Exam 8: Cognitive Development

Explain what Vygotsky meant by zone of proximal development and use an example to illustrate this concept.

A small child explores and taps a rubber ball and learns about the ball's properties via discovery.Which of Piaget's principles does the child's behaviour exemplify?

At what age do children develop a belief-desire theory of mind?

Suppose that a child does not search for a toy that is no longer visible,even though she likes the toy.How would Piaget account for this behaviour?

Identify the two processes involved in adaptation and provide examples that illustrate each process.

Aiza is upset because she is convinced that her brother's cookie is bigger than hers.Her dad quickly breaks Aiza's cookie in two and tells her that she now has "more cookie." If Aiza is satisfied by this,how would Piaget explain her response?

In contrast to Vygotsky,what was the focus of Piaget's theory?

Suppose that you are part of a curriculum review team that is concerned with creating a learning environment that will optimize cognitive development and foster true understanding of concepts as well as "teach the facts." What recommendations follow from Piaget's and Vygotsky's notions of cognitive growth? What would be your personal recommendation?

According to Robbie Case,how should we view the process of accommodation?

According to Vygotsky,developmental studies comparing various animal species would be most appropriate for which type of research?

Piaget described the preoperational child as an egocentric,animistic thinker.He also believed the preoperational child to be incapable of conservation.Describe Piaget's basis for his conclusions and explain why current developmentalists believe preoperational children to be more cognitively capable than Piaget maintained.

According to Vygotsky,how does a preschooler's private speech change over time?

Rahim and his mother are making spaghetti.She shows him how much water to put into the pot,but then realizes that it is too full and so she gets a larger pot and helps Rahim to pour the water from one pot to the other.As Rahim is doing so,his mother carefully explains that they still have the same water but by using the larger pot,the water will not boil over the sides when the spaghetti is added.What form of training is his mother using?

Piaget defined intelligence as adaptive behaviour.He maintained that two complementary processes,assimilation and accommodation,are involved in every interaction and that when these two processes are in equilibrium,behaviour will be adaptive.Describe the processes of assimilation and accommodation,and give an example of each.

How do neo-Piagetian models of cognitive development differ from Piaget's original theory?

Rachelle and Sunjai both teach introductory calculus to high school students.Rachelle most often uses cooperative learning activities in her classes,whereas Sunjai most often uses independent,discovery-based activities.Based on this information,with which cognitive theorist would Rachelle and Sunjai most likely agree?

Salvador and Glynnis are in the same preschool class.Salvador has three older brothers and an older sister,and Glynnis is an only child.Based on this information,how will each child perform when solving false-belief tasks?

Robbie Case emphasized the role of cultural experience as vital to a child's ability to master new skills.In this respect,which theorist is his perspective most similar to?

According to Piaget,what stage of development occurs from age 2 through to age 7?

Which statement best summarizes the recent research findings regarding the ability of preschool children to take the perspective of others?