Question 1

Nori, who has never attended school, is asked to complete Piaget's combination-of-liquids problem. What is the likely outcome?

Accepted Answer

Nori, who has never attended school, is less likely to have developed the formal operational thinking skills that are typically fostered in Western-style educational settings, making her more likely to fail at the task.

Question 2

Formal operations are sometimes called "second-order" operations because:

Accepted Answer

Formal operations are considered "second-order" because they involve operations applied to other operations, such as thinking about thinking or reasoning about reasoning.

Question 3

A belief that knowledge involves an accumulation of objective facts and definite answers is called:

Accepted Answer

The belief that knowledge involves an accumulation of objective facts and definite answers aligns with the objective theory of knowledge, which emphasizes factual and definitive information.

Question 4

The combination-of-liquids task, in which children discover how to mix four colorless liquids to make yellow, requires which type of thinking skills for its solution?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The combination-of-liquids task, in which children discover...

Question 5

Another name for formal operations is ____________ because at this stage children can apply operations to operations.

Accepted Answer

At the formal operational stage, children can apply operations to operations, which is also known as second-order operations.

Question 6

A belief that there is no absolute truth because truth can change depending on one's perspective is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The subjective theory of knowledge posits that truth is relative and can vary based on individual perspectives and experiences.

Question 7

The liquid task designed by Inhelder and Piaget asked children to determine which combination of chemicals would turn yellow when another chemical was added. In performing this task, 7-year-old children:

Accepted Answer

According to Inhelder and Piaget, 7-year-old children typically lack the cognitive development to systematically approach such tasks, often being unsystematic in their combinations.

Question 8

The systematic consideration of all possible combinations of variables in a problem to be solved shows:

Accepted Answer

Formal operational thinking involves the ability to systematically consider all possible combinations of variables in a problem, which is characteristic of this stage of cognitive development.

Question 9

Janine is getting married and has decided to assign seating at her reception. She is now working on deciding who will sit at each of the tables in the reception hall. She has to worry about who will sit up front and who will sit toward the rear. She has to think about whom to sit next to Uncle Earl and also consider the need to separate Aunt Thelma from Aunt Zoe. The thinking Janine will have to use to solve this problem is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Janine's task involves complex problem-solving and planning, which are characteristics of formal operational thinking, a stage of cognitive development where abstract and logical reasoning is used.

Question 10

Who would view the improvements in thinking that occur during adolescence as due to a gradual acquisition and implementation of more powerful problem-solving rules?

Accepted Answer

An information-processing theorist would focus on the gradual acquisition and implementation of more powerful problem-solving rules, as they emphasize the development of cognitive processes and strategies over time.

Question 11

What is the ability to formulate and evaluate the logical implications of a set of premises, even if these premises are imaginary and contradict the real world?

Accepted Answer

Hypothetical-deductive reasoning involves creating hypotheses and deducing their implications, allowing one to evaluate scenarios that may not align with reality.

Question 12

Piaget felt that formal operational thinking differed from concrete operational thinking because it allows the individual to finally:

Accepted Answer

Formal operational thinking, according to Piaget, involves the ability to think abstractly and systematically solve problems by considering all possible combinations of variables, which is a step beyond the concrete operational stage.

Question 13

According to Kohlberg, the dominant mode of moral reasoning during adolescence is focused on:

Accepted Answer

During adolescence, individuals typically operate at the conventional level of moral development, where they focus on living up to the expectations of others and maintaining social order.

Question 14

The liquid task by designed Inhelder and Piaget asked children to determine which combination of chemicals would turn yellow when another chemical was added. In performing this task, adolescents:

Accepted Answer

Adolescents, according to Piaget, are in the formal operational stage, where they can think logically and systematically. They are capable of systematically combining chemicals to solve the task without needing external prompts.

Question 15

Changes in how individuals reason about the nature of knowledge is called:

Accepted Answer

Epistemic development refers to the changes in how individuals understand and reason about the nature and acquisition of knowledge.

Question 16

What percentage of well-educated Americans in their late adolescence/early 20s were able to solve the combination-of-liquids task?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that only about 30 to 40 percent of well-educated Americans in their late adolescence or early 20s can solve the combination-of-liquids task, which is a measure of formal operational thinking.

Question 17

Compared to the thinking of a younger child, an adolescent's thinking is characterized by the:

Accepted Answer

Adolescents develop the ability for abstract thinking, which includes systematically generating and testing hypotheses, a key feature of formal operational thought according to Piaget.

Question 18

Which of the following is proposed by the information-processing theorists to explain advances in thought processes during adolescence?

Accepted Answer

Information-processing theorists suggest that adolescents develop more powerful and efficient cognitive strategies, which enhance their problem-solving abilities and lead to advances in thought processes.

Question 19

Jessie is studying for her psychology class while listening to music and checking her social media account. She is involved in:

Accepted Answer

Jessie is engaged in multitasking as she is simultaneously studying, listening to music, and checking social media.

Question 20

What is the belief that although truth can change, it is subject to particular standards of evaluation?

Accepted Answer

The evaluativist theory of knowledge posits that while truth can change, it is still subject to certain standards of evaluation, balancing between absolute objectivity and complete subjectivity.

Quiz 14: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence