Question 1

Children's repeated interactions with others enhance their ability to decenter and to interpret others' thoughts,feelings,and desires.This ability to consider another's point of view is called what?

Accepted Answer

Perspective taking refers to the ability to consider another person's point of view and is developed through repeated interactions with others. Rehearsal refers to the act of practicing or repeating something in order to memorize it, metacognition refers to thinking about one's own thinking and learning processes, and a script refers to a predetermined sequence of actions or dialogue.

Question 2

During middle childhood,the brain continues to grow and develop.One change during this development is the increased coordination between the left and right sides of the body.Which of the following events most directly accounts for this increased coordination?

Accepted Answer

The corpus callosum is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. Myelination, or the growth of a fatty coating around the nerve fibers, speeds up the transmission of signals between the hemispheres, leading to increased coordination between the left and right sides of the body.

Question 3

Some theorists combine Piaget's stages of cognitive development with information processing theories.What are these theorists called?

Accepted Answer

The theorists who combine Piaget's stages of cognitive development with information processing theories are called NeoPiagetians. These theorists believe that cognitive development involves both qualitative shifts in thinking and quantitative improvements in information processing abilities. They also place additional emphasis on the role of working memory and attention in cognitive development.

Question 4

Jean Piaget and other researchers have studied cognitive development in middle childhood from different theoretical traditions.What label did Piaget use to describe this stage of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget used the label "Concrete operations" to describe the stage of cognitive development in middle childhood. This stage is characterized by the ability to think logically and understand concrete concepts. Children at this stage are also able to understand conservation, reversibility, and classification.

Question 5

At approximately what age do children begin to demonstrate Selman's second stage of friendship and learn that the needs and perspectives of other persons must be considered carefully?

Accepted Answer

Selman's second stage of friendship, known as the "stage of self-reflective role-taking," typically emerges around the age of 8. At this stage, children begin to understand that others may have different perspectives and needs than their own, and they become more conscious of the impact their actions have on others.

Question 6

When a child remembers the factual information that one pound equals sixteen ounces,what type of knowledge is the child retrieving from memory?

Accepted Answer

The child is retrieving semantic knowledge, which is factual information about the world, including concepts, categories, and rules. In this case, the child is recalling the relationship between pounds and ounces, which is a semantic fact. Episodic knowledge involves memories of personal experiences, procedural knowledge involves knowing how to do something, and sensory knowledge involves perceptual experiences such as seeing, hearing, feeling, etc.

Question 7

In the information processing approach to cognitive development,the brain's cognitive functioning is compared to what?

Accepted Answer

The information processing approach to cognitive development compares the brain's cognitive functioning to computer processing of information. This approach suggests that the brain receives, stores, retrieves, and utilizes information similar to a computer. Therefore, choice C is the correct answer. Choices A, B, and D are not appropriate comparisons for the brain's cognitive functioning.

Question 8

Elementary school teachers often ask students to engage in self-testing and other self-monitoring activities that help them think about their own thinking.Such activities are designed to promote which type of cognitive skills that improve memory?

Accepted Answer

Self-testing and self-monitoring activities are designed to promote metacognitive skills, which involve thinking about one's own thinking and being aware of one's own cognitive processes. These skills can improve memory by helping students better understand and regulate their own learning and memory strategies. Language skills, narrative skills, and processing speed may also be important for memory, but they are not directly promoted by self-testing and self-monitoring activities.

Question 9

Stanley is 7 years old.His parents are quite concerned about his school progress.Although he has begun to learn to read,he reverses some letters when he writes.Based on research,Stanley's school counselor should tell his parents that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children's brain development can be uneven, leading to some areas of poor performance in isolated skills. Reversing letters is not unusual for children learning to read and write, and it does not necessarily indicate a serious learning disorder or a bid for attention. It is important for parents and teachers to be patient and supportive as children develop these skills at their own pace.

Question 10

Among cognitive changes that benefit memory during a child's development,which one plays the big part in making it easier for children to learn more depth in a domain of knowledge?

Accepted Answer

An increase in the child's knowledge base allows them to better connect new information with what they already know, leading to a deeper understanding of a domain of knowledge. Processing speed, logical thinking skills, and language skills are also important for learning, but they may not have as direct of an impact on depth of knowledge as the child's overall knowledge base.

Question 11

What allows us to hold information in working memory and use it for periods of time longer than 15 to 30 seconds?

Accepted Answer

Rehearsal is the process of actively manipulating information in working memory to hold onto it for longer periods of time. It involves repeating or elaborating on the information, allowing it to remain in working memory beyond the typical 15-30 second duration. Retrieval refers to the process of accessing information from long-term memory, while recognition is the ability to identify previously encountered information. Metacognition refers to an individual's awareness and understanding of their own thought processes. None of these processes directly relate to the ability to hold information in working memory for extended periods of time.

Question 12

When a child has repeated experiences with one kind of event,such as going to a ball game several times or going to the doctor several times,the child begins to form a schematic representation of the features of the event-the order in which things occur,where and when they occur.Such an episodic representation is called what?

Accepted Answer

The repeated experiences with one kind of event lead to the formation of a schematic representation of the features of the event, known as a script. Option A, procedural information, refers to knowledge about how to do something, such as tying shoelaces. Option C, sensory input, refers to the raw data that our senses provide to our brains. Option D, nondeclarative information, refers to knowledge that cannot be easily put into words, such as how to ride a bike or play an instrument.

Question 13

Information processing theories of cognitive development focus on what?

Accepted Answer

Information processing theories of cognitive development focus on the mechanics of thinking, including attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving. These theories propose that cognitive development occurs through changes in these cognitive processes.

Question 14

Piaget's seriation task demonstrates which one of the cognitive changes that benefits memory with age?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's seriation task measures children's ability to organize items in order of size or quantity, which requires logical thinking skills. As people get older, their logical thinking skills develop and their performance on seriation tasks improves, which can benefit memory.

Question 15

In criminal cases involving children's eyewitness testimony,interviewers should avoid using guided imagery.Why?

Accepted Answer

Guided imagery can lead to confusion between reality and fantasy in children, making it difficult for them to distinguish between actual memories and imagined scenarios. This is particularly problematic in legal contexts where accurate testimony is crucial.

Question 16

If children learn and practice a memory strategy to boost memory but then forget to use it when it would be beneficial,what inconsistency are they exhibiting?

Accepted Answer

Production deficiency occurs when children know a strategy but fail to use it spontaneously when it would be beneficial.

Question 17

Based on Selman's work,what term is used to identify a child whose interpersonal orientation is manifested in aggressive or manipulative behaviors toward a friend?

Accepted Answer

Selman's work on social perspective taking and interpersonal understanding identifies "other-transforming" as the term used to describe a child whose interpersonal orientation is manifested in aggressive or manipulative behaviors toward a friend. This term reflects the idea that the child is attempting to change or influence the friend in a way that serves their own interests, rather than engaging in mutual or empathetic interaction.

Question 18

What type of memory has the same unchanging capacity at different ages of development?

Accepted Answer

Sensory memory has the same unchanging capacity at different ages of development. It is a brief storage of sensory information before it is processed into short-term memory. Short-term memory, working memory, and procedural memory can all change in capacity and effectiveness with age and development.

Question 19

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),which negatively affects children's school performance,is linked to atypical variations in brain development.What is the incidence of ADHD among school-age children?

Accepted Answer

The incidence of ADHD among school-age children is estimated to be between 5-10%. This range reflects the variability in diagnosis rates across different populations and diagnostic criteria.

Question 20

What cognitive ability do children develop in middle childhood that empowers or enables them to answer conservation questions correctly (like those posed by Piaget)and to think reversibly?

Accepted Answer

The ability to decenter is the cognitive ability developed in middle childhood that empowers or enables children to answer conservation questions correctly and think reversibly. Decentering involves the ability to take multiple aspects of a situation into account and not focus on only one aspect. This allows children to understand that the quantity/volume/number of objects remains the same even if the appearance or arrangement changes. This is a key cognitive milestone in Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

Quiz 6: Realms of Cognition in Middle Childhood