Question 1

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 food. Which sensorimotor stage is Tia MOST likely in? ____
A) stage three
B) stage four
C) stage five
D) stage six

Accepted Answer

Tia's fascination with flushing objects down the toilet indicates that she is in the fifth sensorimotor stage, known as the stage of "Tertiary Circular Reactions." At this stage, infants begin to actively experiment and explore the world around them, using trial and error to understand the consequences of their actions. Tia's repeated attempts to flush different objects down the toilet suggest that she is engaging in complex, intentional behaviors and is actively seeking out new stimuli to explore.

Question 2

_____ 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

Accepted Answer

Object permanence is the concept that objects still exist, even if they cannot be seen or heard. This cognitive milestone is typically achieved around 6-8 months of age and is a crucial aspect of development in terms of understanding the world around us. The other options are not as directly related to this concept.

Question 3

Piaget referred to toddlers in sensorimotor stage five as _____.
A) little heathens
B) tertiary infants
C) little scientists
D) blank slates

Accepted Answer

Piaget referred to toddlers in sensorimotor stage five as "little scientists" because they actively seek out information about their environment and use trial and error to solve problems. They also begin to develop an understanding of cause and effect relationships.

Question 4

Information-processing theory asserts that development _____, and Piaget's theory asserts that development _____.
A) occurs in stages; occurs in stages
B) occurs in stages; occurs daily
C) occurs daily; occurs in stages
D) occurs daily; occurs daily

Accepted Answer

Information-processing theory suggests that development is a continuous process that occurs daily, while Piaget's theory posits that development occurs in distinct stages.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of An example of stage-three sensorimotor behavior is...

Question 6

Which of the following behaviors indicates that Drake has grasped the concept of "object permanence"? _____
A) Drake laughs when a sibling makes faces.
B) Drake grasps a rattle and bangs it on the floor.
C) Drake willingly lets go of an object.
D) Drake searches for a toy that has fallen from sight.

Accepted Answer

Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. The fact that Drake searches for a toy that has fallen from sight indicates that he understands this concept. The other options do not necessarily demonstrate this understanding.

Question 7

The behavior of an infant in sensorimotor stage four might best be described as _____.
A) deliberate
B) experimental
C) creative
D) anxious

Accepted Answer

In sensorimotor stage four, infants begin to engage in intentional and deliberate behavior, such as intentionally repeating actions that bring about interesting results.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

Ramy has displayed the A-not-B error, which is a common mistake made by infants during the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development. This error occurs when a child searches for an object where it was last found (location A), rather than its new location (location B), even after observing it being moved.

Question 9

Stage _____ of sensorimotor development is characterized by trying to continue an experience, whereas stage _____ is characterized by initiating and anticipating events.
A) one; two
B) two; three
C) three; four
D) four; five

Accepted Answer

Stage three of sensorimotor development involves trying to continue an experience, while stage four involves initiating and anticipating events.

Question 10

According to Piaget, a child in stage five of sensorimotor development is like a _____.
A) child in the "terrible twos"
B) childish teenager who wants his way all of the time
C) perfectionist who must do everything right
D) scientist who experiments to see what will happen

Accepted Answer

According to Piaget, a child in stage five of sensorimotor development is like a scientist who experiments to see what will happen. In this stage, children develop a sense of object permanence and can mentally represent objects that are not present. They also engage in trial-and-error experimentation to learn about cause-and-effect relationships. This is similar to how scientists explore and experiment to understand the world around them. Thus, option D is the best choice.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sensorimotor stage four is the stage of...

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of Piaget's sixth stage of sensorimotor intelligence is...

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

The theory that compares human cognition to the workings of a computer is the information-processing theory. This theory suggests that the mind works like a computer, taking in information, processing it, and producing output.

Question 14

Adriana and her mother have been playing patty-cake, but her mother is now trying to engage Adriana in a picture book. Adriana wants to play patty-cake again, so she grabs her mother's hands and puts them together as if in a clap. Adriana is clearly in stage ____ of sensorimotor development.
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four

Accepted Answer

In stage four of sensorimotor development, infants begin to show goal-directed behavior and can coordinate actions to achieve a desired outcome, such as Adriana trying to initiate patty-cake again.

Question 15

The behavior of an infant in sensorimotor stage four might best be described as _____.
A) goal oriented
B) redundant
C) stubborn
D) unintentional

Accepted Answer

In sensorimotor stage four (which occurs between 8-12 months), infants show goal-oriented behavior, where they actively seek out ways to achieve a desired outcome or goal, such as reaching for a toy that is out of reach. They also display some intentional actions, such as repeating actions that have resulted in a desired outcome in the past. Therefore, option A (goal-oriented) is the best choice. Option B (redundant) and option C (stubborn) do not accurately describe the behavior of infants in this stage, and option D (unintentional) is not accurate as infants in this stage are starting to display intentional behaviors.

Question 16

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 is because Hugh does not understand _____.
A) conservation
B) object permanence
C) egocentrism
D) affordances

Accepted Answer

Object permanence refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. In this scenario, when the keys are taken away, Hugh does not search for them, indicating that he does not have a grasp on object permanence.

Question 17

The first of Piaget's sensorimotor stages that involves an infant's interaction with something else is stage _____.
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) five

Accepted Answer

The answer of The first of Piaget's sensorimotor stages that...

Question 18

Research indicates that infants reach the stages 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

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that infants reach the stages of Piaget's sensorimotor intelligence earlier than he originally predicted. This is partly due to advancements in technology and improvements in research methods, which have allowed for more accurate observations of infants' behavior and cognitive abilities.

Question 19

Baby 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 her the circle with two dots in it, and records how long Mariska stares at it. What research method is being used?
A) observation
B) habituation
C) implementation
D) visualization

Accepted Answer

The research method being used is habituation. This is because the researcher is repeatedly presenting the empty circle to Mariska until she loses interest (habituates), and then presents the circle with two dots to see if Mariska shows renewed interest (dishabituation). This is a common method used in studies of infant perception and cognition.

Question 20

Cooper sees his mother come through the door after work. He squeals, "Mama!" According to information-processing theorists, Cooper's reaction to his mother is an example of _____.
A) a linguistic supplier
B) habituation
C) an output
D) a calculation

Accepted Answer

Cooper's squeal of "Mama!" is an output, which is the response or action produced by the information-processing system in reaction to a stimulus (in this case, seeing his mother come through the door after work). Option A, linguistic supplier, is not a valid term in the context of information-processing theory. Option B, habituation, refers to the process by which a child becomes less responsive to a stimulus after repeated exposure to it, and is not relevant to Cooper's reaction. Option D, calculation, implies a deliberate cognitive process that is not necessarily applicable to Cooper's simple and instinctive reaction.

Quiz 6: The First Two Years: Cognitive Development

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 food. Which sensorimotor stage is Tia MOST likely in? ____

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

Piaget referred to toddlers in sensorimotor stage five as _____.

Information-processing theory asserts that development _, and Piaget's theory asserts that development _.

An example of stage-three sensorimotor behavior is _____.

Which of the following behaviors indicates that Drake has grasped the concept of "object permanence"? _____

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

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

According to Piaget, a child in stage five of sensorimotor development is like a _____.

Sensorimotor stage four is the stage of _____.

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

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

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

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

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 is because Hugh does not understand _____.

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

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

Cooper sees his mother come through the door after work. He squeals, "Mama!" According to information-processing theorists, Cooper's reaction to his mother is an example of _____.