Deck 5: Infancy: Cognitive Development

Question 1

Children in the sensorimotor stage do NOT realize that people continue to exist even though they can't be seen.What concept have these children NOT yet mastered?

A) conservation
B) hypothetical reasoning
C) empathetic thought
D) object permanence

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Tabatha is playing with a ball when it rolls down a flight of stairs and out of sight.She makes no attempt to find the ball.What cognitive-development stage is Tabatha in?

A) the preoperational stage
B) the formal operational stage
C) the sensorimotor stage
D) the concrete operational stage

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Sarah knows that kittens are animals.Her mother tells her that puppies are also animals.Sarah then changes her scheme of animals to include puppies.What is Sarah using when she changes her scheme to incorporate this new information?

A) assimilation
B) reaction range
C) augmentation
D) accommodation

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Lacey is 7 months old.She shakes a rattle so it will make a noise she likes.What is Lacey's action an example of?

A) a simple reflex
B) a primary circular reaction
C) a secondary circular reaction
D) a tertiary circular reaction

Question 5

Infants progress from responding to events with reflexes, or ready-made schemes, to goal-oriented behaviour.What stage of Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory is being describing?

A) the sensorimotor stage
B) the formal operational stage
C) the concrete operational stag
D) the preoperational stage

Question 6

Josh has learned that his ball is called a toy.When he sees a round light bulb, he calls it a "toy." What term describes Josh's response?

A) accommodation
B) differentiation
C) assimilation
D) conceptualization

Question 7

Which of the following best defines the process of cognitive development in children?

A) Intelligence is developed.
B) Children learn to imitate others.
C) Children perceive and mentally represent the world.
D) Children learn strategies for developing short- and long-term memory.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a primary circular reaction?

A) Jean-Paul turns toward the sound of the phone ringing.
B) Lucien kicks his mobile over and over, which makes it move.
C) Kayla accidentally touches her nose with her thumb and then repeats the action.
D) Megan pulls her blanket so it brings her teddy bear close enough that she can grab it.

Question 9

A child looks repeatedly and intensely at an object.Which of the following is indicated by this activity?

A) The child is demonstrating memory.
B) The child does NOT understand the object.
C) The child is purposefully looking in order to see.
D) The child is demonstrating depth perception.

Question 10

Which of the following would Piaget NOT consider to be a stage of cognitive development?

A) the logical operations stage
B) the sensorimotor stage
C) the concrete operations stage
D) the formal operations stage

Question 11

What is the most advanced substage in Piaget's sensorimotor period?

A) the primary circular reaction substage
B) the secondary circular reaction substage
C) the tertiary circular reaction substage
D) the coordination of secondary schemes substage

Question 12

What distinguishes primary circular reactions from secondary circular reactions?

A) They are the same; one engages in a more complex behaviour.
B) Primary reactions involve more important behaviours than secondary reactions.
C) Primary reactions involve only reflexes, whereas secondary reactions involve thoughts.
D) Primary reactions focus on the body, whereas secondary reactions focus on the environment.

Question 13

Piaget closely observed the activities of his son, Laurent, who, like most children, had a tendency to experiment with his environment.Because of this behaviour, what did Piaget consider children to be?

A) scientists
B) copiers
C) comedians
D) students

Question 14

Which of the following children is coordinating secondary schemes?

A) Martha is coordinating primary circular reactions.
B) Geoff is engaging in most repetitions of behaviours by accident.
C) Alyssa can differentiate between how to achieve a goal and the goal itself.
D) Johnny engages in deliberate trial-and-error actions to learn how things work.

Question 15

In what substage of sensorimotor development is goal-directed behaviour first witnessed?

A) the simple reflexes substage
B) the primary circular reactions substage
C) the secondary circular reactions substage
D) the tertiary circular reactions substage

Question 16

While observing infants, you witness a tertiary circular reaction.What stage of cognitive development have you observed?

A) the sensorimotor stage
B) the preoperations stage
C) the concrete operations stage
D) the formal operations stage

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a simple reflex?

A) reaching for an object
B) purposefully searching for an object
C) looking to see if one's mother is near
D) turning toward the source of a noise

Question 18

Dylan picks up an object he has never seen before.He immediately puts it in his mouth.What stage of cognitive development is Dylan demonstrating?

A) the concrete operations
B) the oral-cognitive stage
C) the sensorimotor stage
D) the physio-emotive stage

Question 19

How would Piaget (1963) most likely describe the development of children's cognitive processes?

A) as an orderly sequence or series of stages
B) as slow and continuous from childhood to adulthood
C) as a developmental sequence that varies greatly for each child
D) as primarily completed by age 7, after which no new cognitive development occurs

Question 20

During which substage of the sensorimotor period of development are reflexes inflexible and stereotypical?

A) the first substage
B) the second substage
C) the third substage
D) the fourth substage

Question 21

Max is 10 months old.He is able to push one toy aside to reach another toy that he wants to play with.He is also able to imitate the gestures and sounds his parents make when they play with him.What is Max's behaviour an example of?

A) object permanence
B) secondary circular reactions
C) coordination of secondary schemes
D) invention of new means through mental combinations

Question 22

What is meant by deferred imitation?

A) Children can imitate from the moment they are born.
B) Children can mimic what they have seen but only within 5 seconds.
C) Imitation is a more automatic process than was assumed in the past.
D) Children may observe a behaviour and have a mental representation of it before they imitate it.

Question 23

Which of the following is a criticism as a result of research into Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory?

A) It overestimates the abilities of infants.
B) It does NOT explain cognitive development of infants.
C) It focuses almost exclusively on learning processes.
D) It focuses almost exclusively on maturational processes.

Question 24

Which of the following best describes Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory?

A) It has NOT been observed cross-culturally.
B) It is a very comprehensive theory of cognitive development.
C) It is an excellent theory for understanding infant social development.
D) It has been validated; infant cognitive development occurs in discrete stages.

Question 25

What does Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory suggest about children and object permanence?

A) Children develop an understanding of object permanence all at once.
B) Children develop the skills that lead to object permanence by 3 months of age.
C) Children come to understand object permanence even without prior experience.
D) Children develop object permanence before they develop emotional bonds to specific caregivers.

Question 26

Pamela is trying to place her rectangular block in the rectangular opening of her "know your shape" toy, but it is too wide to fit.She studies the block for some time and then grabs it, rotates it sideways, and the block successful falls in the opening.What substage of sensorimotor development was Pamela demonstrating?

A) the primary circular reaction substage
B) the secondary circular reactions substage
C) the coordination of secondary schemes substage
D) the invention of new means through mental combinations substage

Question 27

What is the meaning of the phrase "A-not-B error"?

A) Children will search for hidden objects only when they have an incentive.
B) Children will randomly search for hidden objects, but will quickly become frustrated and give up.
C) A child will search for a hidden toy but will quickly become distracted by other, more interesting objects.
D) A child may reach for a hidden object where it has always been, and will continue to reach there even when the child sees the toy hidden somewhere else.

Question 28

What have other researchers found regarding Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

A) Piaget's stages have been documented in children cross-culturally.
B) Piaget's stages have been documented only in Piaget's own children.
C) Piaget's stages apply more directly to the cognitive development of boys than girls.
D) Piaget's stages apply more directly to the cognitive development of girls than boys.

Question 29

What substage of sensorimotor development serves as a transition to the symbolic thought of the next stage?

A) the tertiary circular reaction substage
B) the secondary circular reaction substage
C) the coordination of secondary schemes substage
D) the invention of new means through mental combinations substage

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of a tertiary circular reaction?

A) Jean-Paul turns toward the sound of the phone ringing.
B) Lucien kicks his mobile over and over, which makes it move.
C) Kayla accidentally touches her nose with her thumb, which makes her laugh. Kayla then repeats the action, which makes her laugh again.
D) After many tries, Megan turns her toy sideways and is able to pull it into the crib. Now, whenever she wants the toy, she turns it sideways to pull it through.

Question 31

By what age will most children have demonstrated coordination of secondary schemes?

A) by age 2 to 3 months
B) by age 4 to 5 months
C) by age 8 or 9 months
D) by age 12 to 18 months

Question 32

What is the earliest age that a rudimentary knowledge of object permanence has been found?

A) at birth
B) at age 4 months
C) at age 8 months
D) at age 12 months

Question 33

What assumption forms the basis of a stage theory of cognitive development?

A) Development occurs regardless of experience.
B) Development is a continuous process that never ends.
C) Development occurs at different ages for different children.
D) Development progresses according to discrete, age-based steps.

Question 34

Children in the sensorimotor stage do NOT realize that people continue to exist even though they CANNOT be seen.What have these children NOT yet mastered?

A) memory
B) conservation
C) hypothetical reasoning
D) object permanence

Question 35

Martha, a 9-month-old infant, watches as her mother pushes a cow image on her favourite book and the book makes a "moo" sound.Several hours later, Martha pushes the cow and the book makes the "moo" sound.What is Martha's action an example of?

A) imitation
B) deferred imitation
C) instrumental learning
D) classical conditioning

Question 36

Which of the following is a characteristic of tertiary circular reactions?

A) Trial and error is still used until an action accomplishes the goal.
B) Trial and error is NOT needed.
C) The child will give up if something does NOT work the first time.
D) The child will NOT follow an object that is out of sight.

Question 37

By what age will most children have demonstrated tertiary circular reactions?

A) by age 2 to 3 months
B) by age 4 to 5 months
C) by age8 to 9 months
D) by age 12 to 18 months

Question 38

Alex reaches for a toy truck, which is hidden under the toy box.What would an informed observer be most likely to assume about this action?

A) Alex's action is random.
B) The action's significance depends on Alex's age.
C) The action's significance depends on the Alex's gender.
D) Alex has a mental representation of the object in mind.

Question 39

Jocelyn watches as her mother puts her toys in a basket.Three weeks later, after never having engaged in this behaviour, Jocelyn attempts to put her toys in the basket.What is Jocelyn NOT demonstrating?

A) memory
B) recognition
C) deferred imitation
D) simple reflexes

Question 40

Rob hid behind his son's blanket and said "peek-a-boo!" His son looked bored and turned away.Rob stated, "He just doesn't seem to understand that I still exist when he can't see me." What aspect of sensorimotor development is Rob looking forward to?

A) concrete operations
B) conservation
C) object permanence
D) abstraction

Question 41

Nicole adjusts her rate of sucking so she can listen to a recording of her mother reading "Good Night Moon," a story her mother read aloud while she was pregnant with Nicole.What does this activity illustrate?

A) imitation
B) memory
C) object permanence
D) deferred imitation

Question 42

Which of the following scales is included in the Bayley Scales of Infant Development?

A) a reflex rating scale
B) a language rating scale
C) a behaviour rating scale
D) a maternal behaviour with the child scale

Question 43

Which of the following is indicated when an infant sticks out her tongue?

A) memory
B) imitation
C) a random act
D) too little information to tell

Question 44

What is required to move from reflexive imitation to purposeful imitation?

A) the passing of time
B) improvements in cognitive abilities
C) the emergence of genetic programming
D) significant effort on the part of the child over an extended period of time

Question 45

Newborns at only 0.7 to 71 hours old have been found to imitate adults when the adults have done which of the following?

A) open their mouths or stick out their tongues
B) repeatedly open and close their eyes
C) repeatedly open and "fist up" their hands in front of the newborns
D) purse their lips

Question 46

Carla is an expectant mother and is reading about newborns' imitation reflex.Which of the following explanations of an imitation reflex is she NOT likely to encounter?

A) It contributes to caregiver-infant bonding.
B) It helps to ensure survival of the newborn.
C) It may be due to "mirror neurons" in the human brain.
D) It enables the newborn to suckle.

Question 47

What forms the basis for most human learning?

A) imitation of others
B) genetic programming
C) learning by trial and error
D) self-exploration

Question 48

In its simplest sense, what do the Bayley Scales measure?

A) mental and motor abilities
B) genetic influences on intelligence
C) social and emotional development
D) environmental influences on intelligence

Question 49

Which of the following has research taught us about infant memory?

A) Infants can remember only after 6 months of age.
B) Infants can memorize things after only one exposure.
C) Infants demonstrate memory for experiences they had in utero.
D) Infants do NOT demonstrate reliable memory until approximately 3 months of age.

Question 50

What is indicated when a child's Bayley test scores are average?

A) The child is developing at an average rate.
B) The infant can complete 100% of the items for his or her age group.
C) The assessment differs from child to child, depending on genetics and environment.
D) The infant passed the test at the age at which 50% of other infants also passed the test.

Question 51

What has research shown regarding individual differences in intelligence among infants?

A) Genetic differences expressed through intelligence are NOT identifiable among infants.
B) A great deal of variability in intelligence exists among infants.
C) Infant intelligence develops in a discontinuous, stage-like process throughout childhood.
D) A genetic process of development minimizes individual differences in infant intelligence.

Question 52

What test measures infant intelligence?

A) Apgar scale
B) Bayley scales
C) Riley scale
D) Piaget scale

Question 53

Which of the following skills does the Bayley Scales NOT measure when assessing an infant's intelligence?

A) attention span and persistence
B) gross and fine motor skills
C) verbal communication and perceptual skills
D) information processing

Question 54

At what age does the first dramatic improvement in infant memory occur?

A) between 1 and 2 months of age
B) between 2 and 6 months of age
C) between 6 and 8 months of age
D) between 9 and 12 months

Question 55

Research studies have shown that infants can imitate an adult who opens her mouth and sticks out her tongue.What is the earliest age this imitative behaviour been observed in infants?

A) less than 1 hour old
B) at age 2 days
C) at age 3 days
D) at age 1 week

Question 56

How long can typical 3-month-old infants remember a task they have learned?

A) 12 hours
B) 1 to 2 days
C) 3 to 4 days
D) up to one week

Question 57

How long can typical 2-month-old infants remember a task they have learned?

A) a few hours
B) 12 hours
C) up to 2 days
D) up to 3 days

Question 58

How is infant intelligence assessed?

A) by monitoring brain wave activity while the infant is presented with auditory stimuli
B) by comparing infant abilities to genetic norms
C) by comparing the abilities of one infant to others of the same age
D) by monitoring brain wave activity while the infant is presented with visual stimuli

Question 59

Why do we assess infant intelligence?

A) to ensure that bright children start school early
B) to screen for problems so that compensations can be made
C) because the assessments lead to accurate developmental predictions
D) to ensure follow-up parent capacity assessments are completed

Question 60

Mary, a one-hour-old infant, sticks out her tongue in response to her mother doing the same.What has most likely occurred?

A) learning
B) an imitation reflex
C) a deferred imitation
D) a decision to mimic an adult

Question 61

What does the expression "comprehension proceeds production" refer to?

A) echolalia
B) babbling
C) a receptive vocabulary
D) an expressive vocabulary

Question 62

Which of the following describes a 1-month-old's crying?

A) non-distinct
B) highly specific
C) serves no useful purpose
D) activated by the vocal tract

Question 63

As Michael plays in his crib, his parents overhear him making repetitive sounds such as "babababa" and "dadadada." What term describes this repeating of syllables?

A) cooing
B) echolalia
C) babbling
D) intonation

Question 64

What term refers to an infant's "ooh" and "ah" sounds, which are linked to joy or enthusiasm?

A) positive cries
B) cooing
C) babbling
D) echolalia

Question 65

Jennifer is eager to know when her son will start babbling.What is her pediatrician most likely to tell her?

A) It occurs before cooing.
B) It occurs after the ability to use intonation.
C) It appears between 6 and 9 months of age.
D) It is strongly related to words the child is trying to say.

Question 66

What is a child's most complex vocalization?

A) crying
B) cooing
C) babbling
D) making no sound, which shows awareness that all is well

Question 67

A child is shown two objects for 20 seconds.One of the objects is replaced by a new object, and the infant spends more time looking at the new object.What ability is NOT represented by this activity?

A) visual recognition
B) habituation
C) memory
D) classical conditioning

Question 68

What is the relationship between achievements on sensorimotor tests and other test achievements?

A) Achievements on sensorimotor tests are strongly related to subsequent IQ scores.
B) Achievements on sensorimotor tests are strongly related to childhood success in school.
C) Achievements on sensorimotor tests are dissimilar to intelligence measures used in other developmental stages.
D) Achievements on sensorimotor tests are strongly related to verbal and symbolic scores obtained in later childhood.

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT related to recognition memory?

A) a preference for novel stimulation
B) later IQ scores
C) an infant's ability to scan stimuli and retain images
D) brain wave activity when visually stimulated

Question 70

Dana asks her son's pediatrician whether overall scores on tests, such as the Bayley Scales, can accurately predict future grades in school.What is likely to be the pediatrician's response?

A) Yes, especially for verbal skills.
B) No, because the tests are invalid.
C) Yes, especially for mathematic abilities.
D) No, perhaps because cognitive functioning changes so rapidly in infancy.

Question 71

What did Susan Rose and her colleagues (2001) conclude regarding visual recognition memory?

A) It is stable from age to age.
B) It relates significantly to brain myelination.
C) It is positively correlated with brain weight.
D) It can screen infants for handicaps, such as sensory or neurological problems.

Question 72

What term refers to vocalizations that do NOT represent objects or events?

A) prelinguistic
B) nonsensical
C) random
D) expressive

Question 73

Jennifer is curious about her son's cries and coos.What is her pediatrician most likely to tell her?

A) They are based entirely on know-how.
B) They are innate, but modified by experience.
C) They are based entirely on genetic encoding.
D) They are accidental noises that are soon replaced by meaningful sounds.

Question 74

Jenna can tell the difference between a toy she has seen before and a new toy.What term refers to this ability?

A) habituation
B) sensory memory
C) recognition memory
D) classical conditioning

Question 75

What is intonation?

A) repeating what has been heard
B) rising and falling speech patterns
C) the replication of consonants and vowels
D) babbling sounds from all achievable languages

Question 76

Annette is a child development specialist.Her niece, Cassie, has just had her first child and asks Annette whether her infant's crying is considered a primitive form of language.What is most likely to be Annette's response?

A) It depends on the gender of the child.
B) It depends on the type of cry emitted.
C) Yes, her infant's crying represents language.
D) No, because crying does NOT represent objects or events.

Question 77

At what age do most infants begin cooing?

A) at birth
B) at age 1 week
C) at age 2 months
D) at age 4 months

Question 78

Baby Sammy likes to repeat the sound "dada." What is this vocalization called?

A) cooing
B) babbling
C) echolalia
D) her first word

Question 79

What is typically predicted by higher visual recognition scores in infancy?

A) creativity in later childhood
B) better memory in later childhood
C) higher IQ scores later in childhood
D) an increased likelihood of artistic ability

Question 80

What is the earliest communicative sound a child makes?

A) crying
B) cooing
C) saying "ma" or "pa"
D) echolalia