Question 1

Louis receives a new soccer ball and begins to dribble it in the same way he dribbles his basketball. His dribbling of the new ball reflects Piaget's notion of:

Accepted Answer

Louis is using his existing schema (knowledge) of dribbling a basketball to try to dribble a soccer ball. This is an example of assimilation, where he is fitting new information into his existing cognitive structures.

Question 2

Which one of the following reflects class inclusion as Piaget described it?

Accepted Answer

Class inclusion refers to the understanding that a general category (such as vehicles) can include more specific subcategories (such as cars, trucks, and buses). Option B reflects this understanding.

Question 3

In Piaget's theory, a scheme can best be described as:

Accepted Answer

A scheme in Piaget's theory refers to an organized group of similar thoughts or actions, such as the mental representation of a concept or behavior. Schemes allow individuals to make sense of and interact with their environments.

Question 4

Jean Piaget's ideas were largely ignored by American psychologists until the 1960s. Three of the following are probable reasons why this was so. Which one is not a likely reason?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's focus on studying children was not a reason for his ideas being ignored, as American psychologists were also interested in child development. The other options highlight barriers such as language, theoretical incompatibility, and unconventional methods.

Question 5

Piaget spoke of egocentrism as a characteristic of preoperational thought. Three of the following are examples of egocentrism as Piaget defined it. Which one is not an example of preoperational egocentrism?

Accepted Answer

Justin's behavior may be an example of lack of impulse control or a sensory-seeking behavior, but it is not directly related to egocentrism as Piaget defined it. The other three examples show different aspects of egocentrism, such as inability to take another person's perspective (D), assuming others have access to one's own knowledge (B), and difficulty understanding others' emotions (C).

Question 6

Which one of the following examples best illustrates Piaget's concept of object permanence?

Accepted Answer

In Piaget's theory, object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard. The example of two-year-old Jasmine looking for a hidden toy demonstrates her understanding that the object still exists even though she cannot see it at the moment. The other options do not relate to object permanence, but rather to other concepts such as death, repair, and geometry.

Question 7

Which one of the following best illustrates Piaget's concept of accommodation?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's concept of accommodation refers to the process of revising or changing one's cognitive framework to fit new information or experiences. Donna revising her understanding of clouds to fit new information she learns in science is the best example of accommodation.

Question 8

Which one of the following examples best illustrates symbolic thought as Piaget described it?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic thought involves the ability to use symbols, such as words or mental images, to represent objects and ideas. Laura's ability to use language to represent her thoughts about where her book may be located is the best example of symbolic thought in this context. The other examples involve physical actions or emotional responses, but do not demonstrate the use of symbols to represent abstract concepts.

Question 9

Which one of the following clearly illustrates Piaget's concept of assimilation?

Accepted Answer

Assimilation is the process of incorporating new information into existing schemas. In this case, Harvey is incorporating the idea of drawing with a writing utensil, but is using a different tool than what he is accustomed to. He is assimilating this new information into his existing schema of drawing.

Question 10

Which one of the following statements best describes Piaget's view of how children acquire knowledge about the world?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that children actively construct their own understanding of the world through their experiences and interactions with the environment. He asserted that children are not passive recipients of knowledge, but rather they actively seek out new information and integrate it into their existing cognitive structures (schemas) to form a more complex and comprehensive understanding of the world.

Question 11

Which one of the following teachers is definitely keeping in mind Piaget's idea that assimilation and accommodation are both necessary for learning and cognitive development to occur?

Accepted Answer

Mr. Baretta is showing students how a new topic is similar to what they already know (assimilation) but also different in certain ways (accommodation), which aligns with Piaget's idea that both processes are necessary for cognitive development. The other options do not demonstrate an understanding of this concept.

Question 12

As a first-grade teacher reads a book about penguins in Antarctica, she points to Antarctica on a globe. Six-year-old John seems really puzzled. "How come they don't fall off the earth?" he asks. From Piaget's perspective, John can best be described as:

Accepted Answer

John's question shows that he is experiencing disequilibrium, which is a state of cognitive imbalance that occurs when new information cannot be assimilated into existing schema. He is struggling to understand how penguins can live in Antarctica without falling off the earth, which challenges his existing understanding of how the world works.

Question 13

Piaget's sensorimotor stage is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Piaget's sensorimotor stage is characterized by schemes based primarily on perceptions and behaviors, as the child learns to coordinate sensory information with motor actions. The other options do not accurately reflect the characteristics of this stage.

Question 14

From Piaget's perspective, why is language critical for children's cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that language allows children to symbolically represent objects and events, which is a key component of cognitive development. Through language, children can mentally manipulate and transform abstract concepts, leading to further cognitive growth.

Question 15

Mr. Jones teaches a class of twenty 8-year-old third graders. His goal for the upcoming school year is to help at least 50% of his students reach formal operations. Judging from Piaget's theory, we would expect that Mr. Jones's goal is:

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory suggests that the formal operational stage typically begins around age 11, which is beyond the age range of Mr. Jones's students. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to help at least 50% of his students reach formal operations within the school year.

Question 16

In her first trip to a zoo, 7-year-old Latisha notices that leopards have paws very similar in shape to her cat Snowball's paws. She also notices that leopards walk in much the same way that Snowball does. Latisha starts to wonder if perhaps leopards are cats. Latisha's thinking illustrates Piaget's idea that thought is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Latisha is using her existing scheme or mental representation of what a cat is like to make connections with what she is observing in the leopard. This demonstrates the use of schemes in her thought process, which is a key characteristic of Piaget's cognitive development theory.

Question 17

Which one of the following best describes Piaget's notion of equilibration?

Accepted Answer

Equilibration is the process by which children balance assimilation and accommodation to better understand new phenomena. Piaget believed that children constantly strive for cognitive equilibrium or balance, but must revise their existing schemes (accommodation) in response to new experiences that do not fit their current understanding (assimilation). Therefore, C is the best choice as it accurately reflects Piaget's notion of equilibration.

Question 18

Piaget has described four stages of cognitive development. Which one of the following is an accurate statement about Piaget's view of these stages?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that each stage of cognitive development involves forms of thought that are qualitatively different from those in other stages. This means that each stage represents a significant shift in how individuals think and understand the world around them. Additionally, Piaget did not believe that children could skip stages; he argued that each stage must be achieved before an individual can move on to the next.

Question 19

Four-year-old Becky is playing with blocks, stacking them one on top of another until her towers eventually tumble, and then stacking the blocks again. Which one of the following best reflects Piaget's view of how Becky is probably learning in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that children in the preoperational stage (which typically occurs from ages 2 to 7) are actively thinking about and interpreting the world around them, using simple mental representations of objects and events. Therefore, Becky is likely learning through her own active exploration and experimentation with the blocks, rather than simply absorbing information about the environment without thinking.

Question 20

According to Piaget, three of the following are essential for cognitive development. Which one is not?

Accepted Answer

Piaget did not mention high self-esteem as essential for cognitive development. He focused on brain maturation, interaction with other people, and interaction with the physical environment.

Quiz 12: Cognitive-Developmental Perspectives