Child Development - Cognition and Intelligence Flashcards
Who developed the theory of ‘children as enquiring scientists’?
Jean Piaget
What is the general overview of Jean Piaget’s theory of children as enquiring scientists?
Children learn through action and the importance is in how children THINK rather than what they know
At what age do children reach the Sensorimotor stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
0-2 years
At what age do children reach the pre-operational stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
2-7 years
At what age do children reach the concrete operational stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
7-11 years
At what age do children reach the formal operational stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
11+ years
What is the sensorimotor stage of Piaget’s theory? (0-2 years)
6 sub stages
Recognition of self as agent of action
Object permanence
Developing memory systems; self-recognition
Basically, knowing the physical environment by seeing and touching (thinking only by doing)
What is object permanence?
realising that something is still there even when a piece of paper is placed in front of it
How can developing memory systems be tested?
Attach child’s leg to string and they learn that when the kick, a mobile moves
See if they remember to kick 2, 3, 4 days later
The older they are, the longer they’ll remember
Give some examples of a child’s abilities at 8 months old
Obeys simple requests Points to objects Hold cup to doll's mouth Demonstrates affection by hugging and kissing Shows toes when named by mother Shakes head or says no Self-recognition
What are schemas?
Theories about how the physical and social world operate
What is assimilation?
understanding a new object
What is accommodation?
Modifying a schema in result of new evidence
In terms of pre-operational thought, what is contraption?
Only thinking about one idea at a time
What is egocentrism?
Self centred world view
Difficulty with the perspectives of others
At what age will a child be able to describe the view of someone else in the 3 mountain problem?
age 6-7
A child who can’t describe the view of someone else in the 3 mountain problem is thinking…
egocentrically
What are the basics of pre-operational thought? (3 factors)
egocentric - self centred world view
centration - only thinking about one idea at a time
conservation - understanding that amount is unrelated to appearance (happens at around 6 years)
When a child passes the 3 mountain problem what stage of cognitive development are they showing?
concrete operational (7-11 years)
A 0-2 year old child will be at what stage?
Sensorimotor
A 2-7 year old child will be at what stage?
pre-operational
A 2-11 year old child will be at what stage?
concrete operational
An 11+ year old will be at what stage?
formal operational
What is conservation?
Understanding that amount is unrelated to appearance
understanding, volume, amount etc
What are the basics of concrete operational thought?
Start to think in a logical manner
Can only deal with objects and events which are real or imaginable
What are the basics of formal operational thought?
Basis of adult thinking
reasoning
consider alternatives and plan ahead
systematic testing of hypotheses
What causes differences in IQs?
Genetics
Social/racial genetic differences
What is the Wechsler Adult intelligence scale?
Gives IQ and verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory index, processing speed index
How is perceptual reasoning measured?
visual puzzles
Benefits of IQ tests
Identifies educational needs
Assesments following neurological trauma, learning disability, cognitive impairment
predicting school performance
predicting job stress
Negatives of IQ tests?
Influenced by environment and culture
May not be stbale
Does not measure underlying competence or ‘world skills’
Does not measure emotional intelligence
What is Cerebral lateralisation?
the idea that both sides of the brain are different and different cognitive abilities reside in different parts
ASYMMETRY OF FUNCTION
What is commissurotomy?
Split brain surgery - stop the opportunity for electrical discharge in one hemisphere to spread across to the other hemisphere by severing the corpus callosum to limit seizures for epilepsy patients
What are the roles of the left hemisphere?
complex language functions
complex logical activities
mathematical computations
What are the roles of the right hemisphere?
simple language functions
spatial and pattern abilities
emotional recognition
What are the four stages of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
Sensorimotor (0-2 years)
Pre-operational (2-7 years)
Concrete operational (7-11 years)
Formal operational (12+ years)
