Chapter 7

Question 1

Marcus, a seven-month-old infant, responds to holding his first orange by rolling it around on the floor just like he does with his red rubber ball. He is taking in information on the two objects by comparing them. In Piagetian terms, this demonstrates the process of _______________.
Question 2 options:
accommodation
assimilation
equilibration
organization

Answer 1

Assimilation

Question 2

The main task of the sensorimotor stage involves ______________________________ and a major cognitive accomplishment of this stage is ____________________.
Question 1 options:
acquiring assimilation and accommodation; equilibration
learning to coordinate sensations and responses; object permanence
suppressing motor reflexes; intuitive thought
using language; concrete operations

Answer 2

learning to coordinate sensations and responses; object permanence

Question 3

In Piaget’s view, _______________ involves the tendency for thought to consist of integrated systems that form a whole.
adaptation
equilibration
organization
reaction

Answer 3

organization

Question 4

_______________ is a mechanism posited by Piaget to explain how children shift from one stage of thought to the next.
accommodation
disequilibration
equilibration
submission

Answer 4

equilibration

Question 5

FAILURE at Piaget’s ‘beaker test’ indicates a child cannot _______________ volume and thus is still in the _______________ stage of cognitive development.
centrate on; preoperational
conserve; preoperational
conserve; concrete operational
internalize; concrete operational

Answer 5

conserve; preoperational

Question 6

Success at Piaget’s ‘clay-rolling task’ indicates a child is in the _______________ stage of cognitive development and probably has achieved _______________ of thought.
preoperational; abstraction
concrete operational; seriation
concrete operational; reversibility
formal operational; reversibility

Answer 6

concrete operational; reversibility

Question 7

Between the ages of 2 and 4, children scribble designs to represent people, houses, etc. This ability is counted as evidence of _______________.
centration
intuitive thought
perspective-taking
symbolic function

Answer 7

symbolic function

Question 8

Piaget’s theory is classified as a _______________ theory.
cognitive developmental
conditioning
social cognitive
sociocultural cognitive

Answer 8

cognitive developmental

Question 9

The second substage of the preoperational stage of development is called ‘intuitive’ because children:
only are intuitively aware of the world around them.
seem so sure about their knowledge and understanding, yet appear unaware of how they know and understand.
don’t ask very many questions.
rarely express knowledge about things.

Answer 9

seem so sure about their knowledge and understanding, yet appear unaware of how they know and understand.

Question 10

Piaget’s ‘three mountains’ task is a test for ____________________.
animism
depth perception
egocentrism
object permanence

Answer 10

egocentrism

Question 11

A child blames the sidewalk for making her fall. This is an example of ____________________.
animism
egocentrism
immanent justice

Answer 11

animism

Question 12

Nancy’s handkerchief was blown away by the wind. To this she says: ‘The wind stole my hanky!’ This is evidence of ___________ thought.
animistic
egocentric
intuitive
symbolic

Answer 12

animistic

Question 13

A child is given a hammer, nails, and a picture to hang on a wall. She has observed someone else hammer, but has never hammered herself. Thus, she knows how a hammer is to be held, that it is used to pound nails, etc. In Piaget’s view, this child’s use of prior information to guide new experiences in hammering behavior is _______________.
Question 13 options:
accommodation
assimilation
equilibration
schematization

Answer 13

assimilation

Question 14

The child referred to in the previous question will have to make some adjustments as she learns hammers are rather heavy, that she cannot swing the hammer as hard as she wants to “hit the nail on the head,” etc. Piaget’s term for the adjustments she makes “which really amount to slight alterations of her conception of the world” as _______________.
Question 14 options:
accommodation
assimilation
equilibration
schematization

Answer 14

accommodation

Question 15

In the stick seriation task, children are shown sticks of different lengths on a table and asked to order then manually by length (shortest to longest). If a child evenly lines up the tops of the sticks while ignoring the bottoms of the sticks, or groups the sticks into “big” and “little” sticks, s/he likely is exhibiting _______________ thought.
Question 15 options:
concrete operational
formal operational
preoperational
sensorimotor

Answer 15

preoperational

Question 16

The formal-operational thinker is capable of _____________.
more tied to reality than the preoperational or concrete-operational child who uses a sort of pseudo-logic.
exceptionally insightful about the practical aspects of life.
demanding of a literally true answer to most problems.
capable of abstraction.

Answer 16

Capable of abstraction

Question 17

Piaget believed that formal operational thought emerges between the ages of _______ and 15.
8
9
10
11

Answer 17

11

Question 18

Suzanne, who is 14, has begun to question whether the God of her family’s religion is the only legitimate God. She has begun to consider the possibility that “maybe all religions are one.” To which of the following characteristics of formal operational thought does this example apply?
Question 18 options:
abstract reasoning only
idealistic thinking only
logical reasoning only
possibly abstract and idealistic thinking
probably idealistic thinking and logical reasoning

Answer 18

possibly abstract and idealistic thinking

Question 19

Which of the following statements reflect challenges to Piaget’s ideas on formal operational thought by contemporary developmental researchers?
Question 19 options:
Three is much more individual variation in formal operational thought than Piaget envisioned.
Only about one in three young adolescents is a formal operational thinker.
Many American adults never become formal operational thinkers.
None of the above are correct.
With the exception of the fourth answer, all of the above are correct.

Answer 19

With the exception of the fourth answer, all of the above are correct.

Question 20

Piaget maintained that similar abilities do not appear at the same time within a stage of development. This is called:
A-not-B error
centration
horizontal decalage
seriation
transitivity

Answer 20

horizontal decalage

Question 21

Which researcher applied Piaget’s idea of egocentrism to adolescence?
Renee Baillargeon
David Elkind
Barbel Inhelder
Lev Vygotsky

Answer 21

David Elkind

Question 22

Tracy does not want to go to school one day “because of this third eye in the middle of my forehead.” Her mother remarks: “Look, no one cares about your pimple. Everyone your age is dealing with that.” Still, Tracy locks herself in her bedroom and refuses to go until her mother threatens Tracy with disciplinary consequences. Tracy is exhibiting which form of adolescent egocentrism?
Question 22 options:
idealism
idealism
imaginary audience
personal fable

Answer 22

imaginary audience

Question 23

Jim’s love interest wants to break up with him. His father recognizes that Jim is upset and asks what’s wrong. To this, Jim responds: “I can take care of it myself. It’s no big deal. I’m not in trouble or anything. It’s just that there’s no way you are anyone else could possibly understand.” Jim is exhibiting which form of adolescent egocentrism?
Question 23 options:
abstraction
idealism
imaginary audience
personal fable

Answer 23

personal fable

Question 24

Vygotsky concluded that egocentric speech:
has nothing to do with thinking.
increases when children deal with problematic tasks.
is the same as regular speech to others.
amounts to cognitive immaturity.

Answer 24

increases when children deal with problematic tasks.

Question 25

Related to the previous question, Vygotsky made the important insight that egocentric speech: Question 25 options: is a process that accompanies conversation with others. is a means by which developmental psychologists can identify concrete operational thought. helps young children move about in the world. is tied up with the ordering and planning of the child's behavior.

Answer 25

is tied up with the ordering and planning of the child's behavior.

Question 26

Margo is teaching Tom to play a new composition on the piano. Initially, as Tom tries to learn the piece, Margo must provide many explanations, hints and demonstrations of what to play and how to play it. As Tom learns the piece through practice, the need for Margo's instruction is reduced until Tom can perform the piece by himself. This is an example of which Vygotskian concept? Question 26 options: assimilation direct instruction scaffolding training

Answer 26

scaffolding

Question 27

Four-year-old Suzie and her mother have spent about 30 min. each day trying to put together a large picture-puzzle of a farm scene. A message on the box that contained the puzzle says: "For children ages 8 to 14." Suzie and her mother have completed the outline and part of the inner section of the puzzle and are half finished with completing a big red barn. As she has done with every other section of the puzzle, Suzie's mother lets the little girl try to complete the barn herself. But Suzie can't seem to find any "barn-pieces." Pointing with her index finger, Suzie's mother says: "You need to find a red piece that matches this edge of the barn." Suzie proceeds and eventually completes the barn. After a few more days proceeding thus, Suzie is finished with the entire puzzle. Keeping in mind Suzie's age and the MINIMUM age suggested on the puzzle box, what is Suzie's "zone of proximal development" specific to this task? Question 27 options: 1,2 4,6

Answer 27

4

Question 28

In order to talk on the phone, Suzie's mother leaves her daughter alone for 15 minutes to work on the puzzle. According to Vygotsky--and assuming Suzie wishes to continue alone while working at the puzzle--Suzie is likely to: Question 28 options: engage in at least some egocentric speech. engage in very little egocentric speech, if any. speak to her mother as she works on the puzzle. not speak at all as she works on the puzzle.

Answer 28

at least some egocentric speech.

Question 29

The assistance from Suzie's mother is an example of _________________________. cognitive constructionism overt behavioral training Scaffolding cognitive shaping

Answer 29

scaffolding

Question 30

Suzie's ability to complete a puzzle for children four years older depends on her _______________. mother's intelligence intelligence quotient level of experience ZPD

Answer 30

ZPD

Question 31

This is a multiple-answer question. Vygotsky and Piaget are similar in many ways with respect to their views on how children learn best in educational settings, how schools and teachers should construct those settings, and so on. However, they differ in important ways that reflect their theoretical perspectives on children's thinking. Which of the following statements accurately reflects these DIFFERENCES? (Clue: Two answers are correct.) Question 31 options: A. Piaget believes that formal, standardized tests are a good way to assess children's learning. Vygotsky disagrees. B. Vygotsky encourages teachers to monitor egocentric speech during the elementary school years. Piaget does not emphasize egocentric speech in this way. C. Piaget and Vygotsky disagree that children learn best when they actively construct their own knowledge. D. Vygotsky encourages teachers to assess their students' stages of cognitive development and to interpret their problem solving and direct lessons accordingly. Piaget does not encourage assessment of cognitive stages. E. Piaget does not call upon teachers to assess their students' ZPD and teach toward the upper limit of the ZPD. Such assessment and teaching is essential to Vygotsky's perspective on education.

Answer 31

B, E

Question 32

The sensorimotor stage lasts from birth to about _______ years of age.

Answer 32

2

Question 33

The preoperational stage stretches from approximately 2 to _______ years of age.

Answer 33

7

Question 34

Please fill in the blank. Suppose we ask a child to IMAGINE three sticks of different lengths. He is told that the shortest stick is "A," that the longest stick is "C," and the intermediate-length stick is "B." Then we ask him to tell us to order the sticks from longest to shortest, using the labels "A," "B," and "C." Suppose he says: "C, B, and A." Now we ask him to tell us WHY he ordered them thus. To this he responds: "Because C is longer than B and B is longer than A." According to Piaget, this child is exhibiting _______________ operational thought because he is not limited to actual, concrete experience of the sticks to anchor his reasoning.

Answer 34

formal

Question 35

Assimilation occurs when children adjust to new information.

Answer 35

False; accommodation occurs when children adjust to new information

Question 36

In the concrete operational thought stage, a child can engage in reversible mental actions on real, concrete objects.

Answer 36

True

Question 37

The intuitive thought substage occurs approximately between the ages of 4 and 7.

Answer 37

True

Question 38

Children do not display egocentrism after age four.

Answer 38

False; there is also such a thing as adolescent egocentrism

Question 39

Some developmentalists believe that the sense of uniqueness and invincibility that egocentrism generates is responsible for some of the seemingly foolish behavior of adolescents, including drag racing, drug use, suicide, and failing to use contraceptives during intercourse. This applies primarily to the imaginary audience dimension of adolescent egocentrism.

Answer 39

False; personal fable

Question 40

Think this one through. The lower limit of a child's ZPD represents tasks a child can accomplish with the assistance of a more skilled person. Question 40 options: True False

Answer 40

False

Question 41

Elizabeth Spelke's "core knowledge approach" sides strongly with nurture in the nature-nurture debate. Question 41 options: True False

Answer 41

False

Question 42

True or False: The lower limit of a child's ZPD indicates tasks they can perform independently.

Answer 42

True

Question 43

True or False: Elizabeth Spelke's 'core knowledge approach' strongly supports the nurture aspect of the nature-nurture debate.

Answer 43

False; nature, pre-wired information