Question 1

In general, conservation involves the ability to understand that changes in physical arrangement or appearance:
A) do not change an object's basic properties.
B) affect an object's inherent features.
C) determine the total volume needed for a given task.
D) must be considered before the characteristics of an object can be determined.

Accepted Answer

Conservation is a concept in cognitive development where a person understands that altering an object's appearance does not change its fundamental properties, such as volume, mass, or number.

Question 2

Robert's dog, Shaggy, was in great need of a haircut. When his father returned home with the groomed dog, Robert started crying and asking for Shaggy. Robert was showing _____ by refusing to believe that this groomed, short-haired dog was Shaggy.
A) he lacks conservation
B) he has mastered conservation
C) he is high in egocentrism
D) he is low in egocentrism

Accepted Answer

Robert's reaction indicates he lacks conservation, as he is unable to understand that Shaggy is still the same dog despite the change in appearance. Conservation is the understanding that certain properties remain constant despite changes in form or appearance.

Question 3

Sharon, age three, can solve four-piece jigsaw puzzles on her own, but needs her parents' help to solve 12-piece jigsaw puzzles. Which of the following represents the upper limit of Sharon's zone of proximal development (ZPD) for solving such puzzles?
A) Sharon moving on to 24-piece puzzles
B) Sharon solving a 12-piece puzzle on her own
C) Sharon helping her two-year-old brother with 4-piece puzzles
D) Sharon mastering 4-piece puzzles

Accepted Answer

The upper limit of Sharon's zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the task she can perform with assistance but not yet independently, which is solving a 12-piece puzzle with her parents' help.

Question 4

Juan and his little sister, Anne, are each given a large cookie. Their mother breaks Anne's cookie into four pieces to help her eat it more easily. Juan immediately begins to cry and says that it is not fair for his sister to get so many cookies when he only has one. Juan is showing a lack of:
A) constancy.
B) conservation.
C) intuition.
D) symbolic function.

Accepted Answer

Juan is showing a lack of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity does not change even when its appearance is altered.

Question 5

_____ emphasized the point that children construct knowledge through social interaction, whereas _____ emphasized the point that children use adaptation of schemes to organize knowledge.
A) Piaget; Vygotsky
B) Vygotsky; Piaget
C) Montessori; Vygotsky
D) Vygotsky; Montessori

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky emphasized the role of social interaction in the construction of knowledge, while Piaget focused on how children adapt their cognitive schemes to organize knowledge.

Question 6

The focusing of attention on one characteristic to the exclusion of all others is:
A) pragmatics.
B) animism.
C) conservation.
D) centration.

Accepted Answer

Centration is the tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation and neglect others, often seen in the preoperational stage of cognitive development.

Question 7

Which of the following BEST describes the relation between centration and conservation?
A) Conservation requires centration.
B) Centration is due to lack of conservation.
C) Centration is reflected in lack of conservation.
D) Conservation is independent of centration.

Accepted Answer

Centration is a cognitive limitation where a child focuses on one aspect of a situation, leading to a lack of conservation, which is the understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.

Question 8

Ms. Kahill has paired up first-grade students with kindergarten students who are struggling with printing clear letters. She believes the first-graders, who are just a bit ahead of the kindergarteners, will be able to teach and coach the younger ones in a more effective way than she can. This an example of:
A) how heredity shapes cognitive development.
B) primitive reasoning.
C) scaffolding.
D) conservation.

Accepted Answer

Scaffolding is a teaching method that involves providing support to students as they learn new concepts, gradually removing the support as they become more proficient. In this scenario, the first-grade students are helping the kindergarten students, acting as a scaffold to support their learning.

Question 9

Over the past week, Walter has been trying to learn to tie his shoelaces. Initially, his mother was holding his hands and working his fingers through the process, but now that Walter's gotten better at it, she only guides him verbally. This is an example of:
A) how heredity shapes cognitive development.
B) primitive reasoning.
C) scaffolding.
D) conservation.

Accepted Answer

Scaffolding is a concept in educational psychology where a more knowledgeable other provides support to a learner, gradually reducing assistance as the learner becomes more competent. Walter's mother initially helps physically and then shifts to verbal guidance as he improves, exemplifying scaffolding.

Question 10

When adults are working with young children, they often provide a lot of hints, assistance, instructions, and other support to help the children succeed. As the children demonstrate they can do more for themselves, the adults begin to withdraw these supports. This technique is called:
A) accommodation.
B) regulation.
C) scaffolding.
D) assimilation.

Accepted Answer

Scaffolding is the educational technique where support is gradually removed as learners gain independence and mastery of a task.

Question 11

Vygotsky believed that children construct knowledge through:
A) self-discovery.
B) social interaction.
C) reorganization of existing knowledge.
D) transforming previous knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky believed that children construct knowledge through social interaction, particularly through interactions with more knowledgeable others. He emphasized the role of language and social context in shaping children's understanding of the world. While children may engage in self-discovery and reorganization of existing knowledge, Vygotsky emphasized the importance of social interaction and collaboration in knowledge construction.

Question 12

Research has shown that the zone of proximal development is most effective in children's learning and development when:
A) they learn independently.
B) they have an above-average understanding of language.
C) they have moved through Piaget's stages quickly.
D) they have developed emotional regulation and a secure attachment.

Accepted Answer

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is most effective when children have developed emotional regulation and a secure attachment, as these factors provide a supportive environment for learning and allow children to effectively engage with more knowledgeable others.

Question 13

Kevin is just learning to walk. He can take a few steps by himself if he uses both hands to hold on to a piece of furniture for support, but he can walk out into the middle of the room only if one of his parents holds his hands. Which of the following represents the lower limit of Kevin's zone of proximal development (ZPD) for walking?
A) Kevin learning to run after he has mastered walking by himself
B) Kevin going back to crawling when he becomes frustrated trying to walk by himself
C) Kevin walking alone by holding onto a piece of furniture with his hands
D) Kevin learning to walk by having his parents hold one of his hands

Accepted Answer

The lower limit of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) is what a learner can do without help. Kevin walking alone by holding onto a piece of furniture represents what he can do independently.

Question 14

Vygotsky believed that children build their knowledge base and skills through social interaction, and that the best education creates the social contexts for learning. His theory is called the:
A) Piagetian approach.
B) social constructivist approach.
C) transformational context approach.
D) proximal scaffolding approach.

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky's theory is known as the social constructivist approach, which emphasizes the importance of social interactions in the development of cognition and learning.

Question 15

In Piaget's theory, failing the conservation-of-liquid task demonstrates:
A) that the child is at the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development.
B) that the child is unable to think fluidly.
C) centration.
D) rational thought.

Accepted Answer

Centration is the tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation and neglect others, which is why children in the preoperational stage fail the conservation-of-liquid task.

Question 16

According to Rochel Gelman, children's use of _____ is especially important in explaining areas of improvement on conservation tasks.
A) symbols
B) language
C) attention
D) animism

Accepted Answer

Rochel Gelman emphasized the role of attention in children's cognitive development, particularly in their ability to focus on relevant aspects of tasks, which aids in their understanding and performance on conservation tasks.

Question 17

Peggy is shown two rows of buttons. Each row has five buttons in it, but one is spread out much longer. Even though Peggy can count five buttons in each row, she insists the row with the buttons spread out "has more." No matter how you ask, she insists that the "longer" row "has more." She is demonstrating:
A) pragmatics.
B) animism.
C) conservation.
D) centration.

Accepted Answer

Peggy is demonstrating centration, which is the tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation (in this case, the length of the row) and ignore others (the actual number of buttons).

Question 18

Zone of proximal development (ZPD) is Vygotsky's term for:
A) the knowledge a child gains from close proximity to home.
B) the variety of work that a child can do with ease at a particular stage of cognitive development.
C) how the environment and a child's genetically programmed learning ability interact during a critical period.
D) the range of tasks difficult for a child to master alone but that can be learned with help from more-skilled individuals.

Accepted Answer

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.

Question 19

Benjamin, a toddler, is likely to learn something in the zone of proximal development (ZPD) if he:
A) has mastered all the skills necessary.
B) has parents or teachers who do not interfere.
C) has a sibling less than 24 months older in the home.
D) watches educational shows on television.

Accepted Answer

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. Having a sibling close in age can provide opportunities for learning through interaction and guidance.

Question 20

When adults are working with young children, they often provide a lot of hints, assistance, instructions, and other support to help the children succeed. As the children demonstrate they can do more for themselves, the adults begin to withdraw these supports. This shows the adults' direct involvement in the children's:
A) zone of proximal development.
B) development of conservational abilities.
C) enhancement of language development.
D) process of centration.

Accepted Answer

This describes the concept of the zone of proximal development, where adults provide support to help children learn new skills, gradually reducing assistance as the children become more competent.

Quiz 5: Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

In general, conservation involves the ability to understand that changes in physical arrangement or appearance:

Robert's dog, Shaggy, was in great need of a haircut. When his father returned home with the groomed dog, Robert started crying and asking for Shaggy. Robert was showing _____ by refusing to believe that this groomed, short-haired dog was Shaggy.

Sharon, age three, can solve four-piece jigsaw puzzles on her own, but needs her parents' help to solve 12-piece jigsaw puzzles. Which of the following represents the upper limit of Sharon's zone of proximal development (ZPD) for solving such puzzles?

Juan and his little sister, Anne, are each given a large cookie. Their mother breaks Anne's cookie into four pieces to help her eat it more easily. Juan immediately begins to cry and says that it is not fair for his sister to get so many cookies when he only has one. Juan is showing a lack of:

_ emphasized the point that children construct knowledge through social interaction, whereas _ emphasized the point that children use adaptation of schemes to organize knowledge.

The focusing of attention on one characteristic to the exclusion of all others is:

Which of the following BEST describes the relation between centration and conservation?

Over the past week, Walter has been trying to learn to tie his shoelaces. Initially, his mother was holding his hands and working his fingers through the process, but now that Walter's gotten better at it, she only guides him verbally. This is an example of:

When adults are working with young children, they often provide a lot of hints, assistance, instructions, and other support to help the children succeed. As the children demonstrate they can do more for themselves, the adults begin to withdraw these supports. This technique is called:

Vygotsky believed that children construct knowledge through:

Research has shown that the zone of proximal development is most effective in children's learning and development when:

Vygotsky believed that children build their knowledge base and skills through social interaction, and that the best education creates the social contexts for learning. His theory is called the:

In Piaget's theory, failing the conservation-of-liquid task demonstrates:

According to Rochel Gelman, children's use of _____ is especially important in explaining areas of improvement on conservation tasks.

Zone of proximal development (ZPD) is Vygotsky's term for:

Benjamin, a toddler, is likely to learn something in the zone of proximal development (ZPD) if he: