Question 1

Piaget described a scheme as a psychological structure that

Accepted Answer

Piaget's concept of a scheme (or schema) refers to a cognitive framework or structure that organizes and interprets information, helping individuals to understand and interact with their environment. It is a fundamental concept in his theory of cognitive development, which describes how people's ability to think and understand the world around them evolves as they grow.

Question 2

Bob is a normally developing 18-month-old. According to Piaget, Bob is most likely in the ____ period of cognitive development.

Accepted Answer

According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, an 18-month-old child like Bob would be in the sensorimotor stage, which spans from birth to approximately 2 years of age. This stage is characterized by the development of motor skills and a basic understanding of the world through sensory experiences and physical interactions.

Question 3

Tonka is actively playing with his toy truck when his mom accidentally drops a towel she is carrying directly on top of the vehicle. As soon as the vehicle is covered, Tonka turns his head away and calmly begins playing with another toy. Tonka's reaction best illustrates a lack of

Accepted Answer

Tonka's reaction illustrates a lack of object permanence, which is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched. Since he immediately turns his attention away from the toy truck when it is covered, it suggests he may not understand that the truck still exists under the towel.

Question 4

Piagetians believe that an average child would first demonstrate the onset of intentional behavior when he or she is approximately

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, intentional behavior typically begins to emerge during the sensorimotor stage, around 8 months of age, when infants start to coordinate actions to achieve specific goals.

Question 5

According to Piaget, which statement is true regarding the stages of thinking?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory of cognitive development posits that children progress through a series of four stages in a fixed order: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Each stage represents a new way of thinking and understanding the world, and according to Piaget, these stages must be completed in the correct sequence for proper cognitive development.

Question 6

To overcome a state of disequilibrium, a child must

Accepted Answer

To overcome a state of disequilibrium, a child must reorganize his or her cognitive structures or schemes, according to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. This reorganization helps the child to adapt to new information and experiences, restoring equilibrium.

Question 7

Dr. Eco has a strong belief that global warming is a theoretical myth. In recent years, however, the increased rate of polar ice cap melt has forced him to alter his theory, and he is now a strong advocate against greenhouse pollutants. A Piagetian would most likely describe Dr. Eco's theoretical conversion in terms of

Accepted Answer

Piaget's concept of equilibration involves adapting one's existing ideas or theories in response to new information or experiences, which is what Dr. Eco did when he changed his stance on global warming after observing the effects of polar ice cap melt.

Question 8

The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" best exemplifies the Piagetian concept of

Accepted Answer

The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" exemplifies the Piagetian concept of object permanence, which is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or otherwise sensed. This concept is typically developed during the sensorimotor stage of Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

Question 9

As a Piagetian, Avery would consider ____ the highest accomplishment of the sensorimotor period of development.

Accepted Answer

Using symbols is considered the highest accomplishment of the sensorimotor period according to Piaget's stages of cognitive development. This ability marks the transition to the preoperational stage and reflects the development of mental representations.

Question 10

When first attempting to learn English as a second language, Olga spent a great deal of time converting similar English sounds into Russian equivalents. Later, she spent more time generating new, non-Russian language ideas. Piaget would describe this change as involving

Accepted Answer

Piaget's concept of equilibration involves moving from a state of cognitive imbalance, where new information doesn't fit into existing schemas, to a state of balance, where new information is assimilated or accommodated into one's cognitive framework. Olga's shift from converting English sounds into Russian equivalents to generating new, non-Russian language ideas reflects this process of adjusting her cognitive structures to incorporate new linguistic information.

Question 11

Piaget argued that the first reactions by newborns were

Accepted Answer

Piaget argued that the first reactions by newborns were reflexive, meaning they are automatic responses to stimuli, not yet influenced by learning or conscious thought. This is foundational to his stages of cognitive development, where he posits that infants initially interact with the world through reflexes before developing more complex cognitive abilities.

Question 12

Six-month-old Teddy is playing with his favorite toy, a stuffed bear. Suddenly a blanket falls off the shelf and covers his bear. According to Piaget, Teddy would most likely

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, a six-month-old is in the sensorimotor stage and has not yet developed object permanence. This means that when the toy is out of sight, it is out of mind for Teddy, and he would neither reach for nor search for the bear.

Question 13

Sylvester has just learned how to pick up his cat named Chester, who likes to be picked up and does not put up any struggle. Later, Sylvester tries to pick up another cat named Thai, who scratches when held. The fact that Sylvester learns to leave Thai alone after he has been scratched provides a good example of

Accepted Answer

Accommodation involves adjusting one's existing schemas or understanding in response to new experiences. Sylvester's adaptation to Thai's behavior by deciding to leave Thai alone after being scratched is an example of changing his approach based on new information, which aligns with the concept of accommodation.

Question 14

Between early and later childhood, schemes tend to have more ____ properties.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Between early and later childhood, schemes tend...

Question 15

Salvador has a scheme for drawing with a crayon that had to be changed in order to learn how to paint a picture with a brush. This adaptation is an example of

Accepted Answer

Accommodation refers to the process of adjusting one's existing ideas or schemas due to new information or experiences, which Salvador did by changing his drawing technique from crayon to brush painting.

Question 16

Piaget saw equilibration as a balance between

Accepted Answer

Piaget's concept of equilibration refers to the balance between assimilation (integrating new information into existing schemas) and accommodation (adjusting existing schemas to incorporate new information). This balance is crucial for cognitive development.

Question 17

Nolan has a scheme for throwing baseballs that he can apply successfully to throwing small rocks or other types of balls. This successful application would best be described as

Accepted Answer

Assimilation occurs when new experiences are incorporated into existing schemas. Nolan applying his baseball-throwing scheme to throwing small rocks or other types of balls is an example of assimilation, as he is using his existing knowledge in a new context without changing the underlying schema.

Question 18

Adam waves "bye-bye" when he leaves the room and pretends to eat imaginary food. In other words, Adam is

Accepted Answer

Adam is using symbols, such as the wave for "bye-bye" and pretending to eat, which are examples of symbolic behavior, indicating he understands these actions represent concepts or ideas.

Question 19

Baby Lee has just discovered that banging on a big pot produces a loud sound. He then decides to bang on a small pot to see what happens. A Piagetian would predict that such active experimentation with the environment would be most likely to first emerge in a child who is

Accepted Answer

This behavior aligns with Piaget's sensorimotor stage, which spans from birth to approximately 2 years of age. By 12 months, children are typically engaging in active experimentation, such as banging pots, to learn about their environment.

Question 20

Piaget used the term ____ to describe the process by which new experiences are easily incorporated into existing schemes.

Accepted Answer

Piaget used the term "assimilation" to describe the process by which new experiences are easily incorporated into a child's existing cognitive structures or schemes.

Quiz 4: The Emergence of Thought and Language: Cognitive Development in Infancy and Early Childhood