Chapter 7 - Lecture

Question 1

what are the higher mental functions in cognitive psychology?

Answer 1

Concept formation
Categories and Coding
Systems
Memory
Language
Problem solving
Decision making
Logic

Question 2

What did Steven Pinker do?

Answer 2

Pinker explores various
aspects of human cognition and the mechanisms that
underlie our mental
processes

Question 3

how does Pinker describe the structure of language?

Answer 3

Language: Pinker describes the structure of language and how it is processed in the mind. He discusses the concept of universal grammar and the innate
language abilities that humans possess
- universal grammar - brain is already hardwired similarly to computers, and givena healthy brain every brain has the capacity to learn the rules

Question 4

what are the main beliefs of cognitive theories?

Answer 4

• Current learning builds on previous learning
• Learning involves information processing
• Meaning depends on relationships among concepts

Question 5

describe ‘going beyond the information given’ (bruner’s learning theory)

Answer 5

Humans were far from the fastest, the fiercest, or the
strongest of the predators on this planet
- The human proved, in the end, to be more intelligent
- The human eventually took the course of evolution into its own hands by using its brains
*brain information processing centre allows us to outcompete others

Question 6

Language and mind are the products of _

Answer 6

cultural evolution made possible by the brain
*countries have their own languages/dialect

Question 7

Mind refers primarily to human consciousness—define

Answer 7

the awareness we have of being, of thinking, of feeling.

Question 8

The mind’s evolution is evident through three waves of
remarkable inventions:

Answer 8

1. Simple machines amplifying human motor
   capacities
2. Devices amplifying human sensory capacities
3. Machines amplifying human intellectual capacities

Question 9

name the 3 representational systems in Bruner’s theory

Answer 9

enactive representation, iconic representation, symbolic representation

Question 10

name the 3 human inventions that relate to Bruner’s representational systems

Answer 10

enactive = amplification of motor capacities
iconic = amplification of sensory capacitites
symbolic = amplification of intellectual capacities

Question 11

describe the development of representation in children: enactive

Answer 11

In the enactive mode, a baby would represent their
world through actions.
Knowledge is stored as muscle memory
- For example, a baby may continue to shake their
arm even when you take the rattle away
- They think the arm movement was making the noise
- Our knowledge of motor skills like riding a bike is
based on enactive representation
- They become automatic with practice

Question 12

describe the development of representation in children: iconic representation

Answer 12

Here knowledge can be
represented through visual or auditory icons
- A child’s thinking is dominated by images and things are as they look

Question 13

describe the development of representation in children: symbolic representation

Answer 13

• Language starts to influence thoughts
• Information can be categorized and summarized and be more readily manipulated

Question 14

A symbolic representational system, most importantly language, is essential to

Answer 14

systematic reasoning
- language are agreed upon symbols that we give meaning to
* that’s why certain terms parents used don’t make any sense

Question 15

what did Noam Chomsky suggest?

Answer 15

Innate Knowledge: Chomsky suggested that humans are born with an innate, biological predisposition for language
* This innate knowledge includes a set of grammatical principles and
rules that guide the formation of sentences and the understanding
of language

Question 16

forming concepts involves _. Information processing and decision making also involve _

Answer 16

categorization
(bruner’s theory of representation: categorization)

Question 17

A category can be thought of as a_

Answer 17

rule for classifying things as being equal: specifying the attributes objects must possess to belong

Question 18

Categorizing implies the possibility of

Answer 18

“going beyond the
information given” (of making predictions about events or objects based on their category membership)
*making predictions on events and objects, constantly doing this to make sense

Question 19

coding systems are _

Answer 19

hierarchal arrangements of related categories, such that the topmost category in the system is more general than are all the categories below it
*creating coding system that connects to broad idea
*do this as you learn more information

Question 20

what does transfer mean in terms of coding systems?

Answer 20

Categorizing and placing concepts (categories) into coding systems is
basic to generalizing — or what is termed transfer

Question 21

in research on concept formation, we have 2 models of _

Answer 21

abstraction

Question 22

we have 2 models of abstraction:

Answer 22

prototype (a general model, ex honda)
exemplar (a specific example, ex. honda civic)

Question 23

• it’s not just about categorizing, it’s also about _

Answer 23

putting meaning
- personal narratives, connections that occur

Question 24

define meaning and the narrative construction of reality

Answer 24

• How humans make meaning
• How humans use personal narratives to make sense of their lives

Question 25

what are the educational implications of Bruner’s Theory

Answer 25

Theory strongly advocates discovery- oriented, constructivist teaching methods
- Bruner suggests that
some form of spiral
curriculum is often the
best for learner-
centered education

Question 26

on the slide in class, what was on the bruner spiral

Answer 26

as difficulty increases, new content>revision>mastery

Question 27

jean piaget had a _ position

Answer 27

developmental-cognitive position

Question 28

piaget’s position is primarily a theory of human development, however, it is also a theory of _

Answer 28

learning

Question 29

The acquisition of knowledge is a
gradual developmental process made
possible through

Answer 29

the interaction of the
child with the environment

Question 30

The sophistication of children’s representation of the world is a function

Answer 30

of their stage of development
- That stage is defined by the thought
structures they then possess

Question 31

what are the (3) forces that shape learning

Answer 31

• Maturation, active experience,
  equilibration, and social interaction are
  the forces that shape learning.

Question 32

Lev Vygotsky had a _theory

Answer 32

social/cognitive

Question 33

Lev Vygotsky’s social/cognitive theory involved the ZOPD, what is this?

Answer 33

Zone of proximal development: The range
of tasks that a child can perform with the
help of others but not independently
* too easy/hard = disconnection

Question 34

describe vygotsky’s past

Answer 34

• A private tutor educated him during his earliest
  years before he entered a Jewish high school
• He was later admitted to the University of Moscow
  via a lottery system
• Simultaneously studied history and philosophy at
  Shaniavsky University while studying law at
  Moscow University
• After graduating from the two universities in 1917,
  he began teaching in a state school at Gomel
  Vygotsky became interested in psychology in 1924

Question 35

He pioneered research and ideas in _ that still seem fresh
and current Vygotsky has been described as the _ of psychology

Answer 35

developmental
psychology and education

“Mozart”

Question 36

Vygotsky’s theory is often referred to as an example of _

Answer 36

constructivism

Question 37

According to Vygotsky, _ are involved in the development of human consciousness

Answer 37

culture and social interaction

Question 38

Whereas Piaget’s theory gives a primary role to forces that are within the child, Vygotsky’s system emphasizes

Answer 38

forces that are outside the child—in other words, the forces of culture

Question 39

Social interaction is fundamentally involved
in the development of

Answer 39

cognition
- Cultures are very powerful, dynamic, changing things that exert a tremendous
influence on each of us

Question 40

describe the educational applications of the zone of proximal growth and scaffolding

Answer 40

Vygotsky’s theory says a great deal about the forces
that shape children’s learning
- It says much about the special relationship that exists between teachers and learners

Question 41

The Tools of the Mind curriculum reflects two aspects of Vygotsky’s theory that have especially clear and important educational implications:

Answer 41

his notions of the zone of proximal growth and of scaffolding

Question 42

describe the inner circle, middle circle and outer circle on the ZOPD diagram in class

Answer 42

inner circle: current understanding, can work unassisted
middle circle: ZOPD, learns through scaffolding
outer circle: out of reach

Question 43

list the scaffolding strategies form the diagram in class

Answer 43

• use of first language
• read aloud
• modeling/gestures
• intentional small group/partner work
• sentence structures/starters
• graphic organizers
• connect to background knowledge
• visuals

Question 44

how can vygotsky’s theory be criticized?

Answer 44

not a highly scientific theory
- Some critics argue that
Vygotsky’s description of
stages in language
development is not
particularly useful or accurate
Many consider him to be one of the most influential and important psychologists of the twentieth century

Question 45

Vygotsky’s theory fares
relatively well relative to the major criteria of good
theories, as it:

Answer 45

• is relatively clear and
  understandable,
  attempts to simplify complex observations,
  is consistent, has very important practical
  implications, and continues to stimulate and guide a considerable amountof research in the social sciences