Deck 6: The First Two Years: Cognitive Development

Question 1

According to Piaget, the first period of cognitive development is the _____ period, which lasts from birth until about age 2.

Answer 1

sensorimotor

Question 2

Your friend has a 10-month-old infant. She's considering buying an expensive set of infant learning software to train her baby's cognitive ability. What advice would you give your friend about the wisdom of buying such a program? Give at least two reasons for your recommendation.

Answer 2

I would discourage her from making the software purchase. First of all, 1) the Association of Pediatricians recommends NO screen time for children prior to the age of 2. In addition, I would stress 2) the limitations of infant memory. I'd also emphasize that 3) infants learn the most and the fastest by interacting with a teacher. Plus, 4) time spent with the software would reduce the time the baby spends using his or her senses and motor skills to explore the environment. Such behaviors are necessary for normal developmental milestones to occur on schedule.

Question 3

Stage four of the sensorimotor period is known as "new adaptation and _____."

Answer 3

anticipation

Question 4

Describe the five stages of spoken language development from 12 to 24 months of age.

Question 5

Define object permanence and tell when it begins. Describe how it is measured in laboratory settings and how it can be revealed in informal settings. Why is this concept considered a major milestone in cognitive development?

Question 6

How do the views of B. F. Skinner and Noam Chomsky differ in their explanations of infant language acquisition? Explain each view, and then defend the one that seems more convincing to you.

Question 7

Describe the five stages of spoken language development from birth until the first birthday.

Question 8

Explain two ways in which parents can help to ensure that their baby develops good language skills.

Question 9

Explain the nature and limitations of memory in infants aged 0 to 9 months.

Question 10

If a toddler sees an object hidden first in one place and then in another, he or she will continue to search in the first place. This error is known as _____.

Question 11

Identify the four basic theories of language learning and describe them.

Question 12

Explain what the Gibsons meant by an affordance and give an example.

Question 13

In the final stage of sensorimotor intelligence, toddlers begin to anticipate and solve simple problems by using _____ combinations.

Question 14

Explain the characteristics of child-directed speech. Why is it used all over the world?

Question 15

A psychologist who hides a toy under a blanket to see if an infant will try to uncover it wants to see if the child understands _____.

Question 16

Briefly describe the first three stages of sensorimotor intelligence, including the months of age that each stage covers. For each stage, give an example of an infant's behavior.

Question 17

Noting that children between 12 and 18 months of age engage in extensive experimentation and exploration, Piaget described the toddler of this age as the _____.

Question 18

The first two stages of sensorimotor intelligence are _____ circular reactions.

Question 19

Briefly describe stages four through six of sensorimotor intelligence, including the months of age that each stage covers. For each stage, give an example of an infant's behavior.

Question 20

One way to determine whether an infant recognizes something is to use a(n) _____ study.

Question 21

In Piaget's terminology, sensorimotor stage one is described as _____.

A) the stage of reflexes
B) making interesting sights last
C) first acquired adaptations
D) new adaptation and anticipation

Question 22

_____ is referred to as child-directed speech by scientists.

Question 23

A single-word utterance that expresses a complete thought is called a(n) _____.

Question 24

Piaget called an infant's first period of cognitive development _____.

A) sensorimotor intelligence
B) adaptation
C) object awareness
D) imitative learning

Question 25

An infant's repetition of syllables such as "ba-ba" is called _____.

Question 26

The perspective of cognition that is modeled on computer functioning is called _____ theory.

Question 27

Compared to ordinary speech, child-directed speech has a _____ pitch.

Question 28

When two-word combinations begin around 21 months, it is apparent that a toddler has begun to comprehend _____ rules.

Question 29

Infants can recognize that some situations _____ different opportunities than other situations do.

Question 30

Piaget's stages reveal that he believed children begin cognitive development at _____.

A) birth
B) 3 months
C) 1 year
D) 18 months

Question 31

The acronym LAD stands for _____, a mental structure proposed by Chomsky as an explanation for infants' ability to learn to speak.

Question 32

In Piaget's terminology, sensorimotor stage two is described as _____.

A) the stage of reflexes
B) first acquired adaptations
C) making interesting sights last
D) new adaptation and anticipation

Question 33

When 1-week-old Justine feels too warm, she reflexively cries. According to Piaget, Justine is in stage _____ of the sensorimotor period.

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question 34

One way to test infants' awareness of height is to use the _____ cliff.

Question 35

Adults may not remember information that was stored in infancy because adults tend to rely on _____ memory.

Question 36

The distinct form of language used by adults to communicate with babies is called child-directed speech, or _____.

Question 37

Research with 3-month-old infants demonstrates that _____ sessions can help a baby to recollect an idea, thing, or experience without necessarily testing whether he or she remembers it at the moment.

Question 38

The fact that variations in a child's vocabulary size correlate with the amount of language that child has heard underlies the _____ theory of language learning.

Question 39

The _____ theory of language learning stresses that infants are social beings who learn language in order to communicate with other people.

Question 40

During the sensorimotor stage, _____ are the raw materials for infant cognition.

A) words and language
B) past and future events
C) senses and motor skills
D) logic and critical thinking

Question 41

In full view of the baby, Piaget would cover an interesting toy with a cloth to test _____.

A) primary circular reactions
B) the stage of making interesting events last
C) object permanence
D) reflexes

Question 42

One benefit for parents of their infant's lack of object permanence is that _____.

A) they can put a desirable object out of sight, and their infant will forget about it
B) the infant will not desire any specific objects
C) different objects can serve as security objects
D) parents can permanently delay the onset of materialistic attitudes

Question 43

An example of stage-three sensorimotor behavior is _____.

A) thumb sucking and self-soothing
B) looking for a smile and smiling back
C) searching for a teddy bear hidden under a blanket
D) trying to dress like Mommy or Daddy

Question 44

In which of Piaget's sensorimotor stages do infants seek to make interesting events last?

A) stage one
B) stage two
C) stage three
D) stage four

Question 45

"Do you want to play patty-cake?" Sofia asks her infant daughter. The baby responds by clapping her hands. In which stage of sensorimotor development is Sofia's baby?

A) stage one
B) stage two
C) stage three
D) stage four

Question 46

Freddy has been sucking his thumb for a few weeks. His parents would prefer him to use a pacifier, so they begin to offer one. But Freddy rejects the pacifier and continues to suck his thumb. Freddy is most clearly in stage _____ of Piaget's theory of sensorimotor development.

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question 47

Three-month-old Everett sucks vigorously on a breast when he is eating a meal, pressing the nipple against the roof of his mouth to maximize the milk in his mouth. He sucks firmly and rhythmically when sucking on a pacifier to fall asleep, with less pressure from his tongue. These sucking adaptations imply that Everett is in Piaget's stage _____.

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Question 48

Piaget referred to toddlers in sensorimotor stage five as _____.

A) little heathens
B) tertiary infants
C) little scientists
D) blank slates

Question 49

The behavior of an infant in sensorimotor stage four might best be described as _____.

A) goal-oriented
B) redundant
C) stubborn
D) unintentional

Question 50

Mary hides Ramy's favorite toy under a blanket while Ramy watches. Ramy removes the blanket and squeals when he sees the toy. Mary again hides the toy, but this time under a different blanket. Even though Ramy saw where Mary hid his toy, he still looks under the first blanket before removing the second blanket and retrieving the toy. Ramy has displayed _____.

A) lack of centration
B) lack of object permanence
C) habituation
D) the A-not-B error

Question 51

The behavior of an infant in sensorimotor stage four might best be described as _____.

A) deliberate
B) experimental
C) creative
D) anxious

Question 52

The first of Piaget's sensorimotor stages that involves an infant's interaction with something else is _____.

A) stage one
B) stage two
C) stage three
D) stage five

Question 53

Stage three of sensorimotor development is characterized by trying to continue an experience, whereas stage _____ is characterized by initiating and anticipating events.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five

Question 54

Adriana and her mother have been playing patty-cake, but mother is now trying to engage Adriana in a picture book. Adriana wants to play patty-cake again, so she grabs mother's hands and puts them together as if in a clap. Adriana is clearly in which stage of sensorimotor development?

A) stage one
B) stage two
C) stage three
D) stage four

Question 55

In which of Piaget's sensorimotor stages do infants adapt, anticipate, and become more deliberate in responding to people and objects?

A) stage one
B) stage two
C) stage three
D) stage four

Question 56

Sensorimotor stage four is the stage of _____.

A) making interesting sights last
B) new means through active experimentation
C) new means through mental combinations
D) new adaptation and anticipation

Question 57

Object permanence is demonstrated by an infant who _____.

A) laughs when a sibling makes faces
B) grasps a rattle and bangs it on the floor
C) willingly lets go of an object
D) searches for a toy that has fallen from sight

Question 58

_____ is the understanding that objects continue to exist when they cannot be seen.

A) Object permanence
B) Acquired adaptation
C) Mental representation
D) Object continuity

Question 59

Annette, a 6-month-old human infant, and Dash, a 4-year-old Border collie, are both interested in a squeaky toy. When the toy is hidden from view, what will Annette and Dash do?

A) Annette will forget about it; Dash will search for it.
B) Annette will search for it; Dash will forget about it.
C) Both Annette and Dash will forget about it.
D) Both Annette and Dash will search for it.

Question 60

Baby Hugh enjoys playing with his dad's keys, but when his dad takes them away, Hugh does not search for them. Piaget would say that this is because Hugh does not understand _____.

A) conservation
B) object permanence
C) egocentrism
D) affordances

Question 61

Which research method do toddlers use during stage five of cognitive development?

A) survey
B) case study
C) trial and error
D) correlational

Question 62

Dashiel is 20 months old. His mother tells him that he must not touch the candle that she just lit, and then she turns her back to continue tidying the room. When she turns back around, she sees Dashiel trying to dip his finger in the melted wax under the flame. What best explains Dashiel's behavior?

A) Dashiel is demonstrating early evidence of a deviant personality.
B) Dashiel's actions were driven by curiosity.
C) Dashiel may have a hearing problem.
D) Stubbornness is part of Dashiel's personality.

Question 63

Timo pays attention to voices, developing expectations of the rhythm of spoken words, as revealed by a habituation test. Timo is at least how old?

A) 4 months
B) 6 months
C) 8 months
D) 12 months

Question 64

Cooper sees his mother come through the door after work. He squeals, "Mama!" Information-processing theorists would call his exclamation an example of _____.

A) a linguistic supplier
B) habituation
C) an output
D) a calculation

Question 65

Which statement has been demonstrated in experiments?

A) Six-month-old infants can recognize their own image in the mirror.
B) Piaget's assertions about the age at which object permanence develops are correct.
C) Three-month-old infants appear surprised if an object vanishes.
D) Object permanence can be acquired earlier with proper training.

Question 66

According to Piaget, a stage-five sensorimotor baby is like a _____.

A) child in the "terrible twos"
B) neurotic person who cannot take no for an answer
C) mime who imitates behavior of all kinds
D) scientist who experiments to see what will happen

Question 67

Mariska is participating in a research study to determine whether she can detect the difference between two amounts: a circle containing two dots versus a circle with no dots inside. The researcher shows her the empty circle repeatedly until she looks away while it is on the screen. Then the researcher shows Mariska the circle with two dots in it and records how long she stares at it. What research method is being used?

A) observation
B) habituation
C) implementation
D) visualization

Question 68

Research indicates that infants reach the milestones of stage six of Piaget's sensorimotor intelligence _____ Piaget originally predicted.

A) earlier than
B) later than
C) at the same time as
D) in a different sequence than

Question 69

A visual cliff is used to assess infants' _____.

A) visual acuity
B) perception of depth
C) kinesthetic awareness
D) ability to crawl

Question 70

Justin is a 6-month-old infant. He focuses intently on new stimuli and quickly becomes habituated. What can we infer about Justin's cognitive abilities?

A) He habituates quickly because he doesn't understand the stimulus.
B) His tendency to focus intently indicates that he might develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
C) He habituates quickly because he has trouble paying attention.
D) His behaviors might indicate greater intelligence.

Question 71

Piaget's theory asserts that development occurs in stages, and information-processing theory asserts that development _____.

A) occurs in stages
B) occurs in bursts
C) occurs continuously
D) occurs in sudden leaps

Question 72

During Piaget's sixth stage of sensorimotor intelligence, toddlers begin to enjoy playing with inanimate objects as if they were real. This is the beginning of _____ play.

A) pretend
B) parallel
C) rough-and-tumble
D) cognitive

Question 73

Tia is fascinated with the toilet. So far, her parents have caught her trying to flush a stuffed animal, a toy cell phone, and a handful of dog kibble. Which sensorimotor stage is Tia in?

A) stage three
B) stage four
C) stage five
D) stage six

Question 74

Johanna watches while her mother hides a toy under a blanket. Her mom asks, "Where is it?" Then Johanna jerks away the blanket to reveal the toy. About how old is Johanna?

A) 2 months
B) 4 months
C) 8 months
D) 16 months

Question 75

The environment offers many opportunities to interact with whatever is perceived. These opportunities are known as _____.

A) affordances
B) cognitions
C) habituations
D) clarifications

Question 76

Which theory compares human cognition to the workings of a computer?

A) behavioral theory
B) information-processing theory
C) adaptive theory
D) Piaget's theory of cognitive development

Question 77

Geraldo loves to climb, and there are many opportunities for him to do so around his home: on the bookshelf in the living room, the decorative rocks in the front yard, and the ladder for the slide at the park. Each of these opportunities is _____ for climbing.

A) suitable
B) habituating
C) an affordance
D) a motivator

Question 78

Piaget's sixth stage of sensorimotor intelligence is known as the stage of _____.

A) mental combinations
B) interesting observations
C) primary reactions
D) new adaptation and anticipation

Question 79

Callie is 5 months old. She sees her mother's cell phone and reaches for it. Callie's mother understands the progression of object permanence, so she realizes that the easiest way to protect her phone and to keep Callie from getting upset is to _____.

A) give the phone to Callie to play with
B) place the phone out of Callie's sight
C) tell Callie "no" in a stern voice
D) give Callie something else to play with

Question 80

Penny, who is in Piaget's sixth stage of cognitive development, observed her older sister using a curling iron. Later, when she was alone, Penny tried to use the curling iron and burned her hand. Penny has displayed _____.

A) primary reaction
B) interesting observations
C) deferred imitation
D) new adaptation and anticipation