Question 1

Max is 10 months old.He is able to push one toy aside to reach another toy that he wants to play with.He is also able to imitate the gestures and sounds his parents make when they play with him.What is Max's behaviour an example of?

Accepted Answer

Max's behavior is an example of the coordination of secondary schemes, which occurs when infants start to show intentionality by combining different actions to achieve a goal, such as pushing one toy aside to reach another.

Question 2

What is meant by deferred imitation?

Accepted Answer

Deferred imitation refers to the ability of children to observe a behavior and have a mental representation of it before they imitate it. This means that the child may not immediately mimic what they have seen, but can remember it and imitate it later on. The other options are either incorrect or incomplete.

Question 3

Which of the following is a criticism as a result of research into Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory has been criticized for focusing too much on maturational processes and not enough on the role of social and cultural influences in cognitive development.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory?

Accepted Answer

Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory is comprehensive, detailing how children's thinking evolves in stages as they grow.

Question 5

What does Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory suggest about children and object permanence?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory suggest about...

Question 6

Pamela is trying to place her rectangular block in the rectangular opening of her "know your shape" toy, but it is too wide to fit.She studies the block for some time and then grabs it, rotates it sideways, and the block successful falls in the opening.What substage of sensorimotor development was Pamela demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Pamela is using mental combinations and problem-solving skills to invent a new means of fitting the block into the opening, which occurs in the invention of new means through mental combinations substage of sensorimotor development.

Question 7

What is the meaning of the phrase "A-not-B error"?

Accepted Answer

The A-not-B error refers to a phenomenon in which a child, who has previously found an object hidden at location A, continues to search for the object at location A even after seeing it being hidden at location B. This suggests that the child has not developed a full understanding of object permanence and may be relying on motor memory rather than cognitive processing.

Question 8

What have other researchers found regarding Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

Many studies have replicated Piaget's stages of cognitive development across various cultures and populations, suggesting that they are universal stages of development that apply to both boys and girls.

Question 9

What substage of sensorimotor development serves as a transition to the symbolic thought of the next stage?

Accepted Answer

The invention of new means through mental combinations substage is the final substage of the sensorimotor stage, where infants begin to develop the ability to form mental representations, marking the transition to symbolic thought.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of a tertiary circular reaction?

Accepted Answer

Option D is an example of a tertiary circular reaction because it involves the repetition of an action that has previously been successful in achieving a desired outcome (pulling the toy into the crib by turning it sideways). This type of circular reaction is characteristic of the third substage of Piaget's sensorimotor stage, where infants actively try out different behaviors to achieve their goals.

Option A is an example of a simple reflex, where Jean-Paul's head turns involuntarily toward the sound of the phone. Option B is an example of a secondary circular reaction, where Lucien repeats a behavior that has a pleasurable effect (the movement of the mobile). Option C is an example of a first-order scheme or simple reflex, where Kayla laughs in response to the accidental stimulation of her own nose, but does not actively try to repeat the action.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

Most children demonstrate coordination of secondary schemes by around 8 to 9 months, as this is when they begin to intentionally combine actions to achieve specific goals, a key developmental milestone in Piaget's sensorimotor stage.

Question 12

What is the earliest age that a rudimentary knowledge of object permanence has been found?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that infants start developing a rudimentary understanding of object permanence at around 4 months of age.

Question 13

What assumption forms the basis of a stage theory of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

A stage theory of cognitive development assumes that development progresses according to discrete, age-based steps. This means that there are specific cognitive abilities and milestones that are characteristic of specific age ranges, and that children progress through these stages in a predictable sequence. This is in contrast to theories that view development as a continuous process, or that suggest that individual differences in experience or context play a larger role in shaping cognitive development.

Question 14

Children in the sensorimotor stage do NOT realize that people continue to exist even though they CANNOT be seen.What have these children NOT yet mastered?

Accepted Answer

Children in the sensorimotor stage have not yet mastered object permanence, which means they do not understand that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen. This is a key developmental milestone that typically occurs around 8 months of age. The other options listed (memory, conservation, and hypothetical reasoning) are all cognitive abilities that develop later in childhood.

Question 15

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

Martha's action is an example of deferred imitation because she imitates the action of pushing the cow image on the book after a period of time has passed.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

Tertiary circular reactions involve actively exploring the environment and using trial and error to achieve goals. Therefore, trial and error is still used until an action accomplishes the goal, making choice A the correct characteristic of tertiary circular reactions. The other choices are not accurate descriptions of this stage of cognitive development.

Question 17

By what age will most children have demonstrated tertiary circular reactions?

Accepted Answer

Tertiary circular reactions involve the deliberate experimentation with objects to achieve a goal or solve a problem. This typically develops between 12 to 18 months of age, when children become more independent and curious about their environment.

Question 18

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

The fact that Alex is reaching for a specific object that he knows is hidden under the toy box implies that he has formed a mental representation of the object in his mind. This suggests that Alex is engaging in purposeful, goal-oriented behavior, rather than random actions. Age and gender are not relevant to this specific observation.

Question 19

Jocelyn watches as her mother puts her toys in a basket.Three weeks later, after never having engaged in this behaviour, Jocelyn attempts to put her toys in the basket.What is Jocelyn NOT demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Jocelyn is not demonstrating simple reflexes because she is engaging in a more complex behavior that requires cognitive processing and learning from observation.

Question 20

Rob hid behind his son's blanket and said "peek-a-boo!" His son looked bored and turned away.Rob stated, "He just doesn't seem to understand that I still exist when he can't see me." What aspect of sensorimotor development is Rob looking forward to?

Accepted Answer

Rob is looking forward to his son developing object permanence, which is the understanding that objects still exist even when they are not visible or perceptible through touch.

Quiz 5: Infancy: Cognitive Development