Question 1

List the six substages of the sensorimotor stage, the ages associated with each substage, and the types of cognitive activities that are dominant during each substage.

Accepted Answer

The six substages of the sensorimotor stage, as proposed by Jean Piaget, are as follows:

1. Reflexive Stage (0-1 month): During this stage, infants primarily rely on reflexes such as sucking and grasping to interact with the world around them. They are also developing basic sensory abilities.

2. Primary Circular Reactions (1-4 months): Infants begin to repeat actions that bring them pleasure, such as sucking their thumb or kicking their legs. They also start to coordinate their sensory experiences with their motor actions.

3. Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months): Infants become more interested in the world around them and start to repeat actions that have an effect on their environment, such as shaking a rattle to make noise. They also begin to develop object permanence, the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight.

4. Coordination of Reactions (8-12 months): Infants start to demonstrate intentional behavior and goal-directed actions. They also begin to understand cause and effect relationships and engage in simple problem-solving activities.

5. Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months): Toddlers begin to explore and experiment with their environment in more complex ways. They may engage in trial-and-error problem solving and demonstrate a greater understanding of object permanence.

6. Mental Representation (18-24 months): This final substage marks the beginning of symbolic thought and the ability to mentally represent objects and events. Toddlers start to engage in pretend play and demonstrate a more advanced understanding of cause and effect relationships.

During each substage, the dominant cognitive activities are reflective of the developmental milestones and abilities that are emerging at that time. These activities include basic reflexes, repetitive actions, intentional behavior, problem-solving, and symbolic thought.

Question 2

If horizontal decalage were shown to apply across Piaget's developmental stages, this result would

Accepted Answer

A)  strengthen the validity of the hypothesized stages.
B)  have little or no impact on the stage theory.
C)  weaken the validity of the hypothesized stages.
D)  be trivial because Piaget already recognized individual differences. C

Question 3

The viewpoint that claims many cognitive skills are innate is called

Accepted Answer

A)  neo-nativism.
B)  para-piagetianism.
C)  trans-environmentalism.
D)  parental intuitionism. A

Question 4

An overseas tourist comments on everything new by mentioning its similarities to familiar places back home. This resembles Piagetian

Accepted Answer

A)  assimilation.
B)  accommodation.
C)  conservation.
D)  primary circular reaction.

Question 5

Five-year-old Charley didn't think that dogs could talk until he saw a talking dog on TV. The change in Charley's understanding about dogs illustrates the Piagetian principle called

Accepted Answer

A)  phylogenetic development.
B)  animistic magic.
C)  accommodation.
D)  assimilation.

Question 6

Describe how the developmental themes from the text (active-passive; continuity-discontinuity; holistic; and nature-nurture) can be applied to Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe how the developmental themes from the...

Question 7

Formal-operational thinking is helpful because it prepares teenagers to

Accepted Answer

A)  be cautious and avoid danger in their personal conduct.
B)  gather factual knowledge before making decisions.
C)  seek the advice of elders such as their parents.
D)  consider possibilities about the future.

Question 8

In Piaget's cognitive theory, intelligence is like a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  random unpredictable series of thunderstorms.
B)  counselor who helps a new arrival adjust to camp life.
C)  teacher who explains everything with animal metaphors.
D)  innate genetic disease that occurs at a programmed age.

Question 9

Differentiate between organization and adaptation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Differentiate between organization and adaptation....

Question 10

PRIMARY CIRCULAR REACTION is to SECONDARY CIRCULAR REACTION as ____ is to ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  HORIZONTAL :: VERTICAL
B)  APPEARANCE :: REALITY
C)  RANDOM :: PURPOSIVE
D)  SELF :: OTHER

Question 11

In Piaget's cognitive theory, a ____ is a mental model that represents, organizes, or interprets experience for the child.

Accepted Answer

A)  concrete operation
B)  centration
C)  scaffold
D)  scheme

Question 12

A slogan for Vygotsky's "zone of proximal development" would be,

Accepted Answer

A)  "Let innate knowledge blossom from within you."
B)  "Don't intrude on the child's personal space."
C)  "Let the child discover on her own."
D)  "Being helped is best."

Question 13

A slogan of neo-nativism would be,

Accepted Answer

A)  "Abilities arise from experiential learning."
B)  "The newborn arrives with much knowledge."
C)  "Development is totally flexible."
D)  "Knowledge is constructed from early reflexes."

Question 14

Wynn found that young infants stare longer at "impossible" outcomes than at possible ones. She concluded that the infants

Accepted Answer

A)  are confused about what is possible and what is not.
B)  become annoyed when adults control what they see.
C)  know nothing at birth, but learn quickly within weeks.
D)  understand about object permanence.

Question 15

At age four, Freddy and his friends wear their firefighter uniforms and drag hoses around the backyard, pretending to put out imaginary fires. This is

Accepted Answer

A)  symbolic play.
B)  identity training.
C)  sensorimotor play.
D)  competitive social play.

Question 16

Smarty's ball has rolled under the sofa, and he immediately starts to hunt for it. Smarty's behavior illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  that one must know decentering in order to conserve.
B)  the boundaries of his zone of proximal development.
C)  that he is in Piaget's formal operations stage
D)  the Piagetian principle of object permanence.

Question 17

Spanky is a five-year-old boy. In sharing cookies with his older sister, Spanky is satisfied because his sister took two cookies and gave two half-cookies to him. Spanky has not yet mastered

Accepted Answer

A)  conservation of mass.
B)  reversibility.
C)  centration.
D)  animism.

Question 18

Vygotsky's private speech is important because private speech helps the child

Accepted Answer

A)  passively report on recent thoughts.
B)  become a patient and polite listener.
C)  consider moral judgments about right and wrong.
D)  plan and regulate behaviors or mental activities.

Question 19

Suppose that you are a first-grade teacher and notice that many of the children in your class sometimes talk aloud to themselves when they do arithmetic or other schoolwork. You wonder whether you should discourage these mutterings. Discuss how these mutterings might be viewed from Vygotsky's viewpoint and in light of recent research findings.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose that you are a first-grade teacher...

Question 20

Cultural influences on the child were strongly emphasized by ____ developmental theory.

Accepted Answer

A)  Sigmund Freud's
B)  Lev Vygotsky's
C)  Jean Piaget's
D)  B.F. Skinner's

Exam 6: Cognitive Development: Piagets Theory and Vygotskys Sociocultural Viewpoint