1. Introduction to Cognitive Development

Question 1

Cognition (cognitie)

Answer 1

The processes of faculties by which knowledge is acquired and manipulated

Question 2

Development/ontogeny (ontwikkeling)

Answer 2

Predictable changes that occur in structure or function over the life span

Question 3

Structure (structuur)

Answer 3

In developmental psychology, a substrate of the organism that develops, such as a muscle, nervous tissue, or mental knowledge; contrast with function; see also bidirectionality of structure and function

Question 4

Function (functie)

Answer 4

In developmental psychology, action related to a structure, such as movement of a muscle, firing of a nerve, or activation of a mental representation; contrast with structure; see also bidirectionality of structure and function

Question 5

Bidirectionality of structure and function/structure function

Answer 5

The reciprocal interaction of structure and function to produce a pattern of development

Question 6

Developmental function (ontwikkelende functie)

Answer 6

The form that development takes over time

Question 7

Individual differences (individuele verschillen)

Answer 7

Differences between people, age-groups, or generations

Question 8

Nativism (nativisme)

Answer 8

Philosophical perspective that human intellectual abilities are innate

Question 9

Epiricism (empirisme)

Answer 9

Philosophical perspective that nature provides only species-general learning mechanisms, with cognition arising as a result of experience

Question 10

Genetic determinism (genetisch determinisme)

Answer 10

The idea that one’s genes determine one’s behavior

Question 11

Developmental contextual model (ontwikkelende contextuele model)

Answer 11

Model (by Lerner) proposing that all parts of the organism (such as genes, cells, tissues, and organs), as well as the whole organism itself, interact dynamically with the contexts within which the organism is embedded; see also developmental systems approach

Question 12

Sociocultural perspective (socio-cultureel perspectief)

Answer 12

A perspective of cognitive development emphasizing that development is guided by adults interacting with children, with the cultural context determining to a large extent how, where, and when these interactions take place; see also guided participation, zone of proximal development

Question 13

Stability (stabiliteit)

Answer 13

In development psychology, the degree to which a person maintains over time the same rank order in comparison with peers for a particular characteristic

Question 14

Plasticity (plasticiteit)

Answer 14

The extent to which behavior or brain function can be changed

Question 15

Representation (representatie)

Answer 15

The mental encoding of information

Question 16

Strategies (strategieën)

Answer 16

Goal-directed and deliberately implemented mental operations used to facilitate task performance; see also mnemonics

Question 17

Executive function (executieve functie)

Answer 17

The processes involved in regulating attention and in determining what to do with information just gathered or retrieved from long-term memory

Question 18

Domain-general abilities (domein-generale vaardigheden

Answer 18

General underlying cognitive abilities that influence performance over a wide range of situations (or domains); contrast with domain-specific abilities

Question 19

Domain-specific abilities (domein-specifieke vaardigheden)

Answer 19

Cognitive abilities specific to one cognitive domain under control of a specific mind/brain function; contrast with domain-general abilities