chapter 5.1 Piaget's theory of infant development

Question 1

schemes

Answer 1

In Piaget’s theory, actions or mental representations that organize knowledge.

Question 2

assimilation

Answer 2

Piagetian concept of using existing schemes to deal with new information or experiences.

Question 3

accommodation

Answer 3

Piagetian concept of adjusting schemes to fit new information and experiences.

Question 4

organization

Answer 4

Piaget’s concept of grouping isolated behaviors and thoughts into a higher- order, more smoothly functioning cognitive system.

Tendency to organize thinking processes into psychological. structures/schemes.

Question 5

equilibration

Answer 5

A mechanism that Piaget proposed to explain how children shift from one stage of thought to the next.

Question 6

sensorimotor stage

Answer 6

The first of Piaget’s stages, which lasts from birth to about 2 years of age; infants construct an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with motoric actions.

Question 7

simple reflexes

Answer 7

Piaget’s first sensorimotor substage, which corresponds to the first month after birth. In this substage, sensation and action are coordinated primarily through reflexive behaviors.

Question 8

first habits and primary circular reactions

Answer 8

Piaget’s second sensorimotor substage, which develops between 1 and 4 months of age. In this substage, the infant coordinates sensation and two types of schemes: habits and primary circular reactions.

Question 9

primary circular reaction

Answer 9

A scheme based on the attempt to reproduce an event that initially occurred by chance.

Repeating pleasurable actions centred on it’s own body

Question 10

secondary circular reactions

Answer 10

Piaget’s third sensorimotor substage, which develops between 4 and 8 months of age. In this substage, the infant becomes more object- oriented, moving beyond preoccupation with the self.

Repeating pleasurable actions that involve objects and their own body

Question 11

coordination of secondary circular reactions

Answer 11

Piaget’s fourth sensorimotor substage, which develops between 8 and 12 months of age. Actions become more outwardly directed, and infants coordinate schemes and act with intentionality.

Question 12

tertiary circular reactions, novelty, and curiosity

Answer 12

Piaget’s fifth sensorimotor substage, which develops between 12 and 18 months of age. In this substage, infants become intrigued by the many properties of objects and by the many things that they can make happen to objects.

Question 13

internalization of schemes

Answer 13

Piaget’s sixth and final sensorimotor substage, which develops between 18 and 24 months of age. In this substage, the infant develops the ability to use primitive symbols.

Question 14

object permanence

Answer 14

The Piagetian term for understanding that objects and events continue to exist even when they cannot directly be seen, heard, or touched.

Question 15

A-not-B error

Answer 15

Error that occurs when infants
make the mistake of selecting the familiar
hiding place (A) rather than the new hiding
place (B) of an object

Question 16

core knowledge approach

Answer 16

Theory that infants are born with domain-specific innate knowledge systems.