LM: Piaget Flashcards
What is the primary focus of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
a) The qualitative development of cognitive structures.
b) The quantitative development of cognitive structures.
c) The impact of social and emotional factors on cognition.
d) The influence of personality on learning styles.
a) The qualitative development of cognitive structures.
Which of the following best describes Piaget’s view of cognitive development?
a) Continuous and quantitative.
b) Discontinuous and qualitative
c) Primarily driven by environmental factors
d) Largely determined by genetic factors.
b) Discontinuous and qualitative
Which of the following is NOT a stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
a) Sensorimotor
b) Preoperational
c) Post-conventional
d) Formal operational
c) Post-conventional
A child in the sensorimotor stage is presented with a toy, which is then hidden under a blanket. The child does not search for the toy. Which concept has the child not yet developed?
a) Object permanence
b) Conservation
c) Symbolic representation
d) Hypothetical thinking
a) Object permanence
Which of the following is a characteristic of the preoperational stage?
a) Children can solve problems through mental manipulation but are limited to concrete objects.
b) Children can use symbols but their thinking is still egocentric and dominated by appearances.
c) Children can engage in abstract and hypothetical reasoning.
d) Children develop a complete understanding of conservation.
b) Children can use symbols but their thinking is still egocentric and dominated by appearances.
A child sees a zebra for the first time and calls it a “horse.” According to Piaget, this is an example of:
a) Assimilation
b) Accommodation
c) Equilibration
d) Object permanence
a) Assimilation
A child who can solve conservation tasks but struggles with abstract reasoning is most likely in which stage of cognitive development?
a) Sensorimotor
b) Preoperational
c) Concrete operational
d) Formal operational
c) Concrete operational
Which of the following is a hallmark of the formal operational stage?
a) The ability to think abstractly and hypothetically.
b) The development of object permanence.
c) A focus on sensory experiences and motor actions.
d) The emergence of symbolic play.
a) The ability to think abstractly and hypothetically.
What is the term for a child’s tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation, such as the height of a glass of water, while ignoring other relevant aspects, such as the width of the glass?
a) Centration
b) Conservation
c) Egocentrism
d) Reversibility
a) Centration
Which of the following tasks is commonly used to assess formal operational thinking?
a) Conservation of number
b) The three mountains task
c) The balance scale task
d) The A-not-B search task
c) The balance scale task
Which of the following is NOT a strength of Piaget’s theory?
a) It recognizes children as active learners who construct their own knowledge.
b) It provides a comprehensive framework for understanding cognitive development.
c) It accurately captures the step-like nature of cognitive development, with clear transitions between stages.
d) It has generated a wealth of research on children’s thinking.
c) It accurately captures the step-like nature of cognitive development, with clear transitions between stages. [13, The sources state that “He makes human cognitive development look more neat, orderly, and uniform than it probably is.”]
Which of the following is a limitation of Piaget’s theory?
a) It may underestimate the cognitive abilities of infants and young children.
b) It overemphasizes the role of language in cognitive development.
c) It fails to consider the influence of social and cultural factors.
d) It is not supported by empirical evidence.
a) It may underestimate the cognitive abilities of infants and young children.
Piaget’s theory suggests that children are intrinsically motivated to learn. What does this mean?
a) Children are primarily motivated by external rewards and punishments.
b) Children are naturally curious and driven to understand their world.
c) Children’s cognitive development is primarily driven by social interactions.
d) Children’s learning is primarily a passive process of absorbing information.
b) Children are naturally curious and driven to understand their world.
According to Piaget, what is the role of assimilation and accommodation in cognitive development?
a) They are defense mechanisms that protect children from anxiety.
b) They are innate reflexes that are present at birth.
c) They are complementary processes that drive cognitive growth.
d) They are cultural tools that are transmitted through social learning.
c) They are complementary processes that drive cognitive growth.
A nine-month-old infant is playing with a toy. The researcher hides the toy under a blanket while the infant watches. The infant does not search for the toy. According to Piaget, what does this demonstrate?
a) The infant lacks the concept of object permanence. b) The infant is exhibiting centration.
c) The infant is in the preoperational stage of cognitive development.
d) The infant is demonstrating tertiary circular reactions.
Sensorimotor Stage: Object Permanence
a) The infant lacks the concept of object permanence. The sources explain that object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when we are not in sensory contact with them. Piaget argued that infants in the sensorimotor stage have not yet developed this understanding. The infant in the question does not search for the hidden toy, indicating a lack of object permanence.
A researcher shows a child two rows of pennies, each with the same number of pennies spread out equally. The child agrees that both rows have the same number of pennies. Then, the researcher spreads out the pennies in one row further apart. The child now says that the row spread further apart has more pennies. Which Piaget concept does this illustrate?
a) Centration
b) Object permanence
c) Assimilation
d) Hypothetical thinking
Preoperational Stage: Conservation of Number
a) Centration
The sources, along with our previous conversation about centration, explain that preoperational children tend to focus on a single, perceptually salient aspect of a situation while ignoring other relevant factors. In this case, the child focuses on the length of the row of pennies rather than the actual number of pennies. This focus on a single aspect (length) illustrates the concept of centration.
A researcher presents a child with two identical glasses filled with the same amount of juice. The child acknowledges that both glasses have the same amount. Then, the researcher pours the juice from one glass into a taller, narrower glass. The child now claims that the taller glass contains more juice. What characteristic of preoperational thinking is demonstrated?
a) Centration
b) Reversibility
c) Decentration
d) Formal measurement approach
Preoperational Stage: Conservation of Liquid Quantity (Volume)
a) Centration
Similar to the previous question, the child is fixated on the height of the juice in the taller glass and ignores the change in width. This inability to consider multiple dimensions simultaneously is a hallmark of centration in the preoperational stage.
A researcher presents a balance scale to a child and asks the child to predict how the scale will tip when different weights are placed at varying distances from the fulcrum. The child systematically experiments with different combinations of weights and distances, formulates hypotheses, and eventually derives a rule-based understanding of the principles of balance. This behavior is characteristic of which Piaget stage?
a) Sensorimotor
b) Preoperational
c) Concrete Operational
d) Formal Operational
Formal Operational Stage: Balance Scale Task
d) Formal Operational
As discussed in our conversation, the balance scale task is a classic Piagetian task used to assess formal operational thinking. The ability to systematically experiment, isolate variables, formulate hypotheses, and develop a rule-based understanding is characteristic of the formal operational stage
