Cognition and Development

Question 1

How many potential 16 markers could come up for this, and what are they?

Answer 1

7

Discuss Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development.

Discuss Piaget’s Stages of Intellectual Development

Describe and evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of development. (Refer to an alternative explanation of cognitive development in your answer)

Describe and evaluate Baillargeon’s explanation of early infants abilities

Discuss Selman’s levels of perspective taking

Describe and evaluate research on Theory of Mind

Discuss the role of mirror neurons system in social cognition

Question 2

Explain Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development.

Answer 2

Schemas
Disequibruim
Assimilation and Accommodation

Question 3

Evaluate Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development

Answer 3

.+ Support for Schemas

+ Practical application

X Too abstract to be operationalised

X Alternate explanation

Question 4

Describe Piaget’s Stages of Intellectual Development

Answer 4

1 - Sensorimotor Stage - 0-2 (object permenance)

2 - pre operationalised stage - 3-7 (egocentric / class inclusion / conservation)

3 - contrete operalationarionalised stage -
7 - 11 (abstract)

4 - formal operational stage - 12+ (hypothermico reasoning)

biological maturation

Question 5

Evaluate Piaget’s Stages of Intellectual Development

Answer 5

+ support for conservation

• Refuting evidence for conservation - too complex

+ practical application - understand of school and biological maturation / Plowden report

• alternative explanation - Vygotskys

+ support for hypothetical reasoning

• refuting explanation of object permenance

Question 6

Describe Vygotsky’s theory of development.

Answer 6

zone of proximal development

scaffolding

role of language and culture .

Question 7

Evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of development.

Answer 7

+ practical application

+ support of ZPD (Jigsaw)

• Refuting for scaffolding (conservation)

+ support for role of culture

• alternate explanation - piaget

Question 8

Describe Baillargeon’s explanation of early infants abilities

Answer 8

violation of expectation experiments

• tall object
• protuberance

physical reasoning system / object persistence

Question 9

Evaluate Baillargeon’s explanation of early infants abilities

Answer 9

+ good methodology

+ support for prs

• surprise ≠ recognition
• recognition ≠ understanding

Question 10

Explain Selman’s levels of perspective taking

Answer 10

.perspective taking: ability to recognise/understand others have different thoughts/emotions and ability

Holly and Cat

0 - Socially Egocentric - 3-6

1 - Social Informational Stage - 6-8

2 - Self Reflection Stage - 8 - 10

3 - Mutual Role Taking - 10 - 12

4 - Societal Role Taking - 12+

Question 11

Evaluate Selman’s levels of perspective taking

Answer 11

.+ Support, longitudinal study

+ practical application - SST courses / punishment in schools

• All cultures go through stage but not at the same ages
• too much emphasis of cognition / enviroment has effect also
• cant determine cause and effect /

Question 12

Describe research on Theory of Mind

Answer 12

ToM - ability to understand the thinking of different minds and realise that not all the same information is given to everyone

Intentional Reasoning

False Belief Tasks

Sally Anne Task / ASD

Question 13

Evaluate research on Theory of Mind

Answer 13

• development occurs at different ages across cultures
• alternate explanations *
• False Belief tasks too complicated, measures other cognitive abilities
• ASD a spectrum, ToM does not effect all so cannot be a suitable explanation

Question 14

Explain the role of mirror neurons system in social cognition

Answer 14

discovery

imitation (online/offline)

theory of mind / perspective taking

role of acquisition of language (monkeys)

Question 15

Evaluate the role of mirror neurons system in social cognition

Answer 15

.+ support for mirror neurons and online behaviour

+ support from gender differences

• question of existence
• extrapolation from animal studies
• reductionist*