Question 1

Which of the following is an accurate definition of assimilation?

Accepted Answer

Assimilation refers to the process of incorporating new information or experiences into an existing schema without the need to change the schema itself. This means that the new information fits into the existing framework of knowledge and does not require any significant revision. Option A refers to accommodation, which involves revising or creating new schemas to fit new information. Option B refers to conservation, which is the understanding that changing an object's appearance does not change its quantity. Option D refers to representational thought or mental imagery.

Question 2

Which of the following is true of Lev Vygotsky's view of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Lev Vygotsky believed that a child gains knowledge of the world through social interactions and collaboration with others, particularly parents, teachers, and members of the community. This idea is reflected in his theory of social development, which emphasizes the role of social and cultural factors in cognitive development.

Question 3

What is Piaget's name for the stage of development that begins at the age of 2 years and ends at the age of 6 years and is characterized by use of symbols, egocentrism, and limits on the ability to reason logically?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's preoperational stage begins at age 2 and ends at age 6. It is characterized by the use of symbols, egocentrism, and limited ability to reason logically. This stage is followed by the concrete operational stage.

Question 4

Alex is 15 years old. He doesn't have a part-time job, his grades are poor, and his parents are worried that he is skipping school. Recently Alex has become highly involved in political issues, including the legalization of medical use marijuana. According to Piaget, Alex is in the _____ stage of cognitive development.

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, the formal operational stage starts at around age 12 and continues into adulthood. During this stage, individuals develop the ability to think about abstract concepts, and reason about hypothetical situations, which aligns with Alex's interest in political issues and the legalization of medical marijuana.

Question 5

For which of the following has Piaget's theory of cognitive development been criticized?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory has been criticized for not taking into account the role of cultural and social factors in cognitive development. It has been argued that children's thinking is shaped by their experiences within their families, communities, and cultures, and that Piaget's theory does not adequately address these influences.

Question 6

According to the theory of Jean Piaget, how is egocentrism defined?

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, egocentrism is defined as the limited ability to understand the point of view of other people. Children in the preoperational stage are particularly susceptible to egocentric thinking, as they often have difficulty taking the perspective of others.

Question 7

What is object permanence?

Accepted Answer

Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible or present. It is the ability to form mental representations of objects that are no longer present, such as realizing that a toy is still in the room even if it is hidden under a blanket.

Question 8

Children begin to prefer sex-typed toys between the ages of

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children begin to show preferences for sex-typed toys between the ages of 12 and 18 months. This is when they start to understand gender and the societal expectations for gender-specific behaviors and preferences. Prior to this age, there are no significant differences in toy preferences between boys and girls.

Question 9

Stephan is 5 years old, and is able to put moderate-sized jigsaw puzzles together with the help of his older brother. If he tries to do the puzzle on his own, he will usually be unsuccessful. According to Lev Vygotsky, putting together these puzzles falls in Stephan's

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky's theory suggests that a child's learning is strongly influenced by their social and cultural environment. The zone of proximal development refers to the range of tasks that a child cannot yet perform independently but can accomplish with the guidance and encouragement of a more knowledgeable other. Stephan's ability to complete moderate-sized jigsaw puzzles with the help of his older brother falls into his zone of proximal development.

Question 10

In some cultures, children are encouraged to walk earlier or later than what would be considered the average age in the United States (Super, 1976). With this in mind, which of the following statements is accurate?

Accepted Answer

Cultural practices can influence the timing of developmental milestones slightly, but the underlying biological process, such as myelination, sets a general timeline for when these skills can be achieved.

Question 11

Baby Asha is sitting on the floor when her older brother sits down next to her. He takes her favorite stuffed rabbit out of her hands, holds it up, and then puts it behind his back. Within just a few seconds, Asha begins to cry. Her brother hands her back the rabbit, which stops the crying, but he doesn't understand why she didn't just look behind his back for the toy. What would be the reason for this?

Accepted Answer

Asha is likely in Piaget's sensorimotor stage of cognitive development, which is from birth to about 2 years of age. During this stage, children have not yet mastered object permanence, which is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched. Asha's crying when the rabbit is taken and hidden suggests she does not understand that the rabbit still exists behind her brother's back.

Question 12

The notion that even very young children seem to understand a great deal about objects and how they work, even before they've had much experience interacting with those objects, is called _____ theory.

Accepted Answer

Naïve theory refers to the idea that children have an innate understanding of the world around them, including objects and their properties, even before extensive interaction or formal education.

Question 13

When Zach first started playing video games, he was able to focus very attentively on the game, but only for limited periods of time. By about sixth grade, his attention span started to lengthen significantly each year. Which model or theory does this exemplify?

Accepted Answer

This exemplifies the Information Processing Model, as it describes how attention span can improve and become more sustained over time with practice and development.

Question 14

Which of the following is an accurate definition of accommodation?

Accepted Answer

Accommodation refers to the process of incorporating new learning into an existing schema, but sometimes requires revision of that schema in order to accommodate the new information. Option D accurately describes this process. Option B is incorrect because accommodation requires schema revision, while option A describes the concept of mental representation. Option C describes the concept of conservation, which is related but not identical to accommodation.

Question 15

Vito, age 5, and his uncle are playing with cookie dough. They make two round balls of the same size. Vito flattens one ball of cookie dough into a pancake shape on the baking sheet and says, "Look, now this one has more dough." In this context, Vito does not yet understand

Accepted Answer

Vito does not understand conservation, which is the concept that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance. His belief that the flattened dough has more indicates he hasn't grasped that the amount of dough remains constant regardless of its form.

Question 16

Which of the following reflects the view of contemporary developmental psychologists and is in contrast to Piaget's analysis?

Accepted Answer

Contemporary developmental psychologists have found evidence that very young children have an innate understanding of the physical world, which contradicts Piaget's view that children's understanding develops primarily through hands-on interaction and progresses through specific stages.

Question 17

Little Janie is visiting the zoo for the first time and sees a wolf. She says, "Look, Mommy, a doggy." This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Assimilation is the process of fitting new information into existing cognitive schemas or mental frameworks. In this case, Little Janie is assimilating the new information about the wolf into her existing schema for a familiar animal, a dog.

Question 18

According to Lev Vygotsky's theory, cultures teach children not only what to think but also

Accepted Answer

According to Vygotsky's theory, cultures teach children how to think by providing them with tools, such as language and symbols, that allow them to organize their thoughts and make meaning of their experiences. This is known as the zone of proximal development, where children learn to think more complexly with the help of others, such as parents or teachers, who guide them to develop new concepts and ideas.

Question 19

Which of the following describes Piaget's sensorimotor stage of development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's sensorimotor stage of development begins at birth and ends at the age of 2 years. During this stage, infants learn about the world through their senses and motor activities, such as grasping, reaching, and exploring. They also develop object permanence, the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight.

Question 20

Louie is 10 years old. He is becoming quite good at arguing with his parents over such topics as what his bedtime should be and whether he has eaten enough of his dinner to have dessert. He loves toys and projects that involve hands-on learning but cannot yet handle abstract concepts. According to Piaget, Louie is in the _____ stage of cognitive development.

Accepted Answer

Louie is in the concrete operational stage of cognitive development, according to Piaget. This stage typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11 years old and is characterized by the development of logical thought concerning concrete objects, improved ability to classify objects, and the understanding of the concept of conservation, but children in this stage struggle with abstract concepts. Louie's enjoyment of hands-on learning and his difficulty with abstract concepts are indicative of this stage.

Quiz 11: The Developing Mind Life Span Development