Section 7: Cognitive Development

Question 1

In substage 1 of the sensorimotor period:

Answer 1

Newborn learns to control and coordinate reflexes

Question 2

In substage 2 of the sensorimotor period:

Answer 2

Newborn begins to modify and repeat behaviors (eg thumb sucking), mostly because it is pleasurable

Question 3

In substage 3 of the sensorimotor period:

Answer 3

Reproducing interesting events

a. 4-8 month olds begin to direct their attention and actions to the external world
b. Leads to repetition of actions that bring interesting changes in environment
c. Secondary circular reactions

Question 4

secondary circular reactions are

Answer 4

object-oriented actions

Question 5

In substage 4 of the sensorimotor period:

Answer 5

Emergence of intentionality

a. 8-12 month olds
b. Only occurs when infant can directly perceive objects and people in question, each an “image which reenters the void as soon as it vanishes and emerges for no apparent reason”
c. Intentionality in actions

Question 6

In substage 5 of the sensorimotor period:

Answer 6

Exploring by experimenting

a. 12-18 months
b. Tertiary circular reactions
c. Experiments to find out nature of objects and events
d. Infants can’t reason systematically about actions and anticipate probable consequences
e. Not yet representational thinking

Question 7

Tertiary circular reactions are

Answer 7

ability to vary actions of substage 4 systematically and flexibly

Question 8

In substage 6 of the sensorimotor period:

Answer 8

Representation

a. 18-24 months
b. Base actions on representations
c. Engaging in “true” mental activities
d. Can solve problems more systematically (vs trial and error)
e. Symbolic play
f. Deferred imitation
g. Solve problems
h. Language

Question 9

imitation of actions observed in the past is called

Answer 9

deferred imitation

Question 10

motor perseveration is

Answer 10

repeat movement rather than modify it to fit new events)

Question 11

the capture error is

Answer 11

tendency of people to continue using once-successful solutions whenever possible

Question 12

categorizing has been shown as early as ____

Answer 12

3 months

Question 13

______ (but NOT ______) respond to toy birds and airplanes as if they were members of the same category

Answer 13

7 month olds, 9 month olds

Question 14

Four phases of attention:

Answer 14

1. Phase 1: stimulus-detection reflex
2. Phase 2: stimulus orienting
3. Phase 3: sustained attention
4. Phase 4: attention termination

Question 15

In Phase 1 of attention,

Answer 15

a. Initial awareness of change in environment

b. Brief slowing then quickening of HR

Question 16

In phase 2 of attention,

Answer 16

a. Attention fixed on stimulus

b. HR slows considerably

Question 17

In phase 3 of attention,

Answer 17

a. HR slow
b. Cognitively processing stimulus
c. Baby’s body may become still
d. More difficult to distract baby
e. This is a voluntary state
f. This is where babies actively learn about and remember experiences

Question 18

In phase 4 of attention,

Answer 18

a. Baby looking at object but no longer processing its information
b. HR begins to return to pre-stimulation levels

Question 19

how long it takes for the child to process information through looking

Answer 19

visual attention

Question 20

This age can sustain attention 5-10 seconds

Answer 20

3 months

Question 21

how long the child looks at the object

Answer 21

visual fixation

Question 22

when child is in novel situation, checks in with grownups it is called

Answer 22

social referencing

Question 23

Primary intersubjectivity is when

Answer 23

2 people are paying attention to each other

Question 24

Secondary intersubjectivity is when

Answer 24

2 people are looking at something else and sharing an emotion/experience about it

Question 25

Ability to understand internal states is developed by _____, but not at ______

Answer 25

18 months, 14 months