Developmental Psychology I

Question 1

What are Piaget’s stages of development?

Answer 1

Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete operational
Formal operational

Question 2

What are the ages associated with Piagets stages of development?

Answer 2

Sensorimotor: Birth - 2yrs
Preoperational: 2 - 6yrs
Concrete operational: 7 - 11 yrs
Formal operational: 12 - adulthood

Question 3

Describe Piagets Sensorimotor stage of development (including developmental phenomena)

Answer 3

Experiencing the world through senses and actions (looking, mouthing, touching)

Phenomena:

• Object permanence
• Stranger anxiety

Question 4

Describe Piagets Preoperational stage of development (including developmental phenomena)

Answer 4

Representing things with words and images but lacking logical reasoning.
Phenomena: 
- Pretend play
- Egocentrism
- Language development

Question 5

Describe Piagets concrete operational stage of development (including developmental phenomena)

Answer 5

Thinking logically about concrete events; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations.
Phenomena:
- Conservation
- Mathematical

Question 6

Describe Piagets Formal operational stage of development (including developmental phenomena)

Answer 6

Abstract reasoning
Phenomena:
- Abstract logic
- Potential for moral reasoning

Question 7

What are the infant schemas associated with the sensorimotor stage?

Answer 7

Simple reflexes, interactions with people and objects

Question 8

What are the newborn primitive reflexes?

Answer 8

Tonic neck reflex
Grasp reflex
Step reflex
Crawl reflex

Question 9

What is object permanence?

Answer 9

The awareness of things that continue to exist even when not perceived

Question 10

Egocentrism

Answer 10

Inability of Preoperational child to take another point of view.
Cannot assume role of another person or recognise the other point of view exists.

Question 11

What is conservation?

Answer 11

The ability to recognise that a given quantity, weight or volume remains the same despite changes in shape! Length, or position

Question 12

Key criticisms of Piagets theory of development

Answer 12

• development thought to be more continuous than stage-like
• abilities were underestimated
• did not explain cultural differences in abilities
• neglected the role of emotion

Question 13

Describe the Information Processing Approach to development

Answer 13

Assumes gradual changes in mental capacity rather than stages.

Question 14

Describe nature vs nurture

Answer 14

Whether development is being influenced by the environment or by genes

Question 15

What are the layers of Bronfenbrenner Ecological Systems Theory

Answer 15

Microsystem: immediate surroundings I.e. family
Mesosystems: interactions in the Microsystems.
Exosystems: social setting that affect individual without individual having active role
Macrosystem: laws, cultural values, society