Question 1

Which type of thought does not begin until the formal operations stage?

Accepted Answer

Thinking about what is possible begins in the formal operations stage of cognitive development, according to Jean Piaget's theory. This stage, typically starting around age 12, involves the ability to think abstractly and consider hypothetical situations, which encompasses thinking about possibilities beyond the immediate and concrete.

Question 2

In contrast to Piaget, Vygotsky emphasized the role of __________ during development.

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky believed that social and cultural interactions played a crucial role in cognitive development, particularly through the use of language and communication. He emphasized the importance of learning from others and being guided through more complex tasks in order to advance cognitive abilities.

Question 3

According to Piaget, the stage of cognitive development between 2 and 7 years of age, in which the child learns to use language as a means of exploring the world, is the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

The preoperational stage, according to Piaget, is between the ages of 2 and 7, where children begin to use language and symbols as a means of representing objects and ideas. They engage in pretend play and have difficulty with logical thinking and understanding of conservation. They are not yet capable of concrete operations (A) or formal operations (D), and they have already passed the sensorimotor stage (B) by age 2.

Question 4

Which of Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development is characterized by abstract thinking and the creation of hypotheticals?

Accepted Answer

Formal operations is the stage in which individuals develop the ability to think abstractly and consider hypothetical situations.

Question 5

Which of the following is a limitation on the cognitive life of children in Piaget's preoperational stage?

Accepted Answer

The limitation on the cognitive life of children in Piaget's preoperational stage is centration, which refers to the tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation and exclude all others. Children in this stage may have difficulty understanding multiple perspectives or considering more than one variable at a time. Abstract concepts, object permanence, and hypothetical thinking are all cognitive skills that develop later in Piaget's theory.

Question 6

Téa is 18 months old. When her mom leaves her at the babysitter's house, Téa cries initially. After a few moments, she stops crying because her mom is "out of sight and out of mind." According to Piaget, which period of cognitive development would Téa be in?

Accepted Answer

Infants in the sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years) exhibit the concept of object permanence, which refers to the realization that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. Téa's behavior of stopping to cry when her mom is out of sight indicates that she has not yet fully developed the concept of object permanence, which is a characteristic of the sensorimotor stage.

Question 7

DaVonte, a 10-year-old, first sees two identical glasses with water at the same level; then, the water from one of the short, wide glasses is poured into a taller, thinner glass. DaVonte will likely conclude that there is __________.

Accepted Answer

At 10 years old, DaVonte is likely in the concrete operational stage of cognitive development, where he understands the concept of conservation, recognizing that the amount of water remains the same despite changes in the shape of the container.

Question 8

Young infants cannot appreciate the carnival game in which a pea seems to disappear from under a walnut because they have not yet developed a sense of __________.

Accepted Answer

Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are no longer visible or detectable through other senses. This ability typically develops around 8 months of age, and before this time, infants are unable to grasp that the pea has not vanished but has simply been concealed. Conservation (A) refers to the understanding that physical properties of objects (such as quantity, length, or volume) remain the same even when their appearance or arrangement changes. Centration (C) is the tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation while neglecting other important aspects, such as when a child is unable to see that a tall and narrow glass and a short and wide glass can hold the same amount of liquid. Egocentrism (D) involves difficulty in taking another person's perspective or point of view, which is also a feature of early childhood cognition.

Question 9

According to Piaget, __________ is the ability to understand that simply changing the appearance of an object does not change the object's nature.

Accepted Answer

Conservation refers to the understanding that the amount of a substance remains the same even if its appearance changes, such as pouring the same amount of liquid into a taller, thinner glass. This is different from object permanence, which is the understanding that objects still exist even when they cannot be seen, and centration, which is the tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation while ignoring others. Reversibility refers to the understanding that actions can be reversed or undone.

Question 10

A characteristic that first shows up in the formal operations stage is __________.

Accepted Answer

Abstract thinking is a characteristic that first shows up in the formal operations stage. This stage of cognitive development, according to Jean Piaget, typically occurs between the ages of 11 and 15 and is marked by the ability to think abstractly and logically about hypothetical situations and complex ideas.

Question 11

Jasper, a 3-year-old, asks his mom to cut a pizza pie into 12 rather than eight pieces because he is "really hungry." On the basis of this example, it is most appropriate to conclude that Jasper __________.

Accepted Answer

Jasper's request for more pieces of pizza shows that he does not understand conservation, which is the understanding that the amount of a substance remains the same even when its appearance changes. Cutting a pizza into more pieces does not increase the amount of pizza available. This suggests that Jasper may not understand the concept of quantity yet. Object permanence, on the other hand, refers to the understanding that objects still exist even when they are not visible, and it is not relevant to this scenario.

Question 12

According to the most recent evidence, which of the following is a criticism that can be made regarding Piaget's findings?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that children can demonstrate object permanence earlier than Piaget suggested, indicating that they are less egocentric than he believed.

Question 13

In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development between 7 and 12 years of age, in which an individual becomes capable of logical thought processes but is not yet capable of abstract thinking, is the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

In Piaget's theory, the concrete operations stage occurs between 7 and 12 years of age and is characterized by the ability for logical thought processes such as conservation, classification, and reversible thinking. This stage is considered to be an intermediate stage between the early sensory-motor period and the later stage of formal operations. Abstract thinking is not yet fully developed during this stage, which is why option D) formal operations is not the correct answer. Option B) sensorimotor is the stage from birth to 2 years of age, and option C) preoperational is the stage from 2 to 7 years of age.

Question 14

Your little brother has a big ball of clay. While he watches, you roll the ball of clay into a long snake-like shape. He begins to cry because he thinks he has less clay now. Which of Piaget's stages is your brother likely to be in?

Accepted Answer

Your brother is likely in the preoperational stage of development, which is characterized by egocentrism and a lack of understanding of conservation. In this stage, children may believe that changing the shape or appearance of an object changes its actual amount. Therefore, your brother may think that the rolled-up clay snake represents a smaller amount of clay than the original ball shape.

Question 15

What term is used to describe a child's inability to see the world through anyone else's eyes except his or her own?

Accepted Answer

Egocentrism is the term used to describe a child's inability to see the world through anyone else's eyes except his or her own. This is a common developmental stage among young children, but should fade as they grow and develop social skills. Disparity refers to a lack of equality or difference in treatment. Narcissism is a personality disorder characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance and a lack of empathy for others. Autonomy refers to the ability to make independent decisions and have control over one's life.

Question 16

Piaget's term for the knowledge that an object exists even when it is out of sight is __________.

Accepted Answer

Object permanence is the term used by Piaget to describe the concept that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen or heard. This is an important cognitive milestone in early development, as it is a prerequisite for understanding that objects have properties that are independent of one's own actions on them. The other options, conservation, centration, and egocentrism, refer to different aspects of cognitive development that are not directly related to object permanence.

Question 17

In which of Piaget's stages does the child develop conservation?

Accepted Answer

Conservation is developed in Piaget's stage of concrete operations, which typically occurs between the ages of 7 and 12. In this stage, children can understand that two equal quantities remain the same, even if their physical appearance changes.

Question 18

Kamal, a toddler, is holding a picture and puts it to the receiver of a phone in order to "show" it to his grandmother. This example illustrates __________.

Accepted Answer

Kamal's action of trying to "show" a picture to his grandmother through the phone receiver demonstrates egocentrism, a concept from Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Egocentrism refers to the inability of a child at the preoperational stage to see a situation from another person's point of view. Kamal assumes that if he can see the picture, his grandmother on the other end of the phone can see it too.

Question 19

According to Piaget, __________ represents the beginning of the child's language development and symbolic thought.

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that object permanence, or the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are no longer visible or detectable, marks the beginning of a child's ability to use symbols and engage in language development.

Question 20

Noah is a 3-year-old boy who likes to spread his peas and carrots all over his plate. After spreading out his food, he asks for more. His mom pushes all the food together and Noah continues to eat. Which period of cognitive development is Noah in?

Accepted Answer

Noah's behavior of spreading his food out and asking for more even though he has the same amount of food is a typical behavior of a child in the preoperational stage of cognitive development. In this stage, children have not yet mastered the concept of conservation, which means that they do not understand that the quantity of an object remains the same even if its appearance changes. Therefore, pushing the food together to make it look like more satisfies Noah's desire for more food because he is unable to determine that it is the same amount.

Quiz 8: Development Across the Life Span