Chapter 8: Cognitive development in early childhood Flashcards
What is Piaget’s Preoperational stage?
Children in this stage can think about objects/actions they can’t see or act on but are unable to think in terms of mental/logical operations.
What is symbolic thought in the preoperational stage?
Rapid vocabulary and imagination growth.
What is horizontal decalage?
Children can pass some conservation tasks before they can pass others.
What are some criticisms of Piaget’s theory?
Theoretical criticisms include being interpreted as nativist based, not fitting with findings, and lacking acknowledgment of social factors.
What is static reasoning/irreversibility?
The belief that the world is stable and unchanging, leading to a lack of understanding that things can’t be undone or reversed.
What is egocentrism in young children?
The tendency to think that everyone sees things in the same way as them, unable to see the point of view of others.
What is syncretism?
The tendency to think that if two events occur simultaneously, one caused the other.
Example: A child putting on their bathing suit means it’s summer.
What is animism?
Attributing lifelike qualities to objects.
Example: Believing a cup is alive or that toys need to stay home because they are tired.
What are classification errors?
Difficulty understanding that an object can be classified in more than one way.
Example: A child may say there are more black buttons than total buttons when shown 3 white and 4 black buttons.
What is conservation in cognitive development?
Understanding that physical characteristics of objects stay the same despite changes in appearance or shape.
What is bottom-up learning?
Practical, action-based knowledge built up before abstract understanding.
What is Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development?
Children are curious and observant, seeking answers from knowledgeable others.
What is scaffolding in learning?
Guidance provided by a more knowledgeable other to promote learning.
What is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?
The range where children can perform a task with help but not independently.
What role does language play in cognitive development according to Vygotsky?
Language creates and shapes human forms of thinking, initially used for social functions.
What is private speech?
Children talk to themselves for self-regulation and guidance, not directed at others.
What is inner speech?
Internalized language that has become thought, organizing thinking in specific ways.
What is the difference between Piaget and Vygotsky’s views on instruction?
Piaget believed in discovery learning, while Vygotsky emphasized the need for adult assistance.
What are the theories of language development?
Nativist/maturation, constructivism, and social pragmatic theory.
What are the key changes in attention during early childhood?
Improvements in attention-seeking skills, divided attention, selective attention, and sustained attention.
What are the types of memory?
Sensory memory, working memory, long-term memory (declarative and non-declarative).
What is autobiographical memory?
Personal narratives that emerge as children develop language and theory of mind.
What are some cognitive milestones at age 3?
Can work toys with buttons, play make-believe, and understand what ‘2’ means.
What is fast-mapping in vocabulary development?
The process of learning a word after one exposure.
What is overregularization in language development?
Applying grammatical rules incorrectly, such as saying ‘goed’ instead of ‘went’.
What are some characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Social deficits, communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, and sensory issues.
What are some risk factors for ASD?
Genetics, prenatal factors, and environmental factors.
What is the focus of treatment for ASD?
Management of symptoms, often through therapies like applied behavior analysis.
