Question 1

Which of the following is the best description of Piaget's "symbolic function"?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's symbolic function refers to a child's ability to use mental symbols, words, or objects to represent something that is not physically present. This includes using language to communicate ideas and thoughts, and using symbols like letters and numbers to understand written language and mathematics.

Question 2

Approximately at what age does a child show signs of preference for the use of one hand over another?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Approximately at what age does a child...

Question 3

According to Piaget,which stage occurs from approximately ages 2 to 7,in which children's use of symbolic thinking grows,mental reasoning emerges,and the use of concepts increases?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's preoperational stage occurs from approximately ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by the use of symbolic thinking, emergence of mental reasoning, and increased use of concepts. The concrete operational stage (choice A) occurs from approximately ages 7 to 11 and involves the development of concrete operational thought. Abstract operational (choice C) is not a recognized stage in Piaget's theory. Symbolic functioning (choice D) is not a recognized term in Piaget's theory.

Question 4

Thinking that does not take into account the viewpoints of others is called

Accepted Answer

Egocentric thought is thinking that does not consider the perspectives of others and is focused solely on one's own point of view. Conservation refers to understanding that an object's properties remain the same even when its appearance changes, centration refers to a tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation or object, and intuitive thought refers to quick, automatic thinking that is often based on personal experiences or emotions.

Question 5

What is the term that Piaget used for the process in which one state is changed into another?

Accepted Answer

Piaget used the term "transformation" to describe the process in which one state is changed into another. Conservation refers to the understanding that an object retains its properties (such as quantity or volume) despite changes in its appearance. Centration is the tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation and ignore others. Concrete operations refer to the third stage of Piaget's cognitive development theory, during which children begin to think logically about concrete events.

Question 6

If a 4 ½-year-old child is asked to draw a person who is first standing upright and then has fallen down,the child is likely to draw the figure in the vertical position,and then the figure lying in the horizontal position with no other pictures in-between to demonstrate the person falling.This child would be demonstrating a lack of

Accepted Answer

The child's inability to depict the process of falling, instead showing only the initial and final states (upright and then horizontal), demonstrates a lack of understanding of transformation. Transformation involves recognizing that something can change from one state to another, which is a concept that develops with age in children.

Question 7

Piaget believed that the _______ fit entirely in a single stage of cognitive development called the ___________ stage.

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that the preschool years fit entirely in a single stage of cognitive development called the preoperational stage.

Question 8

Three-year-old Wendy is playing hide-and-seek with some older children.However,instead of running to find a hiding place away from the other children,Wendy simply covers her eyes.In this example,Wendy is demonstrating

Accepted Answer

Wendy's behavior is an example of egocentric thought, which is a characteristic of young children who have difficulty understanding the perspectives of others and tend to focus solely on their own viewpoint. In this case, Wendy is assuming that if she can't see the other children, they can't see her, which is not the case in reality.

Question 9

According to Piaget,what is the key aspect of the preoperational stage?

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, the key aspect of the preoperational stage is the development of symbolic function. This means that children are able to use symbols (such as words and images) to represent objects and ideas, but they do not yet understand that these symbols have a concrete relationship to reality. For example, a child might pretend a block is a phone, but does not yet understand that the block cannot actually make phone calls.

Question 10

Madeline is working to teach her 4-year-old daughter,Eliza,how to count.She places ten buttons in one row with very little space between the buttons,and eight buttons in another row with more space between the buttons;therefore,the second row is longer than the first.Then Madeline asks her daughter which row has more buttons.Inevitably,Eliza chooses the second row,even though she knows that ten is more than eight.What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

Eliza's choice is an example of centration, where she focuses on one aspect of a situation (the length of the row) and ignores others (the actual number of buttons).

Question 11

What is the term for the process of concentrating on one limited aspect of a stimulus and ignoring other aspects?

Accepted Answer

The term for the process of concentrating on one limited aspect of a stimulus and ignoring other aspects is centration.

Question 12

What was Piaget's explanation as to why preschool-age children in the preoperational stage make errors on tasks requiring conservation?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that preschool-age children's tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation (centration) prevents them from considering other relevant features, such as the conservation of quantity.

Question 13

According to Piaget,_________ is/are at the heart of __________,which is a major advance for preschool children.

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory suggests that the symbolic function is crucial for the development of language, as it allows children to use symbols, such as words, to represent objects and experiences. This ability is a significant cognitive advance during the preschool years.

Question 14

Three-year-old Randy occasionally talks to himself in front of others,and ignores his mother's instructions to come to the table and eat with his family.In this example,Randy is demonstrating

Accepted Answer

Egocentric thought is a characteristic of the preoperational stage of development where children exhibit a self-centered perspective and struggle to understand the viewpoints of others. Randy's behavior of talking to himself and ignoring his mother's instructions demonstrate this egocentric thinking. A three-year-old child is too young to be diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia. Conservation of thought and intuitive thought are not relevant to Randy's behavior.

Question 15

Which of the following fine motor skills can a 3-year-old preschooler perform?

Accepted Answer

At the age of 3, children have developed enough fine motor skills to manipulate objects with a purpose, such as fitting shaped blocks into matching shaped holes. This activity requires the coordination of small muscle movements in the hands and fingers, which is appropriate for their developmental stage. Drawing a person that looks like a person and folding paper into complex designs are skills that typically develop later, while throwing a ball to a friend involves gross motor skills rather than fine motor skills.

Question 16

On Christmas morning,3-year-old Billy opens one of his gifts from his mother and finds a new sweater.Disappointed that it is not a toy,Billy frowns and throws the sweater aside in front of his mother with no regard for her feelings.In this example,Billy is demonstrating

Accepted Answer

Egocentric thought refers to a child's tendency to see things only from their own perspective and not take into account the feelings or thoughts of others. Billy's reaction of throwing the sweater aside without considering his mother's feelings shows that he is demonstrating this type of thinking.

Question 17

Piaget believed that children from _______ years of age fall into the _________ stage.

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, children from 2 to 7 years old fall into the preoperational stage. This stage is characterized by egocentrism, symbolic thinking, and lack of conservation. Children at this stage also have difficulties with logical thinking and concrete operations. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Question 18

_____________ is the knowledge that quantity is unrelated to the arrangement and physical appearance of objects.

Accepted Answer

Conservation is the ability to understand that changing the physical appearance or arrangement of an object does not change its quantity or volume. This is a key concept in Piaget's theory of cognitive development and typically emerges during the concrete operational stage of development. Choices A, C, and D are all related to Piaget's theory but are not specific to the concept of conservation.

Question 19

Which of the following are considered signs that a toddler is ready to begin toilet training? A child being able to

Accepted Answer

Being able to stay dry for at least 2 hours at a time during the day or waking up dry after a nap is a sign of developing bladder control and the ability to hold urine, which is necessary for toilet training. The other options (A, C, and D) are not typically expected skills for toddlers who are ready to begin toilet training.

Question 20

Johnny is a 4-year-old who is having lunch with his mother and sister.When his mother pours the milk that is left in the carton into the children's glasses,she finds that there is not enough to fill both glasses,so she carefully pours half of the milk in the shorter,fatter glass in front of Johnny and half into a thin,taller glass in front of Johnny's sister.Immediately,Johnny complains that his sister got more milk than he did,and even when his mother tries to explain that they both got the same amount,Johnny insists he is right.In this example,Johnny is demonstrating a lack of development in the area of

Accepted Answer

Johnny is demonstrating a lack of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.

Quiz 7: Physical and Cognitive Development in the Preschool Years