief that the world is unchanging and always the same.

Question 14

Brenda and her mother were shopping for a birthday gift for Brenda's father."How about this? Daddy would love it!" Brenda exclaimed,showing her mother a pink and purple toy horse with flowing mane and tail.Brenda's belief that her father would enjoy a toy that she herself would enjoy is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Brenda's belief that her father would enjoy a toy that she herself would enjoy shows egocentrism, which is a characteristic of a child's thinking in Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Children at this stage believe that everyone sees and experiences the world in the same way that they do.

Question 15

To focus on one aspect of a situation and simultaneously exclude all other aspects is called:

Accepted Answer

Centration is the tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation and disregard others. This is a common cognitive limitation in young children, but adults can also exhibit centration in certain situations. The other options are not applicable to this concept.

Question 16

"You are your mom's daughter,right?" Grandpa asked Beatriz. "Yes!" Beatriz eagerly answered.
"Well,your mom is my daughter," Grandpa replied.
"No! She's my Mommy!" Beatriz exclaimed.
Beatriz is demonstrating which Piagetian error?

Accepted Answer

Beatriz is demonstrating centration, which is a focus on one aspect of a situation, neglecting other important features. In this case, she focuses solely on her relationship with her mom, not understanding that her mom can also be someone else's daughter.

Question 17

Four-year-old Colin thinks a tall 20-year-old man is older than a short 40-year-old man.Which Piagetian error characterizes Colin's thinking?

Accepted Answer

This is a classic example of a focus on appearance error, where a person's judgement is based solely on their physical appearance rather than deeper attributes such as age or experience.

Question 18

Piaget referred to the early childhood (ages 2 to 6)stage of cognitive development as "_____ intelligence."

Accepted Answer

Piaget referred to the early childhood stage of cognitive development (ages 2 to 6) as "preoperational" intelligence. This stage is characterized by the use of symbols and language to represent objects or concepts and the ability to engage in pretend play. Children in this stage are not yet able to understand abstract or logical concepts, but they are able to think symbolically and understand the perspectives of others to some extent.

Question 19

Piaget called the stage of cognitive development between the ages of 2 and 6 "preoperational intelligence" because children do not yet:

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that during the preoperational stage, children do not yet use logical operations, meaning they cannot effectively reason concepts or perform mental operations. They also have difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts. However, they do demonstrate intellectual behavior and have the capability to understand and produce language.

Question 20

When Jessie sees her kindergarten teacher in the grocery store,she is shocked to see her outside of school.Jessie's surprise is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Jessie's surprise is an example of static reasoning because she assumes that people and situations do not change, in this case thinking her teacher exists only in the school context.

Quiz 5: Early Childhood: Body and Mind