Question 1

Siegler's model of strategy applies a(n) __________ perspective to children's cognition.
A) Piagetian
B) evolutionary
C) psychoanalytic
D) behaviorist

Accepted Answer

Siegler's model of strategy takes an evolutionary perspective by highlighting how children's cognitive processes develop and adapt over time to better solve problems and challenges they encounter in their environment.

Question 2

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, if Maribelle has begun to tell coherent stories with a main plot and several subplots, she is most likely age
A) 4 to 6.
B) 7 to 9.
C) 9 to 11.
D) 12 to 14.

Accepted Answer

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, children aged 9 to 11 are in the stage where they can handle complex tasks such as telling coherent stories with a main plot and several subplots. This ability reflects their cognitive development in organizing and processing information.

Question 3

According to Siegler's model of strategy choice,
A) before the age of 9 or 10, children fail to use even basic strategies efficiently.
B) speed does not play a central role in children's decisions about strategy use.
C) children often discover faster, more accurate strategies by using more time-consuming techniques.
D) children consistently use new, more adaptive strategies as soon as they discover them.

Accepted Answer

Siegler's model of strategy choice suggests that through the use of more time-consuming techniques, children can discover strategies that are both faster and more accurate. This process is part of how they learn and improve their cognitive abilities over time.

Question 4

The children in Ramon's preschool class perform considerably better in situations in which they must follow some commands but not others, as in the game "Simon Says." This is an example of
A) analytical problem solving.
B) deficiencies in frontal lobe functioning.
C) age-related gains in inhibition.
D) Sigeler's model of strategy choice.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of age-related gains in inhibition, which refers to the development of the ability to selectively inhibit certain impulses or behaviors while allowing others, and is a key aspect of executive functioning. The preschool-age children in Ramon's class are likely still developing this ability, which is why they perform better when given clear guidelines about which actions to inhibit and which to perform.

Question 5

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, the early childhood stage involves
A) internal representations of events and actions.
B) complex transformations of representations.
C) simple transformations of representations.
D) sensory input and physical actions.

Accepted Answer

In Case's neo-Piagetian theory, the early childhood stage involves the development of internal representations of events and actions, which aligns with Piaget's preoperational stage where children begin to use symbols and mental imagery.

Question 6

According to Case, __________ impose(s) a systemwide ceiling on cognitive development.
A) plasticity
B) biology
C) environmental influences
D) children's mental strategies

Accepted Answer

Case suggests that biology, specifically genetically-determined factors, can limit cognitive development and impose a ceiling on individual potential.

Question 7

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, __________ relaxes working memory for other activities.
A) cognitive self-regulation
B) synaptic pruning
C) accommodation
D) automization of schemes

Accepted Answer

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, automization of schemes occurs when a task becomes automatic through repetition, freeing up working memory for other activities.

Question 8

Findings show that selective attention improves sharply between ages __________, with gains continuing into adulthood.
A) 2 and 4
B) 5 and 7
C) 6 and 10
D) 11 and 15

Accepted Answer

According to research, selective attention improves sharply between the ages of 6 and 10, with continued gains into adulthood. Therefore, option C is the best choice. Options A, B, and D are incorrect as they represent age ranges outside of the period of significant improvement in selective attention.

Question 9

According to Siegler's model of strategy choice, if Manuel is given the same problems over a short time interval, he may, in fact,
A) show a maladaptive variation in strategy use.
B) be unable to recognize successful strategies.
C) regress from more advanced to less advanced approaches.
D) always use the most adaptive strategy to solve a problem.

Accepted Answer

Siegler's model of strategy choice suggests that children may regress to less advanced strategies even after using more advanced ones, especially when given the same problems repeatedly over a short time.

Question 10

Children who are skilled at cognitive inhibition have the ability to
A) produce a variety of strategies when faced with a novel task.
B) control internal and external distracting stimuli.
C) continuously monitor progress toward a goal, checking outcomes and redirecting unsuccessful efforts.
D) think out a sequence of acts and allocate attention accordingly to reach a goal.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive inhibition involves the ability to control internal and external distracting stimuli, such as ignoring irrelevant information or resisting temptations. The other answer choices describe other cognitive skills such as strategy production, monitoring progress, and goal-directed thinking, but are not specific to cognitive inhibition.

Question 11

Research on addition- and multiplication-based equivalence problems shows that correct strategies appear first in __________ and only later in __________.
A) school settings; everyday settings
B) private speech; nonverbal mental activities
C) cognitive-processing tasks; problem-solving skills
D) gesture; speech

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that correct strategies for solving addition- and multiplication-based equivalence problems appear first in gestural form and only later in verbal or written form. This suggests that gesture plays an important role in the early stages of problem-solving and serves as a precursor to more sophisticated verbal or written strategies later on.

Question 12

Mora is in kindergarten and has a control deficiency, which means that she
A) fails to use previously learned mental strategies.
B) is unable to consistently execute strategies effectively.
C) cannot focus her attention long enough to find appropriate strategies.
D) uses inappropriate mental strategies in all situations.

Accepted Answer

Control deficiency refers to the inability to consistently execute mental strategies effectively. Option A refers to a cognitive processing deficiency and may not be necessarily related to a control deficiency. Option C refers to attention deficit which is also not directly related to control deficiency, but may contribute to it. Option D refers to a maladaptive strategy use deficiency.

Question 13

Siegler's model of strategy choice
A) reveals that most children follow one approach to problem solving.
B) fails to explain diversity and continuous change in children's thinking.
C) primarily utilizes cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.
D) captures periods of high variability in children's strategy use.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Siegler's model of strategy choice
A) reveals that...

Question 14

Five-year-old Louis can conserve liquid, but not volume. According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, one explanation for Louis's differential success would be that
A) he has more experience manipulating volume than he does manipulating liquid.
B) he lives in a culture that does not encourage mastery of conservation.
C) the processing demands of a conservation-of-volume task are greater than those of a conservation-of-liquid task.
D) familiar glasses were used in the liquid problem, whereas less familiar glasses were used in the volume problem.

Accepted Answer

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, the processing demands of a task determine whether a child can perform a task successfully or not. In this case, it is suggested that the processing demands of the conservation-of-volume task are greater than those of a conservation-of-liquid task, which could explain why Louis can conserve liquid but not volume.

Question 15

When solving basic addition problems, 5-year-old Sid sometimes counts on his fingers, sometimes starts with the lowest digit, or sometimes starts with the highest digit. According to Siegler's model of strategy choice,
A) Sid has problems with cognitive self-regulation.
B) Sid has a control deficiency.
C) Sid is not yet skilled at cognitive inhibition.
D) Sid's variability in strategy use is adaptive.

Accepted Answer

According to Siegler's model of strategy choice, young children often use a variety of strategies when solving problems as they are still developing their problem-solving skills. This variability in strategy use is considered adaptive as it allows them to explore different approaches and eventually settle on the most efficient strategy. Therefore, Sid's variability in strategy use is a normal part of cognitive development, and not indicative of any deficit in cognitive self-regulation or inhibition.

Question 16

__________ optimal development of executive components and their eventual synthesis into planning, flexible strategic thinking, and self-regulation.
A) Reorganization of cognitive schemes is required for
B) Supportive parenting and educational experiences are essential for
C) A transition from concrete to abstract thinking is necessary for
D) A focus on visual tracking and problem solving is the key to

Accepted Answer

Supportive parenting and educational experiences are essential for optimal development of executive components and their eventual synthesis into planning, flexible strategic thinking, and self-regulation. Research has shown that children who receive consistent support from their parents and have positive experiences in educational settings are more likely to develop effective executive functioning skills.

Question 17

Case's neo-Piagetian theory attributes movement from one stage to the next to increases in the efficiency with which children use their limited
A) metacognition.
B) cognitive self-regulation.
C) working-memory capacity.
D) phonological awareness.

Accepted Answer

Case's neo-Piagetian theory emphasizes the role of working-memory capacity in cognitive development. As children's working memory capacity improves, they are able to think more abstractly and process more complex information, allowing them to move to more advanced stages of cognitive development.

Question 18

According to Goldin-Meadow, children who produce speech-gesture mismatches on addition-based equivalence problems
A) are in a transitional state.
B) have a learning disorder in math computation.
C) employ a trial-and-error approach to problem solving.
D) are less likely to benefit from teaching than children who produce speech-gesture matches.

Accepted Answer

Goldin-Meadow suggests that children who produce speech-gesture mismatches on addition-based equivalence problems are in a transitional state, in which they are experimenting with new strategies for problem-solving. This suggests that they are not necessarily struggling with math computation or employing a trial-and-error approach, and they may still benefit from teaching.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true regarding sustained attention?
A) A greater slowing of heart rate while focused on complex stimuli is a physiological indicator of sustained attention.
B) Children are not capable of intentional, goal-directed sustained attention until they enter elementary school.
C) Improved language development is responsible for gains in sustained attention.
D) Environmental factors have minimal impact on the development of sustained attention.

Accepted Answer

A greater slowing of heart rate while focused on complex stimuli is a physiological indicator of sustained attention. This is because sustained attention involves the ability to maintain focus on a task or stimuli over a prolonged period of time, and a slower heart rate is a sign of calm and relaxation, which is necessary for maintaining focus. Other physiological indicators of sustained attention include changes in brain wave patterns and pupil dilation.

B is incorrect as children are capable of intentional, goal-directed sustained attention from early infancy. C is incorrect as there is evidence to suggest that sustained attention can actually facilitate language development, rather than the other way around. D is incorrect as environmental factors, such as the quality of caregiving and the availability of stimulating activities, can have a significant impact on the development of sustained attention.

Question 20

Children generate central conceptual structures when schemes
A) predominate over assimilation.
B) are consolidated into an improved representational form.
C) are subject to disequilibration.
D) are separated into distinct categories.

Accepted Answer

Central conceptual structures are the result of children consolidating their individual schemes into a more advanced and detailed representational form. This involves the coordination of multiple schemes and their assimilation into a more abstract and generalizable structure. Thus, choice B "consolidated into an improved representational form" is the correct answer. The other options (predominance of a scheme over assimilation, disequilibration, and separation into distinct categories) do not fully capture the process of generating central conceptual structures.

Quiz 7: Cognitive Development: an Information-Processing Perspective

Siegler's model of strategy applies a(n) __________ perspective to children's cognition.

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, if Maribelle has begun to tell coherent stories with a main plot and several subplots, she is most likely age

According to Siegler's model of strategy choice,

The children in Ramon's preschool class perform considerably better in situations in which they must follow some commands but not others, as in the game "Simon Says." This is an example of

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, the early childhood stage involves

According to Case, __________ impose(s) a systemwide ceiling on cognitive development.

According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, __________ relaxes working memory for other activities.

Findings show that selective attention improves sharply between ages __________, with gains continuing into adulthood.

According to Siegler's model of strategy choice, if Manuel is given the same problems over a short time interval, he may, in fact,

Children who are skilled at cognitive inhibition have the ability to

Research on addition- and multiplication-based equivalence problems shows that correct strategies appear first in and only later in .

Mora is in kindergarten and has a control deficiency, which means that she

Siegler's model of strategy choice

Five-year-old Louis can conserve liquid, but not volume. According to Case's neo-Piagetian theory, one explanation for Louis's differential success would be that

When solving basic addition problems, 5-year-old Sid sometimes counts on his fingers, sometimes starts with the lowest digit, or sometimes starts with the highest digit. According to Siegler's model of strategy choice,

__________ optimal development of executive components and their eventual synthesis into planning, flexible strategic thinking, and self-regulation.

Case's neo-Piagetian theory attributes movement from one stage to the next to increases in the efficiency with which children use their limited

According to Goldin-Meadow, children who produce speech-gesture mismatches on addition-based equivalence problems

Which of the following statements is true regarding sustained attention?

Children generate central conceptual structures when schemes