PSYC2030 Practice Questions - Wk6 Early Cognition Flashcards
What was Piaget’s contribution to dev psychology?
He studied children systematically and found that children write and rewrite their knowledge all the time, until they have an adult understanding of the world.
Which concepts did Piaget develop, to understand children’s cognitive development?
Schemas Assimilation and accommodation Organisation Equilibrium Equilibration
What are babies early schemas most tied to?
Their actions: e.g. sucking, looking, grasping. These are behavioural schemas.
How do schemas progress in childhood?
Older children develop mental schemas about cognitive activities, such as strategies and plans for solving problems.
What are assimilation and accommodation used for?
Encountering new information. These are both process children have for applying their schemas.
What is the difference between assimilation and accommodation?
Assimilation = use existing schemas
Accommodation = adjust or modify schemas
What is Piaget’s concept of organisation?
Children cognitively group their behaviour and thoughts to create a higher-order system.
How does organisation apply to cognitive development?
Children constantly refine their organised systems and create more robust, complex understandings.
What is equilibration?
A mechanism which children use to develop their schemas (ie learn new ways of thinking). First, inconsistencies create disequilibrium, or cognitive conflict. Then, the child is motivated to change and seek equilibrium. The processes of assimilation, accommodation, and organisation work to create new or more advanced schemas.
What is an alternative explanation for Meltzoff and Moore’s (1997) original study on neonatal imitation?
Infants may just stick out their tongue as a product of arousal.
What does Onishi & Baillargeon (2005) suggest about theory of mind and children’s looking preferences?
On a simple task infants appear to think that others have different desires/thoughts. But if they do have a theory of mind at this age, it is unclear why they don’t pass classic ToM tasks until 3.5-4 years.
What is heteronymous morality?
A conception of morality where rules are fixed and authority is innate. Children in those stage are motivated by fear and punishment.
What is autonomous morality?
A conception of morality where rules exist for a social purpose and do not always apply. Children in this stage are motivated by cooperation and try to understand others’ desires. This emerges at 10yo.
What does the study with a square, triangle and circle demonstrate?
Infants have an early sense morality and understanding you should help not hinder others.
What are issues with the replication of this study?
Infants didn’t care about the shapes without eyes. Kids may just like the shape that danced.
