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psychology 101 > cognitive development > Flashcards

cognitive development Flashcards

1
Q

steps to think like a developmental psychologist

A
  1. physics metaphor –> Once you stop taking gravity for granted, you open up a whole new idea of questions
    If you observe something, you can learn so many new things
  2. building a mind from scratch –> the mind is very complex, and even the most simple tasks take immense effort to perform
  3. think critically (ask the why questions)
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2
Q

epigenetics

A

Gene expression can be modulated (influenced) by experience

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3
Q

domain-specific theory

A

Are our minds supported by many specialized systems that evolved for specific domains (objects, people, language, etc.)
* pre-installed “apps”

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4
Q

domain-general theory

A

Or do we have a few general systems that can be used across many different domains?
* Learning algorithms that work for lots of domains

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5
Q

quantitative change

A

Numerically different

children: Are they getting smarter because they’re able to remember more due to the increased size of brain?

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6
Q

qualitative change

A

New structure, ability, or process

Are they getting smarter due to new structures being built in the brain, in order for them to obtain information readily

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7
Q

2 reasons why people study developmental psychology

A
  1. Allows you To Get Comfortable with Complexity

2. To Understand Others (and Yourself) Better

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8
Q

mechanistic view of the mind

A

The mind is like a machine
The each part serves a particular function
The parts don’t change function

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9
Q

complexity view of the mind

A

The mind is like an ecosystem
Components contribute to system in many ways
Changes at one level can reverberate through other levels (feedback loops)

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10
Q

importance of developmental psych in society

A

Developmental is about understanding the factors that influence how different people think, feel, believe, and act.
Creates a bridge/dialogue between cultures and people

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11
Q

basic question of piagetian theory

A

How do we go from reflexes to reason?
reason/think about complex/abstract matters
* genetic epistemology

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12
Q

genetic epistemology

A

the study of the origins of knowledge

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13
Q

describe Piagetian theory: constructivist

A

Child is not a blank slate, but does not come “preloaded” with innate knowledge either
Child actively “constructs” more and more complex knowledge and abilities out of simpler components (e.g., reflexes)

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14
Q

Piagetian theory: domain-general

A

Piaget thought that the properties exhibited in each stage were domain-general, meaning that all areas (social reasoning, language interpretation, and so on) differed in different stages.

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15
Q

layout of Piagetian theory of developmental psychology

A
  • stage based
    Children travel through a series of stages as they develop new knowledge and abilities
    Each stage forms the foundation for the next stage
    Development is about “leveling-up”
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16
Q

schemas

A

Child’s knowledge and ways of interacting with the world

ex: looking, mouthing, throwing, shaking

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17
Q

adaptation

A

Linking the child’s schemas and experiences in the world

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18
Q

2 types of adaptation

A

assimilation

accommodation

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19
Q

assimilation

A

interpreting new experience in terms of existing schemas

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20
Q

accommodation

A

altering existing schemas or creating new schemas in response to new experiences

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21
Q

Equilibration

A

assimilation and accommodation working together to enrich the child’s worldview
Trying to reach better cognitive fit with environment
Optimal adaptive fit with the environment

22
Q

what happens when schemas are too simplistic?

A

Difficulty understanding what separates experiences/objects

too reliant on assimilation

23
Q

what happens when schemas are too specific?

A

Difficulty understanding what unifies experiences/objects

too reliant on accommodation

24
Q

stage 1 of Piagetian theory

A

0-2 year olds

reflexes and self vs. objects

25
Q

reflexes (stage 1)

A

Reflexes used (accidentally at first) to learn about self and objects

26
Q

stage 1: object permanence - out of sight

A

Out of sight = Out of mind

- no sense of object permanence

27
Q

stage 1: object permanence - weak object understanding

A

Child can search for toys that are out of view but fails the A-not-B task and the Invisible Displacement Task

28
Q

stage 1: object permanence (final)

A

has to understand object permanence in order to “pass” stage 1

29
Q

stage 2: symbolic thought (overview) (2-7 year olds)

A

Child can use symbols to mentally represent objects and events (e.g., language, pretend play, and imaginary companions)

30
Q

how are children still limited during stage 2 (symbolic thought)

A
  • they’re egocentric thinkers (can’t be empathetic towards others)
  • easily fooled by appearances
  • fail conversion tasks
31
Q

why do children fail stage 2 conversion tasks?

A

children struggle with centration

fail to use logical tools (mental operates)

32
Q

centration

A

focus on one dimension of the problem

e.g., focus on height instead of both height and width

33
Q

mental operators

A

are logical, rule-based ways of comparing mental representations.

34
Q

the 3 types of mental operators

A
  1. Compensation
  2. Reversibility
  3. Identity
35
Q

when do children move on to stage 3 from stage 2?

A

when they can use centration and mental operators well

36
Q

stage 3: concrete reasoning overview (7-11 years)

A

Logical reasoning for concrete problems but difficulties with abstract or hypothetical reasoning
- have trouble using formal logic

37
Q

formal logic

A

identifying whether a conclusion is valid based upon an argument’s form rather than its content

38
Q

stage 4: abstract reasoning (11+ years)

A

Logical reasoning for abstract/hypothetical/formal problems

Scientific reasoning using the hypothetico-deductive method (generating and testing falsifiable hypotheses)

39
Q

critiques of Piaget’s 4 stages

A

Many view stage-based theories are as too rigid
Underestimated children’s abilities and knowledge
Emphasis on logic, overlooked social context of development

40
Q

difference between Piaget’s theory and Vygotsky’s theory

A

Piaget: focus on how physical environment affects a child’s development
Vygotsky: focus on how social environment affects a child’s development

41
Q

memory experiments with infants

A
  1. DeCasper and Spence (Can newborns remember experiences from before they were born?)
  2. Rovee-Collier (How long can infants retain information for at different ages? –> Mobile task)
  3. Simcock & Hayne (Why do we struggle to remember events from the first few years of life?
    (Infantile Amnesia))
42
Q

attachment

A

Attachment refers to an emotional bond that leads a person to want to be with someone else and to miss him or her when separated

43
Q

strange situation test

A

evaluate the nature of an infant’s attachment

44
Q

theory of mind

A

refers to an individual’s ability to think about other people’s beliefs and desires and how those beliefs and desires predict and explain behaviour

45
Q

Lawrence Kohlberg

A

Presented children and adults with moral dilemmas, assessed their moral reasoning

46
Q

Kohlber’s staged-based theory of morality

A

Preconventional
Conventional
Postconventional

47
Q

preconventional

A
  • 2-10 years
  • focus on punishment and gains
    ex: Stealing the drug is wrong because Heinz will be punished harshly
48
Q

conventional

A
  • 9+ years
    being virtuous means doing what we are told, conforming to group norms
    ex: Stealing the drug is wrong because only bad people steal things, and one shouldn’t break the law
49
Q

postconventional

A

(12+ yrs): being virtuous means adhering to a “higher” principle of justice or fairness
ex: Stealing the drug is wrong because it violates the druggists rights

50
Q

evaluation of kohlberg’s morality theory

A

Unclear stages
Children’s responses to different scenarios can span all three major stages

Cross-cultural variations
WEIRD science: Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic

Possible gender bias
Mostly studied middle-class boys
Carol Gilligan criticized Kohlberg’s focus on justice over care

psychology 101 (7 decks)

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