Question 1

Which one of the following examples best illustrates symbolic thought?

Accepted Answer

A)  Isabelle pushes a classmate off the swing so that she can use it. 
B)  Edward tries not to cry when his mother drops him off on the first day of kindergarten. 
C)  Richard actively manipulates a new toy to find out what it does. 
D)  Laura asks herself, "Hmm, where did I put my social studies book?" 
A)  Isabelle pushes a classmate off the swing so that she can use it. 
B)  Edward tries not to cry when his mother drops him off on the first day of kindergarten. 
C)  Richard actively manipulates a new toy to find out what it does. 
D)  Laura asks herself, "Hmm, where did I put my social studies book?"

Question 2

Central to Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development is the idea that children make sense of their world:

Accepted Answer

A)  Through the mental processes of assimilation and accommodation 
B)  By repeatedly encountering both pleasant and unpleasant events in their daily lives 
C)  Through their independent explorations of their physical and social environments 
D)  By interacting with more experienced people who mediate their understandings 
A)  Through the mental processes of assimilation and accommodation 
B)  By repeatedly encountering both pleasant and unpleasant events in their daily lives 
C)  Through their independent explorations of their physical and social environments 
D)  By interacting with more experienced people who mediate their understandings

Question 3

From Piaget's perspective, children are:

Accepted Answer

A)  Eager to interact with and make sense of their world 
B)  Most likely to learn things that bring about desirable consequences 
C)  Most likely to learn when parents and teachers entice them to do so 
D)  More likely to develop cognitively in a formal school setting than at home 
A)  Eager to interact with and make sense of their world 
B)  Most likely to learn things that bring about desirable consequences 
C)  Most likely to learn when parents and teachers entice them to do so 
D)  More likely to develop cognitively in a formal school setting than at home

Question 4

From Piaget's perspective, social interactions are most likely to promote cognitive development when:

Accepted Answer

A)  Children share and explain different points of view 
B)  Adults continually remind children that "adults know best" 
C)  Every child in a group confidently asserts his or her beliefs 
D)  Adults initially agree with any erroneously statements that children may make 
A)  Children share and explain different points of view 
B)  Adults continually remind children that "adults know best" 
C)  Every child in a group confidently asserts his or her beliefs 
D)  Adults initially agree with any erroneously statements that children may make

Question 5

Students in a fourth-grade reading group are reading a passage about snakes. Their teacher asks, "Who can think of a good title that summarizes what this passage is about?" After hearing several good suggestions, the teacher says, "The author says that snakes are helpful to farmers. What evidence does she give to support her statement?" If we consider Vygotsky's concept of internalization, we might predict that such a discussion will:

Accepted Answer

A)  Be more beneficial for students who are working outside their zones of proximal development than for students working within their ZPDs. 
B)  Help students develop a greater interest in learning for its own sake. 
C)  Be confusing and counterproductive for students who are not yet capable of abstract thought. 
D)  Help students acquire effective reading comprehension strategies (e.g., summarizing, looking for supporting statements). 
A)  Be more beneficial for students who are working outside their zones of proximal development than for students working within their ZPDs. 
B)  Help students develop a greater interest in learning for its own sake. 
C)  Be confusing and counterproductive for students who are not yet capable of abstract thought. 
D)  Help students acquire effective reading comprehension strategies (e.g., summarizing, looking for supporting statements).

Question 6

Implications in Late Adolescence: Engage adolescents in debates about controversial issues. Create an atmosphere in which they feel free to express diverse opinions (e.g., encourage them to "agree to disagree"). Ask them to reflect on whether their suggestions are realistic in today's world.

Accepted Answer

Engaging adolescents in debates about co

Question 7

Ms. Killian and her fourth graders have been growing sunflowers under various conditions-they have grown sunflowers in different kinds of soil, with different amounts of water, and in varying degrees of sunlight. Below are four statements that Ms. Killian makes related to the sunflowers. Which one is most consistent with the idea of a cognitive apprenticeship?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Who can tell me what photosynthesis is?" 
B)  "How many of you have grown sunflowers at home? How many of you have moms or dads who are gardeners?" 
C)  "This sunflower is taller than that sunflower over there. Let's consider what the growing conditions for the two flowers have been and try to figure out what might have led to the difference we see." 
D)  "Elaine, please give each plant the same amount of water today that you gave it yesterday. Also, be sure that you keep each plant in the same location, so that the amount of sunlight it gets stays the same." 
A)  "Who can tell me what photosynthesis is?" 
B)  "How many of you have grown sunflowers at home? How many of you have moms or dads who are gardeners?" 
C)  "This sunflower is taller than that sunflower over there. Let's consider what the growing conditions for the two flowers have been and try to figure out what might have led to the difference we see." 
D)  "Elaine, please give each plant the same amount of water today that you gave it yesterday. Also, be sure that you keep each plant in the same location, so that the amount of sunlight it gets stays the same."

Question 8

Which one of the following teachers is definitely keeping in mind Piaget's idea that assimilation and accommodation are both necessary for cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mr. Ames presents brand new topics every day, expecting the continual novelty to keep students interested and motivated. 
B)  Ms. Baretta makes sure that students have learned one topic very, very well before moving on to another. 
C)  Mr. Chang shows students how a new topic is similar to the things they already know but also different in certain ways. 
D)  Ms. Doherty uses a lot of drill and practice exercises, encouraging students to work faster every time. 
A)  Mr. Ames presents brand new topics every day, expecting the continual novelty to keep students interested and motivated. 
B)  Ms. Baretta makes sure that students have learned one topic very, very well before moving on to another. 
C)  Mr. Chang shows students how a new topic is similar to the things they already know but also different in certain ways. 
D)  Ms. Doherty uses a lot of drill and practice exercises, encouraging students to work faster every time.

Question 9

The following four junior high school science teachers are teaching the concept molecule to their students. In each classroom, some of the students are frequently using formal operational reasoning, whereas others are consistently using concrete operational reasoning. In which classroom are the concrete operational thinkers most likely to have difficulty understanding?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mr. Armani lets students touch and manipulate concrete models of various molecules. 
B)  Mr. Bendetti lets students look at the same concrete models that Mr. Armani has used. 
C)  Mr. Carmen verbally describes how different elements are made up of different numbers of neutrons, protons, and electrons. 
D)  Mr. Davidson has students role-play being neutrons, protons, and electrons. The "neutron" and "proton" students huddle together in the middle of the room, and the "electrons" move around them. 
A)  Mr. Armani lets students touch and manipulate concrete models of various molecules. 
B)  Mr. Bendetti lets students look at the same concrete models that Mr. Armani has used. 
C)  Mr. Carmen verbally describes how different elements are made up of different numbers of neutrons, protons, and electrons. 
D)  Mr. Davidson has students role-play being neutrons, protons, and electrons. The "neutron" and "proton" students huddle together in the middle of the room, and the "electrons" move around them.

Question 10

Which one of the following statements best describes Vygotsky's concept of internalization?

Accepted Answer

A)  As children grow older, they develop an increasing ability to think about events in abstract rather than concrete terms. 
B)  With age, children acquire more sophisticated problem-solving skills, largely because their parents and teachers give them increasingly challenging problems to tackle. 
C)  Over time, children acquire more self-confidence about their ability to deal with the world. 
D)  Through their social interactions with other people, children acquire ways of mentally approaching and thinking about a task. 
A)  As children grow older, they develop an increasing ability to think about events in abstract rather than concrete terms. 
B)  With age, children acquire more sophisticated problem-solving skills, largely because their parents and teachers give them increasingly challenging problems to tackle. 
C)  Over time, children acquire more self-confidence about their ability to deal with the world. 
D)  Through their social interactions with other people, children acquire ways of mentally approaching and thinking about a task.

Question 11

James is talking about how much better the world would be if everyone just agreed to love everyone else. In Piaget's view, James is most likely to be

Accepted Answer

A)  4 years old 
B)  7 years old 
C)  10 years old 
D)  14 years old 
A)  4 years old 
B)  7 years old 
C)  10 years old 
D)  14 years old

Question 12

In Piaget's theory, a scheme can best be described as:

Accepted Answer

A)  An organized group of similar thoughts or actions 
B)  A set of motor skills that preschoolers develop 
C)  A lifestyle or family pattern 
D)  A mental picture of oneself 
A)  An organized group of similar thoughts or actions 
B)  A set of motor skills that preschoolers develop 
C)  A lifestyle or family pattern 
D)  A mental picture of oneself

Question 13

From Piaget's perspective, why is language critical for children's cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

A)  It helps them get things they want. 
B)  It gives them a means for symbolically thinking about objects and events. 
C)  It takes up much of their mental energy and so helps to keep them from being easily distracted. 
D)  It gives them a better self-image, because they are now aware that they can communicate effectively with other human beings. 
A)  It helps them get things they want. 
B)  It gives them a means for symbolically thinking about objects and events. 
C)  It takes up much of their mental energy and so helps to keep them from being easily distracted. 
D)  It gives them a better self-image, because they are now aware that they can communicate effectively with other human beings.

Question 14

Several parents who are making costumes for an elementary school play ask the young cast members to assist them with such tasks as cutting fabric, pinning pieces together, and sewing simple hems. Using the language of Vygotskian theorists, we can say that the parents are:

Accepted Answer

A)  Engaging the students in guided participation 
B)  Presenting tasks that exceed the students' zone of proximal development 
C)  Encouraging the separation of thought and language 
D)  Creating a cognitive apprenticeship 
A)  Engaging the students in guided participation 
B)  Presenting tasks that exceed the students' zone of proximal development 
C)  Encouraging the separation of thought and language 
D)  Creating a cognitive apprenticeship

Question 15

Vygotsky's concept of zone of proximal development refers to:

Accepted Answer

A)  Children's ability to estimate how much they know 
B)  The range of tasks children can perform by themselves 
C)  The range of tasks children can accomplish only with support 
D)  The degree of maturation necessary to accomplish complex physical tasks 
A)  Children's ability to estimate how much they know 
B)  The range of tasks children can perform by themselves 
C)  The range of tasks children can accomplish only with support 
D)  The degree of maturation necessary to accomplish complex physical tasks

Question 16

According to Piaget, three of the following are essential for cognitive development. Which one is not?

Accepted Answer

A)  Brain maturation 
B)  High self-esteem 
C)  Interaction with other people 
D)  Interaction with the physical environment 
A)  Brain maturation 
B)  High self-esteem 
C)  Interaction with other people 
D)  Interaction with the physical environment

Question 17

Piaget spoke of egocentrism as a characteristic of preoperational thought. Three of the following are examples of egocentrism as Piaget defined it. Which one is not?

Accepted Answer

A)  Justin is constantly grabbing objects and pulling them toward himself. 
B)  Lois tells a story as if her listeners already know many details they can't possibly know. 
C)  Kate cannot relate to the question, "How do you think Molly feels?" 
D)  Frank and Isabel are playing checkers without realizing that each of them is playing by different rules. 
A)  Justin is constantly grabbing objects and pulling them toward himself. 
B)  Lois tells a story as if her listeners already know many details they can't possibly know. 
C)  Kate cannot relate to the question, "How do you think Molly feels?" 
D)  Frank and Isabel are playing checkers without realizing that each of them is playing by different rules.

Question 18

Which one of the following is the best example of an authentic activity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Listing four different kinds of sedimentary rocks 
B)  Discussing reasons why World War I occurred 
C)  Putting definitions of new terms in your own words 
D)  Designing a bridge using principles of physics 
A)  Listing four different kinds of sedimentary rocks 
B)  Discussing reasons why World War I occurred 
C)  Putting definitions of new terms in your own words 
D)  Designing a bridge using principles of physics

Question 19

Roger is shown two piles of sand and says that each pile has the same amount. However, when one pile is flattened with a shovel, Roger now claims emphatically that the flattened pile has less sand. Based on this information, Roger is probably in Piaget's _______ stage of development.

Accepted Answer

A)  sensorimotor 
B)  preoperational 
C)  formal operations 
D)  concrete operations 
A)  sensorimotor 
B)  preoperational 
C)  formal operations 
D)  concrete operations

Question 20

Which one of the following conclusions can be derived from recent research regarding Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

A)  Middle school and secondary school students typically have an easier time thinking logically in the social sciences than they do in the physical and life sciences. 
B)  Youngsters will think more logically about a topic when they have acquired relevant knowledge and experiences related to the topic. 
C)  Many young people continue to show signs of preoperational thinking until well into the high school years. 
D)  Youngsters have an easier time understanding fractions and proportions in adolescence if such concepts are first introduced at the same time that division is introduced (e.g., in third grade). 
A)  Middle school and secondary school students typically have an easier time thinking logically in the social sciences than they do in the physical and life sciences. 
B)  Youngsters will think more logically about a topic when they have acquired relevant knowledge and experiences related to the topic. 
C)  Many young people continue to show signs of preoperational thinking until well into the high school years. 
D)  Youngsters have an easier time understanding fractions and proportions in adolescence if such concepts are first introduced at the same time that division is introduced (e.g., in third grade).

Which one of the following examples best illustrates symbolic thought?

Central to Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development is the idea that children make sense of their world:

From Piaget's perspective, children are:

From Piaget's perspective, social interactions are most likely to promote cognitive development when:

Implications in Late Adolescence: Engage adolescents in debates about controversial issues. Create an atmosphere in which they feel free to express diverse opinions (e.g., encourage them to "agree to disagree"). Ask them to reflect on whether their suggestions are realistic in today's world.

Which one of the following teachers is definitely keeping in mind Piaget's idea that assimilation and accommodation are both necessary for cognitive development?

Which one of the following statements best describes Vygotsky's concept of internalization?

James is talking about how much better the world would be if everyone just agreed to love everyone else. In Piaget's view, James is most likely to be

In Piaget's theory, a scheme can best be described as:

From Piaget's perspective, why is language critical for children's cognitive development?

Several parents who are making costumes for an elementary school play ask the young cast members to assist them with such tasks as cutting fabric, pinning pieces together, and sewing simple hems. Using the language of Vygotskian theorists, we can say that the parents are:

Vygotsky's concept of zone of proximal development refers to:

According to Piaget, three of the following are essential for cognitive development. Which one is not?

Piaget spoke of egocentrism as a characteristic of preoperational thought. Three of the following are examples of egocentrism as Piaget defined it. Which one is not?

Which one of the following is the best example of an authentic activity?

Roger is shown two piles of sand and says that each pile has the same amount. However, when one pile is flattened with a shovel, Roger now claims emphatically that the flattened pile has less sand. Based on this information, Roger is probably in Piaget's _______ stage of development.

Which one of the following conclusions can be derived from recent research regarding Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children and Adolescents

Using Research to Understand Children and Adolescents

Family, Culture, and Community

Biological Beginnings

Physical Development

Cognitive Development: Cognitive Processes

Intelligence

Language Development

Development in the Academic Domains

Emotional Development

Development of Self and Social Understandings

Development of Motivation and Self-Regulation

Moral Development

Peers, Schools, and Society

Filters

Exam 6: Cognitive Development: Piaget and Vygotsky

Which one of the following examples best illustrates symbolic thought?

Central to Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development is the idea that children make sense of their world:

From Piaget's perspective, children are:

From Piaget's perspective, social interactions are most likely to promote cognitive development when:

Implications in Late Adolescence: Engage adolescents in debates about controversial issues. Create an atmosphere in which they feel free to express diverse opinions (e.g., encourage them to "agree to disagree"). Ask them to reflect on whether their suggestions are realistic in today's world.

Which one of the following teachers is definitely keeping in mind Piaget's idea that assimilation and accommodation are both necessary for cognitive development?

Which one of the following statements best describes Vygotsky's concept of internalization?

James is talking about how much better the world would be if everyone just agreed to love everyone else. In Piaget's view, James is most likely to be

In Piaget's theory, a scheme can best be described as:

From Piaget's perspective, why is language critical for children's cognitive development?

Several parents who are making costumes for an elementary school play ask the young cast members to assist them with such tasks as cutting fabric, pinning pieces together, and sewing simple hems. Using the language of Vygotskian theorists, we can say that the parents are:

Vygotsky's concept of zone of proximal development refers to:

According to Piaget, three of the following are essential for cognitive development. Which one is not?

Piaget spoke of egocentrism as a characteristic of preoperational thought. Three of the following are examples of egocentrism as Piaget defined it. Which one is not?

Which one of the following is the best example of an authentic activity?

Roger is shown two piles of sand and says that each pile has the same amount. However, when one pile is flattened with a shovel, Roger now claims emphatically that the flattened pile has less sand. Based on this information, Roger is probably in Piaget's _______ stage of development.

Which one of the following conclusions can be derived from recent research regarding Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

Making a Difference in the Lives of Children and Adolescents

Using Research to Understand Children and Adolescents

Family, Culture, and Community

Biological Beginnings

Physical Development

Cognitive Development: Cognitive Processes

Intelligence

Language Development

Development in the Academic Domains

Emotional Development

Development of Self and Social Understandings

Development of Motivation and Self-Regulation

Moral Development

Peers, Schools, and Society

Filters