Question 1

As children get older, their speed of processing

Accepted Answer

As children develop, their speed of processing information generally speeds up due to brain development, increased efficiency in neural pathways, and improved cognitive skills.

Question 2

When Cookie first started golfing, she had to think about every part of her swing. Now that she's been golfing for years, she swings her club without even thinking about it. For Cookie, swinging a golf club has become

Accepted Answer

Cookie's ability to swing a golf club without even thinking about it suggests that it has become an automatic process, meaning it no longer requires conscious attention or working memory.

Question 3

Information-processing theorists believe one reason older children outperform younger children cognitively is that older children

Accepted Answer

Older children outperform younger children cognitively because they use working memory more efficiently, not less. They have more developed cognitive processes, allowing them to handle more complex tasks and information.

Question 4

Professor Garrett tells his class, "Children's cognition develops continuously and gradually. There are no abrupt changes in thought. There are no distinct stages of cognitive development." Professor Garrett sounds most like

Accepted Answer

Professor Garrett's statement is in line with the beliefs of information-processing theorists, who view cognitive development as a continuous process rather than a series of distinct stages. Piaget, on the other hand, proposed a stage theory of cognitive development that emphasized the discontinuity of development, with distinct stages characterized by qualitatively different thought processes. Kohlberg is known for his theory of moral development, which also involves distinct stages. Psychodynamic theorists focus on unconscious motivations and emotional conflicts and are not typically associated with specific views on cognitive development.

Question 5

Compared to adults, when children perform complex tasks they

Accepted Answer

Children are still developing their cognitive processes and skills, so they are less likely to perform complex tasks automatically. They may have to consciously think through each step of the task, which can require more working memory than adults. However, their working memory capacity is still limited, so they may still struggle with more complex tasks. Additionally, children may rely more on sensory memory (such as visual or auditory cues) to guide their performance of the task.

Question 6

________________ propose(s) distinctive domains of knowledge, some of which are acquired very early in life.

Accepted Answer

Core-knowledge theories suggest that humans are born with innate, domain-specific knowledge systems, such as those for language, physics, and psychology, which enable rapid learning and understanding in these areas from a very early age.

Question 7

Which of the following is TRUE concerning infants' naïve theories of physics?

Accepted Answer

Infants as young as three months old have shown evidence of expecting unsupported objects to fall, suggesting that they have a basic understanding of gravity and a naïve theory of physics. Option A is false as infants do appear surprised when a tall object is completely hidden when placed behind a shorter object. Option C is also false as infants tend to assume that objects move along continuous, connected paths. Option D is false as infants do not believe that objects are able to move through other objects.

Question 8

Compared to Piaget's theory, information-processing theory

Accepted Answer

Information-processing theory describes the specific components of cognition in greater detail, such as attention, memory, and problem-solving strategies. In contrast, Piaget's theory focuses on broad stages of cognitive development and qualitative changes in thought, without specifying the specific cognitive processes involved.

Question 9

Cognitive activities that require very little effort are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Automatic processes are cognitive activities that do not require much conscious effort or attention. They are so ingrained that they occur without much thought or awareness, such as driving a familiar route or typing on a keyboard. Working memory refers to the short-term storage and manipulation of information, while mental hardware and software are more general terms referring to the brain and its functions.

Question 10

Renee Baillargeon studied object permanence by showing infants possible events and impossible events. In the possible event, a screen rotated until it made contact with a box, at which point it began rotating backwards. In the impossible event, when the rotating screen reached the box, it continued to rotate, the box appeared to disappear, and the box reappeared after the screen rotated past it. She found that 4 ½-month-old infants looked

Accepted Answer

Baillargeon's findings suggest that infants as young as 4 ½ months old have a basic understanding of object permanence, as evidenced by their increased attention to the impossible event. This indicates that they noticed the violation of their expectations and were surprised by it, suggesting that they had an expectation that the object (the box) should not disappear when the screen blocked it from view. Therefore, Option A is the best choice.

Question 11

Juliann is 4. If she is like most 4-year-olds, her naïve theory of biology will include the belief that

Accepted Answer

Children at this age often have an animistic perspective, meaning they attribute lifelike characteristics to inanimate objects. They believe that animals have the ability to move by themselves, but objects cannot.

Question 12

Many 4-year-olds believe that

Accepted Answer

Many 4-year-olds understand that only living things can reproduce, distinguishing them from inanimate objects.

Question 13

Core knowledge views cognitive development as an innate capability to easily acquire knowledge in specialized domains of evolutionary importance, such as

Accepted Answer

Core knowledge theory suggests that our brains are pre-wired to acquire specialized knowledge in certain domains, including language, object recognition, and understanding other people. Therefore, all of the choices (A, B, and C) are correct.

Question 14

According to an information-processing theorist, which of the following is an explanation for cognitive development?

Accepted Answer

According to an information-processing theorist, cognitive development is explained by the fact that as children grow, more cognitive activities become automatic.

Question 15

________ prevent(s) task-irrelevant information from entering working memory.

Accepted Answer

Inhibitory processes are responsible for preventing irrelevant information from entering working memory, ensuring that only pertinent information is processed. This is crucial for maintaining focus and efficiently using cognitive resources.

Question 16

Inhibitory processes

Accepted Answer

Inhibitory processes are responsible for filtering out task-irrelevant information from entering our working memory. This allows us to focus on the relevant information and carry out our tasks efficiently.

Question 17

Baillargeon's studies of object permanence using possible events and impossible events suggest that the concept of object permanence is

Accepted Answer

Baillargeon's studies indicate that infants have a rudimentary understanding of object permanence as early as 3.5 months old, which is earlier than Piaget's theory suggested. Therefore, choice A is the best answer.

Question 18

Skills that are automatic require

Accepted Answer

Automatic skills are those that have been practiced to the point where they no longer require conscious effort or attention. This means they require less working memory, as they can be performed without actively thinking about each step. Therefore, the correct choice is C) less working memory.

Question 19

When talking to his dad, Nicholas says, "See that fish. It has smooth skin so that it won't cut other fish when it swims with them." Nicholas is demonstrating

Accepted Answer

Nicholas is providing a purposeful explanation for the smooth skin of the fish, which is characteristic of teleological reasoning.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT TRUE concerning infants' understanding of liquids and solids?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is NOT TRUE...

Quiz 6: Theories of Cognitive Development