Question 1

What term refers to vocalizations that the infant makes prior to using language?

Accepted Answer

Prelinguistic vocalizations are sounds made by infants before they acquire language. These include cooing, babbling, and other vocal experiments that do not form actual words but are precursors to language development.

Question 2

What is intonation?

Accepted Answer

Intonation refers to the rising and falling speech patterns we use, which can affect the meaning of what we say. It is a key aspect of spoken language that helps convey emotions, questions, and statements.

Question 3

Alex reaches for a toy truck, which is hidden under the toy box. What would an informed observer be most likely to assume about this action?

Accepted Answer

Alex's action of reaching for a toy truck that is not visible suggests that he has a mental representation of the object. This indicates an understanding of object permanence, the awareness that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible.

Question 4

What did Susan Rose and her colleagues (2001) conclude regarding visual recognition memory?

Accepted Answer

Susan Rose and her colleagues concluded that visual recognition memory can be used to screen infants for potential handicaps, such as sensory or neurological problems.

Question 5

A child says "Off the ride I want," "can't you had remembered," and "keepers losers!" What type of errors do these statements illustrate?

Accepted Answer

These statements illustrate syntax errors, which involve the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language. Syntax errors disrupt the conventional order, making the sentences difficult to understand.

Question 6

In which substage of sensorimotor development is goal-directed behaviour first witnessed?

Accepted Answer

Goal-directed behavior first appears in the secondary circular reactions substage of sensorimotor development, as infants begin to understand how to achieve desired outcomes through their actions.

Question 7

What does the expression "comprehension precedes production" refer to?

Accepted Answer

This expression means that understanding language (receptive vocabulary) comes before the ability to use it effectively in speech or writing (expressive vocabulary).

Question 8

What has research taught us about infant memory?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that infants can demonstrate memory for experiences they had in utero, such as recognizing their mother's voice or familiar sounds heard during pregnancy.

Question 9

Which of the following is indicated when an infant sticks out her tongue?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is indicated when...

Question 10

Which of the following is a characteristic of tertiary circular reactions?

Accepted Answer

Tertiary circular reactions, a stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development occurring roughly between 12 and 18 months of age, involve the purposeful adaptation of established schemes to new situations. This stage is characterized by the infant's experimentation through trial and error to see the outcomes of different actions, indicating an advanced understanding of object permanence and a deeper curiosity about the environment.

Question 11

Martha, a 9-month-old infant, watches as her mother pushes a cow image on her favourite book and the book makes a "moo" sound. Several hours later, Martha pushes the cow and the book makes the "moo" sound. What is Martha's action an example of?

Accepted Answer

Deferred imitation is when an individual reproduces or imitates an observed behavior after a delay. Martha's ability to push the cow image to produce the "moo" sound hours after observing her mother do the same demonstrates this cognitive skill.

Question 12

Which of the following children is coordinating secondary schemas?

Accepted Answer

Coordinating secondary schemas involves understanding the relationship between means and ends, which Alyssa demonstrates by differentiating between how to achieve a goal and the goal itself.

Question 13

By what age will most children have demonstrated coordination of secondary schemas?

Accepted Answer

Coordination of secondary schemas typically emerges around 8 to 12 months of age, as infants begin to combine and coordinate actions to achieve simple goals, marking a significant cognitive development milestone.

Question 14

Mary, a one-hour-old infant, sticks out her tongue in response to her mother doing the same. What has most likely occurred?

Accepted Answer

This behavior is an example of an imitation reflex, which is a natural, instinctual behavior observed in newborns. They often mimic simple actions they see, such as sticking out their tongue, without understanding or learning the behavior consciously.

Question 15

Mary, a new parent, is embracing her daughter, Samantha. Mary can be heard speaking slowly to Samantha, at a higher pitch, and with pauses inserted between her words. What would developmentalists call Mary's speech pattern?

Accepted Answer

Mary's speech pattern is referred to as "Motherese," also known as "parentese" or "infant-directed speech." This style of communication is characterized by a higher pitch, slower speech, and exaggerated intonation, which is believed to help infants learn language by making it easier for them to discern speech sounds and patterns.

Question 16

What would Piaget consider to be a stage of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's stages of cognitive development include the sensorimotor stage, which is the first stage occurring from birth to about 2 years of age.

Question 17

In the 2011 Canadian Census, how many different languages were reported as a home language, or mother tongue?

Accepted Answer

The 2011 Canadian Census reported that more than 200 different languages were spoken as a home language or mother tongue, reflecting Canada's multicultural diversity.

Question 18

Harry is an average 12-month-old male child. How many words can Harry understand?

Accepted Answer

By the age of 12 months, an average child can understand about 50 to 70 words, making option D (84 words) the closest and most accurate choice given the options.

Question 19

Dylan picks up an object he has never seen before. He immediately puts it in his mouth. What stage of cognitive development is Dylan demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Dylan is demonstrating behavior characteristic of the sensorimotor stage, which occurs from birth to about 2 years of age, where infants learn about the world primarily through their senses and actions, such as putting objects in their mouths.

Question 20

Research studies have shown that infants can imitate an adult who opens her mouth and sticks out her tongue. What is the earliest age this imitative behaviour been observed in infants?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that infants can imitate facial movements such as sticking out their tongue within the first hour of life, demonstrating early cognitive and social abilities.

Quiz 5: Infancy: Cognitive Development