Question 1

Piaget believed that the fourth stage of cognitive development (formal operations) emerged during

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, the fourth stage of cognitive development (formal operations) emerges during adolescence, typically around the age of 12 and continues throughout adulthood. This stage is characterized by logical and abstract thinking, the ability to reason hypothetically, and the ability to engage in advanced problem-solving.

Question 2

In which of Piaget's stages do children develop conservation?

Accepted Answer

Conservation skills develop during the concrete operational stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 11. During this stage, children are able to understand that the quantity of a substance remains the same even if the physical appearance or arrangement of the substance changes.

Question 3

According to Piaget, egocentrism is to __________ as conservation is to __________.

Accepted Answer

Egocentrism and conservation are both concepts related to Piaget's theory of cognitive development in children. Egocentrism refers to a child's inability to understand that other people have different perspectives than their own, while conservation is the ability to understand that even if an object's appearance is changed, its fundamental properties remain the same. Both of these concepts are part of Piaget's preoperational stage of development, which occurs from ages 2 to 7. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not match Piaget's developmental stages correctly. Formal operations occur in adolescence, while concrete operations occur from ages 7 to 12.

Question 4

Your little brother has a ball of clay. While he watches, you roll the ball of clay into a long snake-like shape. He gets very excited because he thinks he has more clay now. Which of Piaget's stages is your brother likely to be in?

Accepted Answer

In Piaget's theory of cognitive development, the preoperational stage occurs from 2 years old to around 7 years old. During this stage, children develop their symbolic thinking and language skills, but they still lack the ability to understand certain concepts, such as conservation (the idea that even if an object changes shape, its amount remains the same). Your brother's excitement at seeing the long snake-like shape rather than the original ball suggests that he does not understand the principle of conservation.

Question 5

Piaget acknowledged that some children progressed more in one cognitive domain than another, a phenomenon he called

Accepted Answer

Piaget identified that children may progress unevenly in different cognitive domains, meaning they may have strengths in one area but may lag in another area. This phenomenon is called horizontal décalage. Choices A, B, and D are not accurate explanations of this concept.

Question 6

According to Piaget, the ability to understand that simply changing the appearance of an object does not change the object's nature is known as

Accepted Answer

Conservation is the ability to understand that changing the shape, size, or appearance of an object does not change its quantity, volume, or mass. This ability develops in children during the concrete operational stage of cognitive development, according to Piaget. Centration refers to a child's tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation and ignore other relevant aspects. Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. Reversibility is the ability to mentally reverse or undo an action.

Question 7

During which of Piaget's stages does a child demonstrate the ability to reason about abstract ideas and hypothetical situations?

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, the formal operations stage occurs between the ages of 12 and adulthood, during which a child develops the ability to think logically and systematically about abstract concepts and hypothetical situations. They also become capable of deductive reasoning and can use abstract reasoning to solve problems.

Question 8

Nathan is trying to construct a pendulum to figure out what makes a pendulum swing faster or slower. At his current stage of cognitive development, he is unable to successfully construct this himself but could learn the skill with the assistance of others. According to Vygotsky, what developmental stage is Nathan at?

Accepted Answer

According to Vygotsky, the zone of proximal development refers to the skills that a person can learn with the assistance of others but is not yet able to accomplish independently. Nathan being unable to successfully construct the pendulum but could learn the skill with assistance from others suggests that he is in the zone of proximal development.

Question 9

In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development between seven and 11 years of age, in which an individual becomes capable of logical thought processes but is not yet capable of abstract thinking, is the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

The concrete operational stage is the stage of cognitive development between 7 and 11 years of age, during which children become capable of logical thought processes, but their thinking is still concrete and limited to what they can directly see, hear, touch, or experience. They are able to perform simple mental operations, such as conservation and reversibility, but are not yet capable of thinking abstractly. The other answer choices refer to earlier and later stages of Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

Question 10

Which of the following is a criticism of Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's research was conducted primarily with European children, which may not be representative of children from other cultures. As a result, his theories may not be applicable to all children.

Question 11

According to Piaget, which type of thought does not begin until the stage of formal operational thought?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that thinking about what is possible, also known as hypothetical-deductive reasoning, does not begin until the stage of formal operational thought, which occurs in adolescence.

Question 12

Which of Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development is characterized by abstract thinking and the creation of theories?

Accepted Answer

The formal operational stage, which occurs during adolescence and beyond, is characterized by abstract thinking, the ability for hypothetical reasoning, and the creation of theories. This is a significant advancement from the concrete operational stage, where children can only think logically about concrete objects and events.

Question 13

A teacher asks his students to think about how Canadian history would be different if the first prime minister had been a woman. Students in which of Piaget's stages would provide the most abstract or innovative answers?

Accepted Answer

Students in the formal operations stage are able to think abstractly and hypothetically, which would allow them to provide innovative answers to this question. They can also understand and analyze complex concepts, such as the potential impact of a female prime minister on Canadian history.

Question 14

Yvette is easily able to sort her toys into organized groupings of size, colour, and function. According to Piaget, Yvette would be in what stage of development?

Accepted Answer

Yvette's ability to sort her toys by size, colour, and function suggests that she has developed the ability to think logically and understand organizational principles, which is a characteristic of the concrete operational stage (ages 7-12), according to Piaget's theory. The preoperational stage (ages 2-7) is characterized by egocentric thinking and inability to understand conservation, while the sensorimotor stage (ages 0-2) is focused on sensory and motor experiences. The formal operational stage (ages 12+) is marked by abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning, which is not demonstrated in the scenario given.

Question 15

Which of the following is a limitation on the cognitive skills of children in Piaget's preoperational stage?

Accepted Answer

Egocentrism is a limitation on the cognitive skills of children in Piaget's preoperational stage. This refers to the tendency of children to view the world from their own perspective and assume that others see the world in the same way they do. Children in this stage also have difficulty understanding that others may have beliefs, desires, or intentions that differ from their own.

Question 16

Which of the following would be a good use of Piaget's observations and theories?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's observations and theories are most commonly used in the field of education to create lesson plans and educational strategies for young children. First grade students are at the preoperational stage of cognitive development, which is the primary focus of Piaget's theory. Therefore, creating lesson plans for first grade students would be a good use of Piaget's observations and theories.

Question 17

Billy is having a hard time understanding that the amount of water in a short, wide cup is the same as the identical amount of water in a tall, very thin cup. Billy is struggling with what type of task?

Accepted Answer

Billy is struggling with the concept of conservation, which is the idea that certain properties of objects (such as the amount of water in a container) can remain the same even when the shape or appearance of the object changes. This difficulty is caused by centration, which is the tendency of young children to focus only on one aspect of an object (in this case, its height or width) and ignore other important characteristics. Object permanence refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, and reversibility is the ability to mentally reverse a series of steps to return to the original state. Neither of these concepts is directly related to Billy's struggle with understanding that the amount of water in differently shaped containers can be the same.

Question 18

A cognitive ability that first shows up in the formal operational stage is

Accepted Answer

Abstract thinking is the cognitive ability to think of concepts and ideas that are not physically present in the real world. This type of thinking allows for hypothetical and imaginative thinking, as well as the ability to understand more complex concepts and relationships. This ability emerges in the formal operational stage of cognitive development.

Question 19

Which of the following is the correct order of Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's stages of cognitive development are in chronological order, starting with sensorimotor (ages 0-2), preoperational (ages 2-7), concrete operations (ages 7-11), and formal operations (ages 11-18 and beyond). Option C lists the stages in the correct order.

Question 20

What term is used to describe a young child's tendency to only consider the world from their own perspective?

Accepted Answer

Egocentrism is the term used to describe a young child's tendency to only consider the world from their own perspective. They may struggle to understand that others have different thoughts, feelings, and perspectives than their own. This is a normal part of child development and typically improves with age and socialization.

Quiz 10: Human Development