Stage 1- Lecture 5 - Cognitive Psychology

Question 1

What is cognitive development?

Answer 1

Thinking, problem solving, concept understanding, intelligence

Question 2

What is domain general?

Answer 2

One line of development determines all other changes

Question 3

What is domain specific?

Answer 3

Different lines of development operate fairly independent

Question 4

Basic concept of cog development?

Answer 4

Children develop as they interact with their environment- they form mental representations - Constructivist

Question 5

What is a schema?

Answer 5

Mental representation of the world around us

Question 6

Assimilation?

Answer 6

Incorporate incoming information- similar information= equilibrium - e.g. if you already think an apple is green, when you see a green apple this matches your schema

Question 7

Accommodation?

Answer 7

Process of adapting a schema- challenge- disequilibrium

Question 8

4 stages of cognitive development?

Answer 8

Sensorimotor - preoperational- concrete operations- formal operations

Question 9

Sensorimotor?

Answer 9

Birth- 2 years
Intelligence in action
Child interacts with environment by manipulating objects - uses senses/ permanence

Question 10

Pre-operational?

Answer 10

2-7 years

Thinking is dominated by perception - Egocentrism

Question 11

Concrete operations?

Answer 11

7-11/12 years
Logical reasoning applied only to objects that are real or in view- begin to solve conservation problems( which glass has the most liquid in) - thinking systematically is difficult

Question 12

Formal operations?

Answer 12

11/12 years

Can think logically about abstract ideas

Question 13

3d mountain experiment by Paiget?

Answer 13

When asked what a doll could see from a certain angle, children chose what they could see not what the doll could see

Question 14

At what age in the 3d mountain experiment did children give the dolls view?

Answer 14

8/9 years

Question 15

Hughes study?

Answer 15

Hide and seek task- 30 children (3.5-5 years old) asked to hide a doll from a policemen
Conclusion= children younger than Piaget expected could successfully complete the task- underestimated the cognitive ability of children

Question 16

Examples of conservation tasks?

Answer 16

Do two containers hold the same amount of liquid?

Are there the same amount of circles on the top and bottom row?

Question 17

Impact of conservation tasks on younger children?

Answer 17

They believe that the superficial changes are fundamental

Question 18

Criticising failures of conservation tasks?

Answer 18

Language barriers

Social desirability - did I not get it right the first time

Question 19

Naughty Teddy Experiment? 1974

Answer 19

Donaldson- Looked at 80 children between 4/6 years old
In traditional Piaget condition - asked which row had more coins after movement - 48% pass rate
Teddy condition - accidental tradition- 80% pass rate

Question 20

Naughty teddy conclusion?

Answer 20

Shows the importance of interpretation of social context

Piaget underestimates cognitive ability

Question 21

Criticism of naughty teddy?

Answer 21

Do children fail task because they do not understand the task or do not understand conservation

Question 22

Cognitive dev- implications for education?

Answer 22

Helps determine how best to teach

Physical activities followed by questions= good learning tool

Question 23

Criticising Piaget theory?

Answer 23

Tasks are culturally biased
Need to take into account that school and literacy rates affect development
Formal operational thinking is not universal

Question 24

How does Vygotsky fit with Piaget?

Answer 24

Agrees that child’s interaction with environment is what influences cog dev but puts MORE emphasis on cultural differences

Question 25

Vygotsky beliefs on 3 major contributions to cog dev?

Answer 25

Environment/ Socialisation
Language + Thought
Zone of proximal development

Question 26

Environment and Socialisation?

Answer 26

The socio-cultural environment is important as language/thought/ reasoning all develop through social interaction
Development is a product of culture

Question 27

Language and Thought?

Answer 27

Language = plan/guide/monitor for behaviour= self regulatory
Children talk to themselves when completing a difficult task
Eventually this private speech becomes internalised and becomes inner speech instead (6/7)- term known as thought

Question 28

Zone of proximal development?

Answer 28

What a child is capable of with/without guidance- actual vs potential dev
Teachers should attempt to keep children in this zone for maximal achievement

Question 29

What does the term scaffolding mean?

Answer 29

Giving a child just enough support for achievement of understanding

Question 30

Language P VS V?

Answer 30

P= Language is under developed until 6/7- just another representational system
V= Language is social and communicative- it is essential for cog development

Question 31

Mental processes P vs V?

Answer 31

P= Mental p are characterised by formal, specific operations
V= Mental p are shaped by socio-cultural situations