Chapter 9: Early Childhood- Cognitive Development

Question 1

Theory-Theory

Answer 1

Children explain everything they see and hear by constructing theories. They think of why the world is the way it is.

Question 2

Theory of Mind

Answer 2

• Person’s theory of what other people might be thinking.
• Happens at age 4. Children realize people are not thinking the same thoughts as them.
• Austistic children have problems in this area, and matures prefrontal cortex.

Question 3

Fast-Mapping

Answer 3

Fast way children learn new words by placing them in mental categories according to their perceived meaning.

Question 4

Preoperational Intelligence

Answer 4

Piaget’s term for cognitive development between ages 2 and 6. Language and imagination, but operational thinking is not possible at this age.

Question 5

Symbolic Thought

Answer 5

Object or word can stand for something else, including something imagined. Word cat means the animal that says meow.

Question 6

Animism

Answer 6

Natural objects and phenomena are alive and have feelings like plants and animals. Thinking a tree gets lonely.

Question 7

Centration

Answer 7

Child focuses on one idea, excluding all others. Sally thinks one who breaks a bigger vase is always naughtier than one who breaks a smaller vase.

Question 8

Egocentrism

Answer 8

Piaget’s term for children to think about the world entirely from their own personal perspective. Vanessa thinks Barbie doll is good gift for grandma.

Question 9

Focus on Appearance

Answer 9

Child ignores all attributes that are not apparent, seeing is believing. Billy is scared of dad on Halloween because he is in a vampire costume.

Question 10

Static Reasoning

Answer 10

Child thinks that nothing changes. Whatever is now has always been and always will be. Jimmy knows it will snow this Christmas because it did last year.

Question 11

Irreversibility

Answer 11

Child thinks that nothing can be undone. Nothing can be restored to the way it used to be. Susie can’t believe that photo is her mother from 10 years ago.

Question 12

Conservation

Answer 12

Amount of a substance remains the same even when it’s appearance changes.

Question 13

Scaffolding

Answer 13

Support tailored to a child’s needs and aimed at helping the child master the next task in a learning process. Mom helps Helen roll the dough out for perfectly made cookies.

Question 14

Overimitation

Answer 14

Someone imitating an action not relevant of a behavior to be learned. Common in 2 and 6 year olds.

Question 15

Private Speech

Answer 15

When people talk to themselves.

Question 16

Social Mediation

Answer 16

Human interaction expanding understanding, usually through words one person uses to explain something to another.

Question 17

Overregularization

Answer 17

Rules of grammar even when exceptions occur, making the language seem more regular than it actually is.

Question 18

Pragmatics

Answer 18

Use of language including the ability to adjust language communication according to audience and context.

Question 19

Montessori Schools

Answer 19

Schools offering early-childhood education based on the philosophy of Maria Montessori, brings careful work and tasks that each child can do.

Question 20

Reggio Emilia

Answer 20

Program of childhood education originating in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and encourages childhood creativity in a carefully designed setting.

Question 21

Head Start

Answer 21

Funded early childhood intervention program for low-income children of preschool age.

Question 22

Conservation Task

Answer 22

• All four limitations of Preoperational Thought are evident.
• Young children fail to see this process through liquids.
• It does not occur to them that they could reverse the process of the liquid technique.

Question 23

Limitations of Preoperational Thought

Answer 23

1. Cent ration
2. Focus on Appearance
3. Irreversibility
4. Static Reasoning

Question 24

Characteristics of Preoperational Thought

Answer 24

1. Symbolic Thought
2. Egocentrism
3. Animism

Question 25

Limitations of Piaget’s Research

Answer 25

• Very small sample size (own three children).
• Limited in verbal techniques by children because they are not as skilled verbally this young.
• Underestimated cognition at this age.

Question 26

Lev Vygotsky: Social Learning

Answer 26

• All cognitive development in children is in a social context.
• Their intellectual growth is through older peers and parents.
• Adults are mentors by offering challenges, assistance, crucial information, and motivation.

Question 27

Social Learning Terms

Answer 27

1. Guided Participation
2. Zone of Proximal Development
3. Scaffolding

Question 28

Guided Participation

Answer 28

Children learn through others who guide their experiences. Helen and her mom decide to bake cookies for Christmas together.

Question 29

Zone of Proximal Development

Answer 29

Skills a child can only learn through assistance, not on their own. Helen has trouble with the dough on the cookies.

Question 30

Rule of Language

Answer 30

1. Internal Dialogue (private speech)
2. Social Mediation (formal information and casual instruction)
   - Words allow children from 2-6 years old to count objects, remember time and dates, and understand sequences.

Question 31

Overview of Language Learning

Answer 31

• Language is pivotal in early cognition.
• Early childhood is important time to learn grammar and vocabulary.
• Age 2 they know 500 words, age 6 they know 10,000 words.

Question 32

Vocabulary Explosion

Answer 32

• Child is mastering nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

- Comprehension is greater than conjunction.

Question 33

Logical Extension

Answer 33

• Closely related to fast-mapping.

- Child using words to describe something. Like a horse with a hump is a camel.

Question 34

Adults Helping Language Learning

Answer 34

1. Book Reading (books to new words)
2. Language Enhancement (introduce new words)
3. Code Focused Reading (link between written/spoken words)
4. Parent Education (ask children questions with parenting)
5. Preschool Programs

Question 35

Two Languages

Answer 35

• Children do not get confused with two languages.
• Bilingual children use both languages on same side of brain.
• Children not learning both with favor one more than the other, and will make that their language.

Question 36

Bilingual Education

Answer 36

• In the U.S. 1/3 of preschoolers speak more than one language.
• Almost a million children will be poor in leaning with English.

Question 37

Homes and Schools

Answer 37

• If home is poor, preschool offers health, cognition, and social skills.
• If home is good, preschool offers less things.

Question 38

Learning Programs

Answer 38

1. Child-Centered Programs
2. Teacher-Centered Programs
3. Intervention Programs

Question 39

Child-Centered Programs

Answer 39

Creates individualism and creativity. They learn through play rather than adult direction. They also learn on their own.
Example: Montessori Schools, and Reggio Emilia Schools

Question 40

Teacher-Centered Programs

Answer 40

Prepare child for formal educational instruction. All lessons taught to entire class. Less expensive, but child/teacher ratio is higher.
Example: Traditional Preschools

Question 41

Intervention Programs

Answer 41

Give skills to disadvantaged children. This takes place to low-income children. Most advantages fade by third grade.
Example: Head Start

Question 42

Research Findings for Programs

Answer 42

1. Child-Centered: Favored by developmentalists, increase confidence and curiosity.
2. Teacher-Centered: Favored by parents, processing theory helps.
3. Intervention: Both techniques are used and helpful in ways.