Lecture 8

Question 1

In order to assign a word to something what do you need

Answer 1

A concept/foundation to recognise something. A visual representation of the thing, e.g knowing what a chair is. Symbolic thinking

Question 2

What are the two main perspectives for the origins of thought

Answer 2

Cognitive and social engagement perspectives

Question 3

What is the cognitive perspective

Answer 3

How different cognitive abilities develop overtime. Focuses on the individual and organic basis of development.

Question 4

Who introduced the cognitive perspective

Answer 4

Piaget

Question 5

What did Paiget say about cognitive perspective

Answer 5

Said it was both the constructivist approach and the intellectual development. There is two milestones… Object permanence and deferred imitation - the more exploration = the more knowledge

Question 6

What is object permanence

Answer 6

To test whether a child has a concept of something. Child plays with a toy then you hide it and see what happens

Question 7

What were the results from the object perks ands

Answer 7

4-8 months = infant may r cognise and reach for an object if it is partially obscured. However, if it is totally covered the child will not look for it.
8-12 months = child searches for and retrieves hidden objects
12-18 months = child can only cope with visible displacement NOT invisible displacement
18-24 months = when symbolic thinking happens, Even if they can’t see the object it must be there so will keep looking

Question 8

When does deferred imitation occur

Answer 8

9months = 1 day

14 months = 1 week

Question 9

Discuss object permanence and imitation

Answer 9

Happen very early in development and in other species yet neither young infants not macaques have language or symbolic thinking. Thus object permanence and imitation may not be a good indicator of symbolic thinking

Question 10

What are mirror neurons

Answer 10

A neuron that fires not only when executing an action but also when seeing someone else’s executing an action

Question 11

Why is imitation important

Answer 11

Is a profoundly social process which enables learning and acquisition of cultural shared knowledge. Adults provide relevant cues - using eye contact while performing an unusual action influences 14 month olds. Infants asses intentions of models - prior intentions increases chances of imitation

Question 12

What do we use for thinking

Answer 12

Language primarily, but images too

Question 13

What is selective imitation

Answer 13

Imitating intentions/outcomes rather than actual action

Question 14

Who found that apes imitate outcomes rather than actions?

Answer 14

Call & Carpenter 2002

Question 15

Who found that children imitate intentions rather than actions to learn a knew skill

Answer 15

Meltzoff 1995

Question 16

What is faithful imitation

Answer 16

When offered an object tendency to imitate the others actions with the same object

Question 17

Do children imitate faithfully or selectively

Answer 17

It depends on children’s own learning, social pressure and identification with model or social groups

Question 18

Discuss Vygotsky social constructivist

Answer 18

The social-cultural context moulds development - not the child on their own. Higher mental functions appear first on interpersonal levels and only later at an individual level (via internalisation). Language is a psychological tool

Question 19

What is scaffolding

Answer 19

A process that enables a child or novice to solve a problem, carry out a task or achieve a goal which would be beyond his unassisted efforts

Question 20

Discuss Delgado et al., 2011’s findings in terms of the use of pointing

Answer 20

Children between 2-4 years use pointing to help them remember a location. Children 4-6 years performed worse when not allowed to point

Question 21

Discuss how language is used as a thinking tool

Answer 21

Talking to themselves enhances their understanding. Asking questions to explain what they were doing enhanced performance. Elaborative utterances (elaborate or evaluate child’s current behaviour) and not directives (directs or commands child’s future behaviour) predict ability to switch performance

Question 22

What is the executive function

Answer 22

Co-ordination of thought processes. Purposeful, future-orientated behaviour. System that enables flexible rather than reflexive behaviour. Ability to maintain an appropriate problem solving set for attainment of a future goal.

Question 23

Discuss the executive function in terms of congition

Answer 23

It is related to higher cognitive abilities - planning, cognitive flexibility, attention shifting, inhibiting inappropriate actions, selecting relevant sensory information, fluency & working memory.

Question 24

Discuss the executive function in terms of the social context

Answer 24

Hughes & Ensor (2009) investigated the effect of social factors on executive function in children aged 2-4 and found positive correlations between planning and scaffolding. Negative correlations with chaos and inconsistency of parenting.

Question 25

Discuss first year of life in terms of Hobson 2002

Answer 25

Neonatal imitation - engagement. Infant reacts to the world in it’s own terms. Dyadic interactions - Still face paradigm, proto-conversations, delayed synchronising. No requests, gaze following or social referencing.

Question 26

Discuss secondary inter-subjectivity in 12-18month olds

Answer 26

Triadic interactions - requests for social routines or objects, teasing, gaze following, social referencing. Infant starts to react to others attitudes.

Question 27

Discuss what happens to the child by the end of their second year

Answer 27

Infants drawn to take other’s people attitudes - motivational rather than intentional processes. Symbolic learning within social practices - pretend play of cultural practices, deferred imitation of adults actions & gestures. Symbolic thinking starts by movements in mental orientation to other’s perspectives.

Question 28

What are the two perspectives on the origins of thought

Answer 28

As an individual of exploration. As an inherently social process.

Question 29

Is engagement crucial for the development of symbolic thought

Answer 29

Yes