Question 1

Identify a true statement about the work of Andrew Meltzoff on imitation in infant development.
A) He emphasizes that an infant's imitative abilities resemble a hardwired response.
B) He concluded that infants blindly imitate everything they see.
C) He held that deferred imitation does not occur until about 18 months of age.
D) He sees infants' imitative abilities as biologically based.

Accepted Answer

Andrew Meltzoff sees infants' imitative abilities as biologically based, emphasizing the role of biology in imitation in infant development. He also identified deferred imitation as occurring as early as 6 weeks of age, contradicting option C. Option A is incorrect as Meltzoff's research supports the idea that infants' imitative abilities are shaped by social and environmental factors, rather than being hardwired. Option B is also incorrect, as Meltzoff's research indicates that infants selectively imitate actions that are goal-directed and intentional, rather than blindly imitating everything they see.

Question 2

In the context of the five systems of rules involved in language, which of the following terms refers to the sound system of a language, including the sounds that are used and how they may be combined?
A) pragmatics
B) semantics
C) phonology
D) morpheme

Accepted Answer

Phonology refers to the sound system of a language, including the sounds that are used and how they may be combined. Pragmatics refers to how context can affect language use, semantics refers to the meaning of words and sentences, and a morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a language.

Question 3

According to Jean Mandler, ________ refers to categorizations of objects by infants based on similar features of the objects, such as size, color, and movement, as well as parts of the objects, such as legs for animals.
A) conceptual categorization
B) assimilation
C) infinite generativity
D) perceptual categorization

Accepted Answer

Perceptual categorization refers to the ability of infants to categorize objects based on their perceptual features such as size, color, and movement. This ability is the foundation for future conceptual categorization which involves categorizing objects based on their abstract or conceptual attributes such as function or purpose.

Question 4

A ________ is the basic unit of sound in a language.
A) morpheme
B) phoneme
C) grapheme
D) syntax

Accepted Answer

Phoneme is the basic unit of sound in a language. Morpheme refers to the smallest unit of meaning, grapheme is the smallest unit of written language, and syntax refers to the set of rules that govern the structure of sentences in a language.

Question 5

In the context of the five systems of rules involved in language, which of the following is the system that involves the way words are combined to form acceptable phrases and sentences?
A) phonology
B) syntax
C) semantics
D) reciprocity

Accepted Answer

Syntax involves the rules for combining words to form phrases and sentences. Phonology refers to the sounds and sound patterns of a language, semantics deals with the meaning of words and sentences, and reciprocity is not a system of rules involved in language.

Question 6

Ariel is nine months old. She understands that a bird is an animal and that an airplane is a vehicle even though both the objects have wings. According to Jean Mandler, which of the following statements is most likely true of Ariel's categorization of the objects?
A) Ariel has conceptually categorized the objects.
B) Ariel has categorized the objects by making perceptual discriminations between different categories of objects.
C) Ariel has perceptually categorized the objects.
D) Ariel has categorized the objects on the basis of prototypes that she extracted from the structural regularities of the objects.

Accepted Answer

According to Jean Mandler's theory of conceptual categorization, infants as young as nine months old are capable of categorizing objects based on their conceptual understanding rather than solely on perceptual features. Therefore, Ariel is most likely categorizing the objects conceptually by understanding that they belong to different categories based on their functions (i.e. animal vs vehicle) rather than just their physical attributes.

Question 7

An example of the basic unit of sound in the English language is the sound the letter "m" makes. This sound is called a
A) morpheme.
B) phoneme.
C) grapheme.
D) syntax.

Accepted Answer

The basic unit of sound in the English language is the phoneme. The sound the letter "m" makes is an example of a phoneme. A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a word, a grapheme is the smallest unit of a written language, and syntax refers to the rules governing the structure of sentences.

Question 8

A newborn baby widens her eyes after her mother widens her eyes and mouth and smiles at the baby. Meltzoff would say that this baby is
A) exhibiting a reflex.
B) engaging in true imitation.
C) showing deferred imitation.
D) habituating to the mother's facial expression.

Accepted Answer

According to Meltzoff's theory of infant imitation, the newborn baby's reaction to widening her eyes after her mother widens her eyes and mouth and smiles at the baby is considered as true imitation. Meltzoff argues that infants have an innate ability to imitate behaviors of others, even in the absence of reinforcement, as early as the first few days of life. Therefore, the best answer is B, engaging in true imitation.

Question 9

Most researchers find that babies do not show ________ until the second half of the first year.
A) dishabituation
B) explicit memory
C) habituation
D) implicit memory

Accepted Answer

Babies typically do not show explicit memory, which involves conscious recall of information, until the second half of the first year. Implicit memory, which involves unconscious recall and is demonstrated through performance rather than conscious recollection, can be observed earlier. Habituation and dishabituation are processes related to how infants respond to repeated stimuli, not directly related to the development timeline of explicit memory.

Question 10

Identify a true statement about infant memory development.
A) Babies show explicit memory until the second half of the first year.
B) Most of young infants' implicit memory of perceptual-motor actions can be substantial.
C) Explicit memory weakens during the second year of life.
D) Most of young infants' conscious memories are strong and long term.

Accepted Answer

Research shows that young infants have a strong implicit memory for perceptual-motor actions, such as remembering how to kick their legs to move a mobile. However, their explicit memory, which involves conscious and intentional recall of information, does not emerge until around 6-9 months of age and is limited in capacity. Therefore, options A, C, and D are not true statements about infant memory development.

Question 11

Renee remembers very little about the first three years of her life. Psychologists find this normal and refer to it as
A) retroactive memory interference.
B) infantile amnesia.
C) child memory loss.
D) memory trace.

Accepted Answer

Infantile amnesia is the phenomenon where individuals have limited to no memories of their first few years of life. This is considered normal by psychologists as the brain is still developing during that time and memories may not be stored in a way that can be retrieved later on.

Question 12

June knows the names of all the states that comprise the United States. The names of the states are part of June's ________ memory.
A) innate
B) explicit
C) distinctive
D) implicit

Accepted Answer

June's knowledge of the names of all the states is a result of explicit memory, which is the conscious and intentional recollection of information that we can put into words or declare.

Question 13

Most of young infants' conscious memories appear to be ________, although their implicit memory of perceptual-motor actions can be ________.
A) substantial; rather fragile
B) well-developed; underdeveloped
C) rather fragile and short-lived; substantial
D) long-lasting; short-lived

Accepted Answer

Studies suggest that young infants' conscious memories are rather fragile and short-lived, while their implicit memory of perceptual-motor actions can be substantial. Therefore, option C is the best choice.

Question 14

Using habituation experiments, some researchers have found that infants as young as ________ can group together objects with similar appearances.
A) five to six days
B) three to four weeks
C) three to four months
D) five to six months

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that infants as young as three to four months old are able to group together objects with similar appearances through habituation experiments.

Question 15

Mandy, a 9-month-old infant, saw a little girl in a toy store pushing buttons on a musical toy that plays a different song for each button. When Mandy's grandmother gave the same toy to her the following day, Mandy immediately started pushing the buttons. In the context of infants' cognitive development, Mandy was most likely displaying
A) dishabituation.
B) categorization.
C) object permanence.
D) deferred imitation.

Accepted Answer

Mandy was displaying deferred imitation, which is the ability to replicate a behavior observed at an earlier time. She imitated the little girl in the toy store by pushing the buttons on the musical toy the following day. This is an example of deferred imitation, which is a key aspect of infants' cognitive development. Option A, dishabituation, is when an infant's interest is renewed when presented with a new or previously unfamiliar stimulus. Option B, categorization, is the ability to group similar objects or experiences into categories based on shared properties. Option C, object permanence, is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of view. None of these options fully explain Mandy's behavior in this scenario.

Question 16

________ are cognitive groupings of similar objects, events, people, or ideas.
A) Symbols
B) Concepts
C) Habits
D) Semantics

Accepted Answer

Concepts are cognitive groupings of similar objects, events, people, or ideas. Symbols refer to a representation of an idea or concept, habits refer to a repetitive behavior, and semantics refers to the meaning behind language.

Question 17

A form of communication that is based on a system of symbols is called
A) syntax.
B) grammar.
C) language.
D) phonology.

Accepted Answer

A system of symbols is the basis of language, which is a complex system of communication used by humans to convey meaning, ideas, and emotions. Syntax, grammar, and phonology are components of language, but they are not the defining feature of language itself.

Question 18

Remembering how to swim is an example of
A) implicit memory.
B) deferred imitation.
C) joint attention.
D) explicit memory.

Accepted Answer

Remembering how to swim is a procedural memory which is a type of implicit memory. Implicit memory is the unconscious or automatic memory of knowledge or skills.

Question 19

From about 6 to 12 months of age, the maturation of the ________ and the surrounding cerebral cortex, especially the frontal lobes, makes explicit memory possible.
A) amygdala
B) hippocampus
C) hypothalamus
D) cerebellum

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is a brain structure essential for the formation of explicit memories, which refers to conscious and intentional recollection of past experiences. The maturation of the hippocampus, together with the development of the surrounding cortical areas, especially the prefrontal cortex, allows infants to encode, store, and retrieve events from their past. The amygdala is involved in emotional processing, the hypothalamus in homeostatic regulation, and the cerebellum in motor coordination, but none of them have a primary role in explicit memory formation.

Question 20

Someone with a vocabulary of only 200 words can recombine the words in different ways to say thousands of different things. This aspect of language is referred to as
A) syntax.
B) phonology.
C) morphology.
D) infinite generativity.

Accepted Answer

Infinite generativity refers to the ability of speakers of a language to produce an infinite number of sentences using a finite set of words and rules of grammar. This is what allows someone with a limited vocabulary to still be able to communicate effectively and express a wide range of ideas. Phonology refers to the study of the sound system of a language, morphology deals with the structure of words, and syntax is concerned with how words are combined to form sentences.

Quiz 5: Cognitive Development in Infancy

Identify a true statement about the work of Andrew Meltzoff on imitation in infant development.

In the context of the five systems of rules involved in language, which of the following terms refers to the sound system of a language, including the sounds that are used and how they may be combined?

According to Jean Mandler, ________ refers to categorizations of objects by infants based on similar features of the objects, such as size, color, and movement, as well as parts of the objects, such as legs for animals.

A ________ is the basic unit of sound in a language.

In the context of the five systems of rules involved in language, which of the following is the system that involves the way words are combined to form acceptable phrases and sentences?

Ariel is nine months old. She understands that a bird is an animal and that an airplane is a vehicle even though both the objects have wings. According to Jean Mandler, which of the following statements is most likely true of Ariel's categorization of the objects?

An example of the basic unit of sound in the English language is the sound the letter "m" makes. This sound is called a

A newborn baby widens her eyes after her mother widens her eyes and mouth and smiles at the baby. Meltzoff would say that this baby is

Most researchers find that babies do not show ________ until the second half of the first year.

Identify a true statement about infant memory development.

Renee remembers very little about the first three years of her life. Psychologists find this normal and refer to it as

June knows the names of all the states that comprise the United States. The names of the states are part of June's ________ memory.

Most of young infants' conscious memories appear to be , although their implicit memory of perceptual-motor actions can be .

Using habituation experiments, some researchers have found that infants as young as ________ can group together objects with similar appearances.

________ are cognitive groupings of similar objects, events, people, or ideas.

A form of communication that is based on a system of symbols is called

Remembering how to swim is an example of

From about 6 to 12 months of age, the maturation of the ________ and the surrounding cerebral cortex, especially the frontal lobes, makes explicit memory possible.

Someone with a vocabulary of only 200 words can recombine the words in different ways to say thousands of different things. This aspect of language is referred to as