Deck 9: Early Childhood: Cognitive Development

Question 1

Jean Piaget suggested that static reasoning gave children the mental flexibility to progress beyond preoperational thought.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Interactive reading with preschoolers has been found to enhance their reading abilities in elementary school.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Piaget overestimated children's thinking skills.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The development of theory of mind has been demonstrated across cultures.

Question 5

The process by which people learn from others who lead their experiences and explorations is called "guided participation."

Question 6

Although vocabulary and imagination soar in early childhood, logical connections between ideas are not yet operational.

Question 7

Conservation refers to a child's assumption that the world is unchanging.

Question 8

Egocentrism is Piaget's term for a particular type of centration, in which the child thinks about the world from his or her own personal perspective.

Question 9

Overimitation is demonstrated when 2- to 6-year-old children imitate adult actions that are irrelevant, time-consuming, and inefficient.

Question 10

Centration is an obstacle to developing logical operations.

Question 11

The temporary, sensitive support provided by others to a developing child who is learning new skills is known as the "zone of proximal development."

Question 12

Preoperational thought includes language and imagination, but logical, operational thinking is not yet possible at this stage.

Question 13

The charting of new vocabulary words by associating them with already known words is called "fast-mapping."

Question 14

Most children display evidence of fast-mapping before the age of 1.

Question 15

By the age of 6, many children have a vocabulary of about 10,000 words.

Question 16

Vygotsky believed cognitive growth was a process of individual discovery, propelled by experience and biological maturation.

Question 17

Theory of mind refers to a person's theory of what other people might be thinking.

Question 18

Piaget coined the term scaffolding, a learning process that involves mentors who guide the child.

Question 19

Ten-year-old Sarah and 5-year-old Haley were making a special birthday card for their grandmother. As Sarah patiently showed Haley how to carefully glue the lace around the card's edges, she provided scaffolding for Haley.

Question 20

The "vocabulary explosion" typically occurs at about 1 year of age.

Question 21

Reggio Emilia programs emphasize formal classroom instruction by the teacher.

Question 22

One of the milestones of preoperational thought is the ability to _____.

A) use symbolic thought
B) understand reversibility
C) display conservation
D) think logically

Question 23

Teacher-directed preschool programs are similar in nature to the Reggio Emilia approach.

Question 24

The best time to learn a second language is in early childhood.

Question 25

To focus on one aspect of a situation and simultaneously exclude all other aspects is called "_____."

A) magical thinking
B) static reasoning
C) centration
D) animism

Question 26

Ivan was playing under the kitchen table when he stood up suddenly and bumped his head. He pointed at the table and sternly said, "Mean table!" Ivan is demonstrating Piaget's concept of " _____."

A) egocentrism
B) operational thinking
C) centration
D) animism

Question 27

Preoperational intelligence ____

A) allows children to think in symbols.
B) includes logical reasoning.
C) is characterized by reversibility of thought.
D) relies primarily on children's motor skills and senses.

Question 28

If a child's home environment is poor, early education programs won't be beneficial.

Question 29

Child-centered programs stress children's development and growth.

Question 30

A language shift occurs when children become as fluent in their new language as they are in their home language.

Question 31

Piaget believed that until about age 6, it is difficult for children to think _____.

A) subjectively
B) egocentrically
C) logically
D) about animism

Question 32

The most significant, long-term gains from intensive early-intervention programs were seen in boys from high-poverty neighborhoods in a Chicago preschool program.

Question 33

Piaget referred to the early childhood (ages 2 to 6) stage of cognitive development as "_____ intelligence."

A) operational
B) egocentric
C) preoperational
D) sensorimotor

Question 34

A magician's goal is to get the audience to focus on one aspect of his demonstration while he manipulates another. This is easy to do with preoperational children, as they are fooled by their tendency to _____.

A) be logical thinkers
B) reverse things in their minds
C) demonstrate centration
D) equilibrate

Question 35

Nine-year-old Bobby has no problem understanding that the 20-year-old woman who sometimes stays with him is both a student and a babysitter. According to Piaget, this is because Bobby's thinking has moved beyond _____.

A) conservation
B) object permanence
C) overregularization
D) centration

Question 36

It is always better for a young child to attend preschool than to be home with a parent.

Question 37

Piaget called the stage of cognitive development between the ages of 2 and 6 "preoperational intelligence" because children do not yet _____.

A) demonstrate intellectual behavior
B) use logical operations
C) understand language
D) produce language

Question 38

Studies suggest that preschool intervention, such as that provided by Head Start, advances the social and academic development of disadvantaged children.

Question 39

Montessori schools focus on using materials and projects in such a way that children have a strong sense of accomplishment.

Question 40

Overregularization actually signifies grammatical knowledge, not the lack of it.

Question 41

Yuri is the mother of 3-year-old Decha. Yuri shows Decha two equal balls of Play-Doh and determines that he views them as both the same. She then rolls one of the balls into a long 'snake' and asks Decha if the amounts of clay are still the same or if one is different. Decha replies, "The snake has more Play-Doh now!" Decha's reply indicates that he does not yet understand _____.

A) animism
B) conservation
C) centration
D) symbolic language

Question 42

Four-year-old Jonathan is sitting at the lunch counter next to his sister Erin. They are having hot dogs for lunch. When his mom cuts Jonathan's hot dog into five pieces and Erin's into six pieces. Jonathan protests, "Erin has more than me!" Which ability does Jonathan not yet demonstrate?

A) animism
B) centration
C) egocentrism
D) conservation

Question 43

According to Vygotsky's theory, skills that a child can accomplish with assistance but cannot yet perform independently are part of _____.

A) preoperational thinking
B) his or her theory of mind
C) physical maturation
D) the zone of proximal development

Question 44

____ is the belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive, moving around, and having sensations and abilities that are human-like.

A) Egocentrism
B) Animism
C) Centration
D) Static reasoning

Question 45

When Jennie sees her kindergarten teacher in the grocery store, she is shocked to see her outside of school. Jeannie's surprise is an example of "_____."

A) static reasoning
B) abstract reasoning
C) concrete thinking
D) irreversibility

Question 46

According to Lev Vygotsky, a child's first guided participation is provided by a mentor who is MOST likely a ____

A) classmate.
B) zone of proximal development.
C) parent.
D) younger sibling.

Question 47

According to Vygotsky, guided participation requires that a child _____.

A) interacts with a mentor to accomplish a task
B) is only provided with one set of directions for a task
C) discovers the solution to a task on his or her own
D) learns new skills through observation

Question 48

Jake's father takes him to the barber for his first real haircut. At first, Jake is excited, but as soon as the barber makes the first cut in his hair, he becomes very upset and tells his father to make the barber stop. In spite of his father's efforts to assure Jake that his hair will grow back, Jake is exhibiting the Piagetian characteristic known as "_____."

A) animism
B) centration
C) egocentrism
D) irreversibility

Question 49

The characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child thinks that nothing changes is called "_____."

A) egocentrism
B) conservation
C) static reasoning
D) centration

Question 50

Chantel dropped a tiny spot of ketchup on her pants during lunch. Even though her teacher was able to completely remove the spot, Chantel cries hysterically and says that she wants to go home because her outfit is ruined. Chantel's reaction is an example of "_____."

A) irreversibility
B) centration
C) egocentrism
D) conservation

Question 51

Four-year-old Collard thinks a tall 20-year-old man is older than a short 40-year-old man. Which Piagetian error characterizes Collard's thinking?

A) egocentrism
B) static thinking
C) a focus on appearance
D) symbolic thinking

Question 52

When children assume that the world is unchanging, they engage in _____.

A) magical thinking
B) static reasoning
C) centration
D) a focus on appearance

Question 53

Daryl has a ball of Silly Putty. His 6-year-old son, Mason, watches as Daryl flattens the Silly Putty into a thin "pancake." When Daryl asks Mason if there is now more Silly Putty, Mason replies "Yes" because he has _____.

A) an understanding of scaffolding
B) not mastered the concept of conservation
C) an understanding of object permanence
D) demonstrated fast-mapping

Question 54

Beverly and her mother were shopping for a birthday gift for Beverly's father. "How about this? Daddy would love it!" Beverly exclaimed, showing her mother a pink and purple toy horse with flowing mane and tail. Beverly's belief that her father would enjoy a toy that she herself would enjoy is an example of "_____."

A) static reasoning
B) egocentrism
C) irreversibility
D) conservatism

Question 55

"You are your mom's daughter, right?" Grandpa asked Beatriz. "Yes!" Beatriz eagerly answered.
"Well, your mom is my daughter," Grandpa replied.
"No! She's my Mommy!" Beatriz exclaimed. Beatriz is demonstrating which Piagetian error?

A) conservation
B) object permanence
C) overregularization
D) centration

Question 56

As Juan and his father, Carlos, put together a puzzle for the first time, Carlos begins by showing Juan how to locate the outside pieces of the puzzle first. Once Juan starts to get the idea, Carlos gradually withdrawals his support, allowing Juan to take more responsibility. Carlos is demonstrating Vygotsky's concept of "______."

A) sensorimotor support
B) scaffolding
C) optimal reinforcement
D) overimitation

Question 57

Irreversibility refers to the preoperational child's tendency to _____.

A) focus on something other than appearances
B) use deductive reasoning to solve a problem
C) believe that what has been done cannot be undone
D) engage in centration when another solution is needed

Question 58

The Piagetian term for a particular type of centration in which a child thinks about the world only from his or her personal perspective is called "_____."

A) static reasoning
B) egocentrism
C) irreversibility
D) conservatism

Question 59

After seeing her new haircut for the first time, Tania began crying inconsolably. She cried, "You turned me into a boy!" Tania's statement is an example of "_____."

A) egocentrism
B) static thinking
C) a focus on appearance
D) symbolic thinking

Question 60

A child's inability to understand that undoing a sequence of events will bring about the original situation is called "_____."

A) concrete operations
B) conservation
C) irreversibility
D) symbolic thought

Question 61

According to theory-theory, children imitate irrelevant adult behaviors because they ____

A) mindlessly copy everything adults do.
B) theorize that the irrelevant behavior must be important.
C) theorize that the adult will reward them for correct imitation.
D) derive pleasure from correctly imitating behaviors of all sorts.

Question 62

Balor, 2 1/2, watches his father read the paper every morning at breakfast. Yesterday, Balor's mom observed him climbing into a chair and rapidly scrunching pages of the newspaper as he tried to turn pages. When he saw his mother looking, Baylor exclaimed, "Like daddy!" Baylor's behavior illustrates the concept of "______."

A) modeling
B) scaffolding
C) exaggerated expression
D) overimitation

Question 63

Which is an example of scaffolding?

A) David helps his son build a model airplane by assembling it while his son watches.
B) Howard and Priscilla buy an Xbox game system for their 5-year-old daughter Rebecca. They set it up for her and then allow her to figure out how to turn it on and use it.
C) Richard buys a do-it-yourself kite kit for his 6-year-old daughter Angela. He lays all of the pieces out for her and then allows her to read the instructions and follow them herself.
D) Miriam helps her son Ben to make cookies. She measures all of the ingredients out and places them on the counter in small bowls. She reads the recipe aloud as Ben places the ingredients in the bowl and mixes them together with a spoon.

Question 64

Although all of the objects of a culture guide children, ______ believed that language is pivotal.

A) Vygotsky
B) B. F. Skinner
C) Ainsworth
D) Erikson

Question 65

Speech serves a _____ function, as mentors guide mentees in their zone of proximal development, learning numbers, recalling memories, and following routines.

A) preoperational
B) sociobiological
C) bidirectional
D) social mediation

Question 66

According to Vygotsky, a teacher who carefully plans each child's participation in the learning process within the zone of proximal development uses _____.

A) reinforcements for good behavior
B) scaffolding
C) peer mentoring
D) skill construction

Question 67

A few days ago, Hester's parents disciplined her because she refused to eat her green beans. Today, when her parents announced that they were going to get a divorce, Hester cried, "Is it because I was bad? I'll be good!" Hester's conclusion that her failure to eat her green beans is the reason her parents are getting divorced reflects the concept of "_____."

A) deductive reasoning
B) conservation
C) scaffolding
D) theory-theory

Question 68

Executive functioning involves three components: _______.

A) working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control
B) short-term memory, habituation, and theory of mind
C) information processing, emotional reactivity, and social awareness
D) perspective taking, concrete thinking, and cognitive flexibility

Question 69

A person's understanding of the thoughts of other people is called "_____."

A) intuitive psychology
B) psychological schemata
C) theory of mind
D) self-schemes

Question 70

Humans seek reasons, causes, and underlying principles to explain the world around them. The research term for this tendency is _____.

A) deductive reasoning
B) conservation
C) scaffolding
D) theory-theory

Question 71

Britney understands that her father is crying because his best friend died. This shows that Britney has developed _____.

A) egocentrism
B) a script for crying
C) theory of mind
D) conservation

Question 72

Preschoolers try to construct a reason for the things that they see and hear. This tendency is known as "_____."

A) reversibility
B) focus on appearance
C) theory-theory
D) logical reasoning

Question 73

According to Vygotsky, which capability is demonstrated when young children repeat adult actions that are irrelevant, time-consuming, and inefficient?

A) observing
B) scaffolding
C) modeling
D) overimitation

Question 74

According to Vygotsky, within the context of cognition, language is a tool _____.

A) to make oneself understood
B) to regulate behavior
C) to advance thought
D) of self-expression

Question 75

While working on a coloring worksheet, 5-year-old Aaliyah can be heard whispering, "Color this one blue. Stay in the lines. Oh, yellow would be pretty." According to Vygotsky, Aaliyah's utterances are _____.

A) egocentric
B) indicative of emotional problems
C) called private speech
D) undermining her learning

Question 76

Sydney helps her 2-year-old daughter make hot chocolate. Sydney assists her daughter as they measure teaspoons of cocoa into a cup, add water, stir the contents, and then microwave the cup. Sydney is demonstrating Vygotsky's concept of "_____."

A) scaffolding
B) experience-expectant growth
C) conservation training
D) modeling

Question 77

According to Vygotsky, the internal dialogue that people have with themselves either silently or aloud is referred to as "_____."

A) theory of mind
B) guided participation
C) private speech
D) apprenticeship

Question 78

At what age do MOST children without older siblings develop theory of mind?

A) 1 year
B) 2 years
C) 3 years
D) 4 years

Question 79

One of Vygotsky's most influential concepts was the "zone of proximal development." According to this concept, _____.

A) there is a certain place in a school where most learning occurs
B) children can only reach a certain level of intelligence
C) children can master challenging tasks with the help of others
D) certain parts of the brain need to be activated during sensitive periods

Question 80

Only after a child has developed theory of mind can he or she _____.

A) offer comfort to a crying playmate
B) tell a lie
C) feel anger
D) take turns sharing