L03

Question 1

What are Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development and their age ranges?

Answer 1

Sensorimotor Stage: Birth–2 years.
Preoperational Stage: 2–7 years.
Concrete Operational Stage: 7–11 years.
Formal Operational Stage: 12+ years.

Question 2

What are the main achievements of the Sensorimotor Stage?

Answer 2

Learning through movement and sensation.
Object permanence (~8 months).
Mental representation and deferred imitation (~18-24 months).

Question 3

What is object permanence, and when does it develop?

Answer 3

Understanding that objects exist even when not seen. Develops around 8 months.

Question 4

What are key characteristics of the Preoperational Stage?

Answer 4

Symbolic thought (language, pretend play).
Egocentrism (only perceives their own POV).
Centration (difficulty with conservation tasks).

Question 5

What cognitive abilities emerge during the Concrete Operational Stage (7–11 years)?

Answer 5

Logical thinking about concrete objects.
Decentration: Focus on multiple features.
Reversibility: Mentally reverse steps.
Seriation: Order items by size/weight.

Question 6

What defines the Formal Operational Stage (12+ years)?

Answer 6

Ability to think abstractly, engage in deductive reasoning, and consider hypothetical scenarios.

Question 7

What is the A-not-B error, and at what age does it disappear?

Answer 7

Looking for an object where it was last found (not last hidden). Disappears around 12 months.

Question 8

What are the three components of executive functions?

Answer 8

Inhibitory Control: Ignoring distractions, resisting automatic responses.
Working Memory: Holding and manipulating information.
Cognitive Flexibility: Switching between tasks or rules.

Question 9

What tasks measure executive functions in children?

Answer 9

Day-Night Stroop Task: Tests inhibitory control.
Dimensional Card Sorting Task: Tests cognitive flexibility.

Question 10

How does cultural context affect executive functions?

Answer 10

Chinese preschoolers outperform North American peers due to higher expectations for self-control.

Question 11

What is the Violation of Expectation Paradigm, and what does it reveal?

Answer 11

Infants look longer at ‘impossible’ events, suggesting early understanding of object permanence and physical laws.

Question 12

How do motor and executive functions predict future outcomes?

Answer 12

Early executive functioning predicts:
Better grades, SAT scores, and social skills.
Long-term health, finances, and criminal outcomes.