Question 1

In the Gelman and Markman study, 4-year-old children were shown pictures of a flamingo whose legs get cold at night and a bat whose legs stay warm at night. What was their surprising finding?

Accepted Answer

The surprising finding was that, contrary to Piaget's ideas, these preschoolers were not perception bound. They could understand abstract concepts and make inferences beyond what was immediately visible, indicating early conceptual thinking.

Question 2

Animism refers to the tendency to

Accepted Answer

Animism is the belief or doctrine that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and perhaps even words—as animated and alive. It is most commonly associated with the belief that inanimate objects have souls or spirits.

Question 3

Barbara doesn't want to leave her doll at home because she indicates that her doll will be sad and cry. This refers to

Accepted Answer

Barbara's belief that her doll can feel sadness and cry is an example of animism, which is the attribution of human-like characteristics, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities or objects. This is common in early childhood development.

Question 4

What concept is defined as thoughts and beliefs concerning the mental world?

Accepted Answer

Theory of mind refers to the ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are different from one's own.

Question 5

What concept is defined as the realization that people can hold beliefs that are not true?

Accepted Answer

False belief is the concept that refers to the understanding that people can hold beliefs that are not true, which is a critical component of theory of mind development.

Question 6

Alfred went to school and was surprised to learn that the big computer box in the corner of the play area held lost-and-found items rather than a computer. One day, Alfred's friend, Erika, lost her sweater. He told her to look in the play area. She didn't think of looking in the computer box, and Alfred was surprised. He thought that everyone knew that the computer box held lost items. Alfred did not understand

Accepted Answer

Alfred did not understand that Erika could have a different belief or perspective from his own, which is an example of not understanding false belief. He assumed that because he knew the computer box was for lost-and-found items, Erika would also know, not recognizing that she could believe differently.

Question 7

Bobby's mother has a refrigerator magnet made of clay that resembles a piece of chocolate candy. Bobby believed it was a real piece of candy until he tried to take a bite out of it. Later, Bobby told his friend, Mike, that he knew it wasn't real candy all along. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Bobby initially believed the magnet was candy, but later realized it was not. This shows that he understands false belief, which is the ability to understand that others may have different beliefs than oneself.

Question 8

Bobby's mother has a refrigerator magnet made of clay that resembles a piece of chocolate candy. Bobby knows it isn't real candy. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Bobby's understanding that the magnet looks like candy but isn't actually candy demonstrates the appearance-reality distinction, which is the ability to understand that an object's appearance can be misleading and not accurately represent its true nature.

Question 9

Three-year-old Andy was in the hospital recovering from surgery. Andy told his mother that he needed the operation because he had

Accepted Answer

The answer of Three-year-old Andy was in the hospital recovering...

Question 10

Research has shown that most 5-year-olds demonstrate that they

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that by the age of 5, children have developed a basic understanding of their own cognitive processes. They understand what they know and how they came to know it, can trace the origins of their beliefs, and recognize which senses are responsible for different types of information. This reflects a developing metacognitive ability, where they can think about and understand their own thought processes.

Question 11

Research has shown that most 3-year-olds demonstrate that they

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that 3-year-olds often believe they have always known facts that they have only recently learned, demonstrating a lack of understanding about the origin of their own knowledge.

Question 12

The ability to distinguish the social and nonsocial worlds is present from

Accepted Answer

The ability to distinguish between social and nonsocial stimuli is present from birth. Newborns show a preference for faces and social interactions, indicating an innate capacity to differentiate between social and nonsocial worlds.

Question 13

Social referencing is demonstrated by young infants when they

Accepted Answer

Social referencing is a process where infants look to trusted individuals, such as parents or older siblings, to gauge how to react in new or uncertain situations. Choices A and B involve inanimate objects, which do not provide the social cues infants seek for guidance.

Question 14

Lan noticed that her 18-month old son, Huy, seems to read her cues by focusing his gaze on stimuli to which she diverts her own gaze. This tendency to enter into the attentional focus of another is called

Accepted Answer

Joint attention refers to the shared focus of two individuals on an object. It is achieved when one individual alerts another to an object via eye-gazing, pointing, or other verbal or non-verbal indications. In the context described, Huy is demonstrating joint attention by following his mother's gaze to focus on the same stimuli she is, indicating an understanding of her cues and a desire to share attention with her.

Question 15

Social referencing refers to the process by which one

Accepted Answer

Social referencing is the process where individuals look to others (often caregivers or peers) for cues on how to react or behave in uncertain or new situations. This is particularly common in children who observe the emotional reactions of adults to guide their own responses.

Question 16

Several studies have reported _________correlation between number of siblings and false belief understanding.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown a positive correlation between the number of siblings and false belief understanding, indicating that children with more siblings tend to have a better understanding of others' beliefs.

Question 17

Baby Leila is playing with her dad when he suddenly looks over towards the door. Leila notices he has turned his head, looks at him for a few moments then turns her head towards the door. This is an example of _______________.

Accepted Answer

Joint attention occurs when two people share focus on an object or event, initiated by one person directing the other's attention. In this scenario, Leila follows her dad's gaze towards the door, demonstrating joint attention as they both share focus on the same point of interest.

Question 18

"The accumulated knowledge of a people is encoded in their language and embodied in the physical artifacts, beliefs, values, customs, institutions, and activities passed down from one generation to the next" refers to

Accepted Answer

This statement defines "culture" as it encompasses the shared knowledge, beliefs, values, customs, and institutions that are passed down through generations within a society.

Question 19

An adult is interacting with a young child who is very close to mastering a new task. What type of scaffolding should the adult be using with this child?

Accepted Answer

The adult should use less direct and more demanding scaffolding to encourage the child to think critically and independently, as they are close to mastering the task.

Question 20

Three themes in Vygotsky's writings have proved especially influential in guiding contemporary sociocultural theory and research. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

Accepted Answer

Vygotsky's theories emphasize the social and cultural basis of cognitive development, suggesting that individual mental development is deeply influenced by social interactions and cultural tools, rather than being solely the responsibility of the individual.

Quiz 8: Cognitive Development: Piagetian and Vygotskian Approaches