Psychology Quiz Flashcards
What sparked Piaget’s interest in children’s cognitive development?
He noticed that children made similar mistakes on intelligence tests, leading him to explore their thinking processes.
Piaget’s observations highlighted the patterns in children’s errors, prompting further investigation into their cognitive processes.
According to Piaget, how does a child’s mind develop over time?
It develops through active learning and interaction with the environment in distinct stages.
This emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in cognitive development.
What is Piaget’s core idea about the intellectual progression of children?
Children’s thinking develops in stages, each with unique ways of understanding the world.
These stages are characterized by different cognitive abilities and ways of thinking.
What are schemas, and how do they relate to cognitive development?
Schemas are mental frameworks that help children organize and interpret new experiences.
Schemas evolve as children encounter new information and experiences.
What is the difference between assimilation and accommodation in Piaget’s theory?
Assimilation adds new information to existing schemas, while accommodation modifies schemas to fit new information.
Both processes are essential for cognitive development and help children adapt to new experiences.
What are the four stages of cognitive development proposed by Piaget?
- Sensorimotor (0-2 yrs): Learning through senses and actions, object permanence develops.
- Preoperational (2-7 yrs): Symbolic thinking grows, but logic is limited.
- Concrete operational (7-11 yrs): Logical thinking and understanding of conservation emerge.
- Formal operational (12+ yrs): Abstract and hypothetical reasoning develop.
What is object permanence, and when do infants typically develop it?
The understanding that objects exist even when unseen, developing around 8 months.
What did Piaget believe about young children’s competence, and how has this view been challenged?
He underestimated their abilities, as newer research shows they understand more at earlier ages.
What is egocentrism, and how does it manifest in young children?
Egocentrism is the inability to see others’ perspectives, common in early childhood.
What is a ‘theory of mind,’ and when do children typically develop it?
It’s understanding that others have thoughts and feelings, developing around age 4-5.
How do symbolic thinking and perspective-taking develop over time?
Children gradually improve in using symbols and considering others’ viewpoints.
How does Piaget’s concrete operational stage contribute to reasoning?
It enables logical thinking, understanding conservation, and solving concrete problems.
What does Piaget suggest about formal operational thinking, and when does it begin?
It involves abstract reasoning and typically emerges around age 12.
When does rudimentary formal operational thinking begin?
It starts in late childhood or early adolescence, around age 11-12.
What are the main differences between Piaget’s theory and current research?
Current research suggests cognitive development is more continuous and influenced by culture.
What cognitive development occurs in young teenagers?
They develop metacognition, thinking about their own and others’ thoughts.
How does an adolescent’s reasoning evolve?
It becomes more abstract, allowing them to consider moral and hypothetical issues.
What is the primary difference between preconventional and conventional morality?
Preconventional is based on self-interest, while conventional focuses on social approval.
How does Kohlberg’s theory suggest moral reasoning evolves across cultures?
The stages are universal, but cultural values shape moral interpretations.
According to Haidt, how do moral feelings influence reasoning?
Emotions drive moral decisions, with reasoning used to justify them.
