Ch.4 Theories of Cognitive Development

During which Piagetian stage are conservation concept studies MOST revealing of children's limitations?

preoperational

Joint attention develops around:

1 year of age.

Which statement is NOT a proposal of the overlapping-waves model?

Children develop only through discovering new strategies.

Which statement is MOST true of children and adults' memory for new material?

Children who know more about a topic than do adults have better memory for new information on that topic.

Which board game has been used by information-processing theorists to help improve the numerical knowledge of children?

Chutes and Ladders

Which statement is NOT a reason for the longevity of Piaget's theories?

His theories are completely correct.

Which statement does NOT describe a frequent criticism of Piaget's theory?

Infants and young children are less cognitively competent than Piaget recognized.

Which statement BEST illustrates the difference between sociocultural theories of development and Piagetian and information-processing theories?

Sociocultural theories emphasize interactions, whereas Piagetian and information-processing theories emphasize the child's own efforts.

What do dynamic-systems researchers believe to be TRUE of seemingly simple developmental actions?

They are more complex and interesting than previously realized.

When Jesse, a small child, sees a black and white spotted animal toy, he calls it a "cow" despite its floppy ears and upturned tail. His mother tells him it is a "dog." He now realizes that ears and tails are more important than color when distinguishing between animals. His new realization is an example of:

accommodation

Core-knowledge theories depict children as _____ learners.

active

In which way are dynamic-systems theories similar to sociocultural theories?

an emphasis on the formative influence of other people

Sharon has learned how to press the buttons on the television remote control. She finds the touch-tone phone sitting on the coffee table. She begins pressing the buttons much like she would the remote control buttons. According to Piagetian theory, this is an example of:

assimilation

Piaget is often labeled as a constructivist because he:

believed children construct knowledge in response to their experiences.

Dynamic-systems theorists believe that:

both physical and mental change are constantly occurring.

The assumption that children have some innate, or inborn, knowledge in areas that are evolutionarily important to survival is central to _____ theories of cognitive development.

core-knowledge

Which of the theories of cognitive development does NOT address, as a major focus, how change occurs?

dynamic-systems theories

The word systems in dynamic systems refers to:

each child is a well-integrated system with many subsystems.

Assimilation is the process by which individuals:

fit incoming information into concepts they already understand.

In the context of dynamic-systems theory, "selection" as a mechanism for developmental change refers to:

increasingly choosing more effective behaviors for reaching goals.

Long-term memory is limited in:

nothing; there are no known limits.

Becca is just beginning to learn to walk. She practices often despite the fact that crawling would get her where she wants to go more quickly. This example supports dynamic-systems theorists' emphasis on children's:

motivation to learn.

Intersubjectivity refers to the:

mutual understanding that people share during communication.

Janet has driven down the street she lives on many times, but when asked to draw a picture of the third house on the left, she struggles to do so. This is MOST likely because she:

never encoded the memory because she didn't see the details as relevant.

During what Piagetian stage do children transition from only seeing their own perspective to beginning to recognize the different perspectives of others?

preoperational

Providing useful associations, improving encoding, and having the ability to determine what is and what is not possible are all ways in which _____ improves memory.

prior content knowledge

Which idea is NOT one proposed by sociocultural theorists about how change occurs through social interaction?

selective attention

Executive function is NOT comprised of:

sensory and perceptual processes.

Michael turns a blanket into a cape. His teddy bear becomes his trusted sidekick. The oversized refrigerator box is Michael's spaceship. According to Piaget, what characteristic is Michael displaying?

symbolic representation

Dynamic-systems theorists have NOT found social motivators of infants' development to include:

taking the perspective of others.

In dynamic-systems theory, children's selection among alternative approaches reflects the influence of:

the efficiency with which they can execute the approach.

Parker, who suffers from autism spectrum disorder, has a fundamental flow in his ability to learn distinctions between his own mind and the minds of others. From a core-knowledge perspective, Parker's challenge is in the area of:

theory of mind.

According to information-processing theorists, planning is difficult for children because:

they tend to think they can solve a problem more effectively than their capabilities allow.

Piaget believed that, during infancy and toddlerhood, children:

thinking grows especially rapidly.