Deck 2: Cognitive and Language Development

Question 1

The pattern of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional changes that begins at conception and continues through the life span is called development.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

During middle and late childhood, achievement typically becomes an important theme of children's lives.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

An important concept in education related to development is that teaching should take place at a level that is somewhat more difficult than the level of the child.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The cells in the brain responsible for processing information stop dividing early in childhood. Brain development is not influenced by outside experiences or actions.

Question 5

An individual's attention span typically increases as he or she progresses from early childhood through middle and late childhood. Children typically have more trouble focusing their attention and maintaining it during early childhood than they do during middle and late childhood.

Question 6

A teaching implication of brain science is that children will be better able to focus and maintain attention as myelination progresses.

Question 7

Piaget's stages of cognitive development are an example of discontinuity in development in which the individual undergoes a qualitative change when progressing from one stage to the next.

Question 8

Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development has stimulated considerable interest in the view that knowledge is situated and collaborative.

Question 9

Vygotsky believed that the child's development is independent of social and cultural activities.

Question 10

Piaget believed that children who engage in "private speech" are more socially competent than children who do not.

Question 11

Vygotsky believed that private speech represents an early transition in becoming more socially communicative.

Question 12

Piaget believed that children construct knowledge by transforming, organizing, and reorganizing previous knowledge.

Question 13

According to both Piaget and Vygotsky, teachers should play the role of facilitator rather than director.

Question 14

According to Piaget, language plays a major role in influencing a child's cognitive development.

Question 15

Children benefit when their parents and teachers actively engage them in conversation, ask questions, and emphasize interactive rather than directive language.

Question 16

Semantics refers to the meaning of words and sentences.

Question 17

During the period of development known as "early childhood," a child typically does which of the following?

A) Masters the fundamental skills of writing
B) Contemplates career choices
C) Pursues independence and seeks identity
D) Learns to identify letters of the alphabet

Question 18

During the period of development known as "middle and late childhood," a child typically does which of the following?

A) Masters the fundamental skills of writing
B) Begins to think more abstractly and logically
C) Pursues independence
D) Learns to identify letters of the alphabet

Question 19

During the period of development known as "adolescence," a child typically does which of the following?

A) Masters the fundamental skills of writing
B) Begins to interact with individuals beyond the family
C) Pursues independence
D) Learns to identify letters of the alphabet

Question 20

An individual's thoughts become more abstract, logical, and idealistic during which of the following periods of development?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Middle and late childhood
D) Adolescence

Question 21

If a child is entering preschool, he or she is in which of the following periods of development?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Middle and late childhood
D) Adolescence

Question 22

Which of the following is an example of a socioemotional process that might be studied by an educational psychologist?

A) The development of children's brains
B) The changes in children's motor skills
C) The changes in children's ability to solve math problems
D) The influence of parental nurturing on children's tendency to be aggressive

Question 23

Which of the following is an example of a cognitive process that might be studied by an educational psychologist?

A) The development of children's brains
B) The changes in children's motor skills
C) The changes in children's ability to solve math problems
D) The influence of parental nurturing on children's tendency to be aggressive

Question 24

Which of the following is an example of a biological process that might be studied by an educational psychologist?

A) The development of children's brains
B) The changes in children's motor skills
C) The changes in children's ability to solve math problems
D) The influence of parental nurturing on children's tendency to be aggressive

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of splintered development?

A) John has excellent math skills, but Chen has excellent reading skills.
B) Gloria has average verbal, reading, and writing skills.
C) Travis has excellent math skills but behaves in socially inappropriate ways.
D) Half of Mrs. Wu's class performs at grade level in math, but the other half performs below grade level.

Question 26

Andrew is concentrating on his work and his career decisions. He is involved with a significant other and makes work and the love for his partner the main subjects of his life. Which of the following periods of development is Andrew in?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Middle and late childhood
D) Adolescence
E) Early adulthood

Question 27

Phil is extremely dependent on his mother. His language, his ability to think symbolically, his sensorimotor coordination, and his social learning are not complete. Which of the following periods of development is Phil in?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Middle and late childhood
D) Adolescence
E) Early adulthood

Question 28

Eight-year-old Paula is establishing boldness and independence. She is beginning to understand how to feel regarding an accomplishment and how to express feelings of love for her parents when she is a shy person. Paula is experiencing what processes?

A) Cognitive processes
B) Socioemotional processes
C) Infancy
D) Adolescence

Question 29

Moesha is learning how to follow instructions and how to recognize the letters in her name. Which of the following periods of development is Moesha in?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Middle and late childhood
D) Adolescence

Question 30

The number and size of the brain's nerve endings continue to grow at least until an individual reaches what age?

A) Birth
B) The first birthday
C) First grade
D) Adolescence

Question 31

Myelination of areas in the brain related to hand-eye coordination is not complete until an individual reaches approximately what age?

A) 6 months old
B) 1 year old
C) 4 years old
D) 12 years old

Question 32

Myelination in areas of the brain that are important in focusing attention is not complete until an individual reaches approximately which age?

A) 1 year old
B) 3 years old
C) 10 years old
D) 25 years old

Question 33

Tiny gaps between neurons where connections between neurons are made are called:

A) density.
B) myelination.
C) synapses.
D) lateralization.

Question 34

Which brain hemisphere is responsible for processing nonverbal information?

A) Left
B) Right
C) The synapses
D) The lateralization

Question 35

Researchers say that the very last part of the brain to develop is responsible for which functions?

A) Fine motor skills
B) Cognitive development and analytical thought
C) Trust, building relationships, love and emotions
D) Planning, setting priorities, suppressing impulses, and weighing the consequences of actions

Question 36

The last part of the brain to develop is the prefrontal cortex. The consequences of this are most felt by individuals in which phase of development?

A) Infancy
B) Early childhood
C) Adolescence
D) Adulthood

Question 37

Which brain hemisphere is responsible for speech and grammar?

A) Left
B) Right
C) The synapses
D) The lateralization

Question 38

Since the brain has plasticity, or the ability to change, which of the following learning environments is most likely to stimulate brain development?

A) Desks are arranged in rows and columns
B) Lecture is the primary method of instruction
C) Hands-on learning centers integrate the core subject areas with art and music
D) Computer usage is limited to drill-and-practice exercises

Question 39

According to Piaget, this occurs when a child incorporates new knowledge into existing knowledge.

A) Learning to solve math problems
B) Assimilation
C) Accommodation
D) Thinking logically and abstractly

Question 40

According to Piaget, this occurs when a child adjusts to the new knowledge.

A) Learning to solve math problems
B) Assimilation
C) Accommodation
D) Thinking logically and abstractly

Question 41

According to Piaget, a concept or structure that exists in a person's mind to arrange and interpret information is called:

A) assimilation.
B) equilibration.
C) a schema.
D) accommodation.

Question 42

Piaget's interest in schemas focused on how children do which of the following?

A) Learn to solve math problems
B) Resolve conflicts with others
C) Make sense of their experiences
D) Think logically and abstractly

Question 43

According to Vygotsky, what is the technique called that means changing the level of support?

A) Assimilation
B) Zone of proximal development
C) Scheme
D) Scaffolding

Question 44

The sensorimotor stage, as described by Piaget, includes individuals in which of the following age groups?

A) Birth to 2 years old
B) 2 to 7 years old
C) 7 to 11 years old
D) 11 years old through adulthood

Question 45

The concrete operational stage, as described by Piaget, includes individuals in which of the following age groups?

A) Birth to 2 years old
B) 2 to 7 years old
C) 7 to 11 years old
D) 11 years old through adulthood

Question 46

A child who can only perceive other people's perspectives as though they were from his or her own point of view is said to display which of the following?

A) Object permanence
B) Symbolic function
C) Logical reasoning
D) Egocentrism

Question 47

At the symbolic function substage, a child gains the ability to do which of the following?

A) Represent mentally an object that is absent
B) Distinguish between oneself and the environment
C) Classify items based on two or more properties at the same time
D) Understand that inanimate objects are not alive

Question 48

According to Piaget, a child is first able to sort objects into groups based on two or more characteristics when that child reaches which of the following stages?

A) Sensorimotor stage
B) Preoperational stage
C) Concrete operational stage
D) Formal operational stage

Question 49

According to Vygotsky, what is the zone of proximal development?

A) Range of tasks too difficult for children to master either alone or with assistance
B) Range of tasks too difficult for children to master alone, but which can be learned with assistance
C) Range of tasks that children have mastered, but cannot teach to others
D) Range of tasks that children have mastered, and that they can teach to others

Question 50

Unlike Piaget, Vygotsky believed that cognitive development

A) proceeds in four clearly definable stages.
B) proceeds by assimilation and accommodation.
C) is determined primarily by the child's age.
D) is mediated by language and social interaction.

Question 51

Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) has a lower limit and an upper limit. Which of the following best describes these limits?

A) The lower level is the level of skill reached by the child working independently and the upper limit is the level of responsibility the child can accept with assistance.
B) The lower level is the level of skill reached by the majority of students in a class and the upper limit is the level of skill reached by the top five percent of students.
C) A student's ZPD limits and "readiness to learn" is determined by the results of standardized testing.
D) Teaching should begin at the lower limit of the ZPD and gradually progress toward the upper limit so that the student experiences success.

Question 52

Which of the following best describes an example of scaffolding as used by a teacher when assisting a child?

A) The teacher begins with direct instruction but gradually reduces the amount of guidance given.
B) The teacher observes the student without assisting until the student asks for assistance.
C) The teacher asks the student to teach other students as a method of helping the student learn.
D) The teacher divides students into groups of similar abilities so students can compete fairly.

Question 53

Bruce is having trouble with his division problems; he can't finish them correctly on his own. However, he can complete them if his teacher gives him some hints. According to Vygotsky, why can't Bruce complete his division problems on his own?

A) Because he cannot assimilate
B) Because he cannot accommodate
C) Because he cannot scaffold
D) Because division is in his zone of proximal development

Question 54

Brianna is completing her reading comprehension questions. Her teacher keeps interrupting her work to check it; however, Brianna performs well on reading comprehension and can do this task without the help of her teacher. According to Vygotsky, is reading comprehension in Brianna's zone of proximal development?

A) Yes, because she can complete it on her own.
B) No, because she can complete it on her own.
C) Yes, because she needs scaffolding in reading comprehension.
D) No, because she cannot complete it on her own.

Question 55

Three of the following teachers are using "scaffolding" to help their students learn. Which one is not necessarily providing scaffolding?

A) Ms. Applegate gives her students the structure she'd like them to follow when they write their first essay.
B) Mr. Bernardo teaches the backhand tennis swing by gently guiding each student through the correct movement a few times.
C) Ms. Chen gives her class some hints about how to solve an especially difficult word problem.
D) Mr. Donaldson takes his students on a field trip to the art museum so they can learn more about the different types of art.

Question 56

Mr. Carbona is trying to teach his kindergarten students about different animals. Henry, one of his students, explains to Mr. Carbona that he does not need to learn about lions because he has one at home. When Mr. Carbona explains to him that he must have a cat at home, Henry insists that it is a lion because it looks just like the one in the picture. According to Piaget, Henry is:

A) accommodating.
B) assimilating.
C) using multiple classification.
D) practicing animism.

Question 57

Ann Marie ran into her teacher and his wife at the park. She was very surprised that he was a husband and a father. According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which concept is Ann Marie having trouble with?

A) Centering
B) Conservation
C) Abstract thinking
D) Classification

Question 58

George thinks his teacher is joking when she tells him that she has a son who is his age. According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, which concept is Ann Marie having trouble with?

A) Centering
B) Conservation
C) Abstract thinking
D) Classification

Question 59

Louis receives a new soccer ball for his birthday. His parents notice that Louis does not try to kick the ball but instead dribbles it in the same way he dribbles his basketball. Louis's dribbling of the new ball reflects Piaget's concept of:

A) conservation.
B) accommodation.
C) multiple classification.
D) assimilation.

Question 60

Marcy is given her choice of two Hershey bars, one of which has been broken into four pieces, and one that is intact; Marcy chooses the broken candy bar, believing that it has more candy. According to Piaget, Marcy is having problems with what concept?

A) Transductive reasoning
B) Multiple classification
C) Egocentrism
D) Conservation

Question 61

Ms. Garcia has just asked her students to organize the sheets of paper on their desks by their size. According to Piaget, what type of task is Ms. Garcia asking her students to complete?

A) A seriation task
B) An assimilation task
C) An equilibration task
D) A task involving animism

Question 62

Fifteen-year-old Danielle is self-conscious, and she thinks that everyone is interested in her. She desires to be noticed, and she acts as if she were on stage. According to Piaget, what is Danielle experiencing?

A) Classification
B) Schemes
C) Transitivity
D) Adolescent egocentrism

Question 63

The developmental disjunction between strong emotions in adolescents and the _________ may account for their increased risk taking.

A) prefrontal cortex
B) thyroid gland
C) cerebrum
D) cerebellum

Question 64

Total brain volume stabilizes by?

A) Early adolescence
B) End of early childhood
C) Late adulthood
D) The end of middle and late childhood

Question 65

Ms. Lewis gets frustrated with her first graders' performance on some tasks because they are constantly focusing their attention on one characteristic and leaving out all others. According to Piaget's theory, what are Ms. Lewis's students experiencing?

A) Classification
B) Seriation
C) Centration
D) Assimilation

Question 66

Mr. Castillo gives an assignment to his third-grade class dealing with hypothetical situations. Most of the class does not do well on this assignment. When Mr. Castillo asks them what happened, most of them reply "I did not understand it." Mr. Castillo is frustrated because he thinks these children are lazy and unmotivated. According to Piaget's theory, what is happening?

A) These children are probably underachievers and lazy.
B) The teacher is expecting concrete operational thinking from preoperational kids.
C) The teacher is expecting formal operational thinking from formal operational kids.
D) The teacher is expecting formal operational thinking from concrete operational kids.

Question 67

Corbin, one of your students, is having problems with conservation. Which of the following questions would Corbin have trouble answering correctly?

A) If I cut one 12-inch cherry pie into 12 pieces and another 12-inch cherry pie into 8 pieces, which 12-inch cherry pie is larger?
B) How are an apple and a blueberry alike?
C) 6 + 4 = 10, so does 10 - 4 = 6?
D) If you have 8 red apples and 2 green apples, then do you have more red apples or more green apples?

Question 68

Mr. Epstein is showing the class a picture of a tiger. Ally, one of his students, tells him that she has one of these animals at home. He tries to explain to her that she must have a cat, not a tiger. She insists that it is a tiger and that she got him at the pet store last month. According to Piaget, what is the teacher trying to do?

A) Throw Ally into a state of disequilibrium
B) Throw Ally into a state of accommodation
C) Throw Ally into a state of equilibration
D) Throw Ally into a state of equilibrium

Question 69

Three of the following are examples of egocentrism as Piaget defined it. Which is not?

A) Justin is constantly grabbing at objects and then pushing them away.
B) Maria tells a story as if her listeners already knew many of the details that only she should know.
C) Katie cannot relate to the question "How do you think Megan feels?"
D) Isabel cannot understand why she should share classroom equipment with others.

Question 70

The smallest units of sound in a language are which of the following?

A) Phonemes
B) Morphemes
C) Semantics
D) Pragmatics

Question 71

Language is highly ordered and organized according to which systems of rules?

A) Phonology, morphology, syntax, conservation, and centration
B) Phonology, seriation, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
C) Phonology, morphology, syntax, assimilation, and accommodation
D) Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics

Question 72

In English, the adjective usually precedes the noun, whereas in Spanish the adjective usually follows the noun. Which set of language rules is this an example of?

A) Phonology
B) Morphology
C) Syntax
D) Semantics

Question 73

Many children's television shows and movies show animals and objects that can talk. In most cases, these shows are ____________ correct, but ______________ incorrect.

A) syntactically; semantically
B) semantically; syntactically
C) syntactically; linguistically
D) semantically; pragmatically

Question 74

At which of the following ages is a typical child most likely to speak his or her first word?

A) 6-8 months old
B) 10-13 months old
C) 24-28 months old
D) 30-36 months old

Question 75

At which of the following ages does the typical child's vocabulary increase to an average of 200 words and the child can use two-word combinations?

A) 0-6 months old
B) 12-14 months old
C) 18-24 months old
D) 3-4 years old

Question 76

At which of the following ages does the typical child begin to use plurals and past tense correctly?

A) 1 year old
B) 2 years old
C) 4 years old
D) 6 years old

Question 77

Which of the following observations would provide the strongest support that the process of language is biologically based?

A) Children from all over the world acquire language milestones at about the same age and in the same approximate order.
B) Children benefit when their parents and teachers actively engage them in conversation and ask many questions.
C) Children can be trained to speak words even before they are able to understand the meaning of those words.
D) Children tend to understand nouns and verbs before they are able to understand adjectives and adverbs.

Question 78

Tyler does not understand why his father can say "the car flew down the street." After all, cars, he has been taught, do not fly. Planes and birds fly. What is Tyler having problems with?

A) Pragmatics
B) Semantics
C) Morphology
D) Phonemes

Question 79

Lori, a 5-year-old in Mrs. Clark's class, doesn't understand how a person can be feeling "blue," and the sky can be the color "blue." Lori is encountering this problem because she does not yet have a clear grasp of which of the following?

A) Semantics
B) Syntax
C) Pragmatics
D) Phonemes

Question 80

Sarah says to her teacher, "Mrs. White, today recess to go want don't I!" Mrs. White smiles and says, "It's okay if you don't want to go to recess today." According to language development, what is Sarah having a problem with:

A) semantics.
B) syntax.
C) pragmatics.
D) phonemes.