Question 1

In his senior yearbook, Robert described his post-high school plans as "writing a book, traveling around the world, and curing AIDS." Piaget would likely call this _________

Accepted Answer

Robert's post-high school plans indicate a sense of naive idealism, which is common among adolescents who often hold overly optimistic views of what they can achieve in the future. This type of thinking is a hallmark of adolescence and is influenced by the development of formal operational thought, which allows for hypothetical and abstract reasoning. However, it can sometimes lead to unrealistic expectations and a lack of understanding of the complexities of the world.

Question 2

Whereas Piaget saw cognitive development as a result of individual discovery and a child's interaction with objects, Vygotsky attributed cognitive development to __________

Accepted Answer

According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, cognitive development is a result of interaction between a child and skilled people, such as parents or teachers, who provide scaffolding and guidance to the child's learning. This is in contrast to Piaget's theory, which emphasizes individual discovery and interaction with objects as the primary driver of cognitive development.

Question 3

Fifteen-year-old Todd is writing an impassioned novel about growing up in America. In his novel he describes his experiences in a way that portrays them as unique, such that no one has ever thought such deep thoughts or experienced such ecstasy before. Todd's writings most clearly reflect __________

Accepted Answer

Todd's belief that his experiences are completely unique and unprecedented is characteristic of the personal fable, which is a common cognitive distortion in adolescence. This belief that one's own experiences and feelings are unique and not understood by others is a hallmark of the personal fable.

Question 4

The tendency for teenagers to believe that bad things only happen to other people, not to them, is an example of what Elkind called the __________

Accepted Answer

Elkind called the belief that bad things only happen to other people, not to oneself, the personal fable. The personal fable is a common cognitive distortion among adolescents.

Question 5

Mary is an adolescent who currently has a small pimple on her cheek that is causing her to be overly self-conscious. She is convinced that everyone she meets stares at and talks about her pimple. Mary's behavior exhibits __________

Accepted Answer

Mary's behavior exhibits the imaginary audience phenomenon, which is a common experience during adolescence when individuals think that everyone around them is watching and judging their every move. This leads them to feel overly self-conscious and worried about their appearance or behavior.

Question 6

The reckless risk taking found among many adolescents is most likely due to the effects of __________

Accepted Answer

The personal fable is a belief common among adolescents that they are invulnerable and immune to harm, which leads to reckless risk taking. The other options do not fully explain the phenomenon.

Question 7

Initially, Tawilla's teacher would carefully guide her through tasks in her third grade class, at times going so far as to physically guide her. However, over time as Tawilla's performance and understanding had improved, her teacher gradually withdrew her assistance. According to Vygotsky, this kind of help is referred to as __________

Accepted Answer

The kind of help provided to Tawilla by her teacher, in which the assistance is gradually withdrawn as the student's understanding and performance improve, is referred to as scaffolding according to Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development.

Question 8

It has been suggested that boys committing violent acts on school grounds are often focused on the impression they are making, as if they are acting out a part. Elkind called this __________

Accepted Answer

Elkind's concept of the imaginary audience refers to adolescents' belief that everyone is watching and evaluating their behavior, leading them to act as if they are performing for an audience. This concept is often seen in boys who commit violent acts on school grounds as they may be seeking attention and trying to make an impression.

Question 9

According to Vygotsky, which of these is a key factor in a child's cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky believed that social interactions and cultural tools played a crucial role in a child's cognitive development, through the process of socialization and internalization of language, beliefs, and values. While genetic endowment may influence some aspects of cognitive functioning, it is not a sufficient explanation for the complexity and variability of human cognition. A balanced diet and successful resolution of psychosocial crises may contribute to overall well-being, but they are not specifically related to cognitive development.

Question 10

What new capability characterizes the formal operations stage?

Accepted Answer

The formal operations stage, according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, is characterized by the ability to think abstractly, reason logically, and address hypothetical propositions. This new capability distinguishes this stage from the previous concrete operational stage. Choice A is associated with the sensorimotor stage, while B and C are characteristic of the concrete operational stage.

Question 11

Taylor is sitting on the floor playing with some blocks. While she is playing she is talking to her blocks. This type of behavior is what __________ called private speech.

Accepted Answer

Private speech is a term coined by Lev Vygotsky to describe the internal monologues that people engage in while performing tasks. While Vygotsky believed that private speech was an important part of cognitive development, Jean Piaget did not consider it to be as significant. Erik Erikson is known for his theory of psychosocial development and Noam Chomsky is a linguist who specializes in language acquisition.

Question 12

__________ greatest achievement has been said to have been his/her "founding of the field of cognitive development as we currently know it."

Accepted Answer

The statement about founding the field of cognitive development refers to Jean Piaget, who is often considered the most influential theorist in this area. Lev Vygotsky is also considered an important contributor to cognitive development theory, but the statement specifically references Piaget. Erik Erikson is known for his work on psychosocial development, and Mary Ainsworth is known for her work on attachment theory.

Question 13

Lev Vygotsky believed that one trend common to all children was __________

Accepted Answer

Lev Vygotsky believed in the theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) which states that children learn best through social interactions with more knowledgeable others. He also believed that children gradually develop the ability to use language internally, which facilitates their thinking and problem-solving. This is known as the process of internalizing speech or private speech. Therefore, the answer is (B) as Vygotsky believed that children's tendency to talk aloud to themselves gradually turns into inner thought.

Question 14

A characteristic that first shows up in the formal operations stage is __________

Accepted Answer

Hypothetical thinking is the characteristic that first shows up in the formal operations stage. This is the ability to think abstractly and use logical reasoning to come up with hypotheses about potential situations and outcomes. Logical thinking is also a hallmark of this stage, but it builds on the foundation of hypothetical thinking. Irreversibility and egocentrism are characteristics of earlier stages of cognitive development.

Question 15

Which of the following illustrates Vygotsky's concept of scaffolding?

Accepted Answer

Scaffolding is an instructional technique where a more knowledgeable person provides support to less knowledgeable learners with the intention of gradually helping the learners achieve mastery of a task. In option B, the teacher works one-on-one with a student, provides support, and gradually withdraws help as the student becomes more skilled. This is a classic example of scaffolding.

Question 16

Cross-cultural research on Piaget's theory has shown that __________

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural research has indicated that while the sequence of cognitive stages proposed by Piaget tends to be consistent across cultures, the rate at which children progress through these stages can vary significantly. This variability in the rate of development is influenced by various factors, including educational opportunities, cultural practices, and social expectations.

Question 17

The tendency of teenagers to feel that they are always "on stage" and that they are the center of everyone else's world, just as they are the center of their own, is a phenomenon known as __________

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described in the question is known as the imaginary audience, where teenagers feel like they are always being watched and judged by others. This can lead to self-consciousness and concerns about their appearance and behavior. The other options listed (formal operations, personal fable, and puberty) are not directly related to the phenomenon described in the question.

Question 18

Orlando is thirteen years old and has begun to take an interest in the presidential election. He and his father watch the news coverage and discuss the basic political philosophies of each of the candidates. Orlando has reached Piaget's stage of __________

Accepted Answer

Piaget's stage of formal operations is characterized by the ability to think abstractly, reason logically, and think hypothetically. Orlando's interest in politics and ability to engage in political discussions with his father demonstrate an abstract and hypothetical way of thinking, indicating that he is in Piaget's stage of formal operations.

Question 19

Which type of thought does not begin until the stage of formal operations thought?

Accepted Answer

Thinking about what is possible begins in the stage of formal operations thought, which is part of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development. This stage typically starts around age 12 and involves the ability to think abstractly and consider hypothetical situations, which is what "thinking about what is possible" refers to.

Question 20

Which of the following, pertaining to Piaget''s theory, represents the opinion of most modern theorists?

Accepted Answer

Most modern theorists do not believe that development occurs in the general, stage-like fashion proposed by Piaget. While his ideas have been influential, there is more variation and nuance in the development process than he originally theorized.

Quiz 8: Child Development