Theories of Human Development (Test #2)

Question 1

Explain Piagets general background

Answer 1

Piaget was a child biologist with a background in philosophy and biology.

Believed that individual cognitive development mirrors species evolution.

Key concept: Intelligence as adaptation, requiring intellectual development to adapt to environmental changes.

Question 2

Development involves interaction between what two things?

Answer 2

Schemas and Process (assimilation and accommodation)

Question 3

What are schemas?

Answer 3

Fundamental structures that help organize information, evolving from simple reflexes to complex actions.

There is:
Behavioural schema: Physical actions used by infants
and
Mental Schema: Cognitive frameworks that develop as children grow.

Question 4

What are process?

Answer 4

Process to intergrate and adapt new information

Question 5

What are the stages of cognitive development according to Piaget?

Answer 5

Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
Concrete Operational Stage (7-12 years)
Formal Operational Stage (12+ years)

Question 6

Explain the Sensorimotor Stage

Answer 6

0-2years
It is divided into six substages, focusing on reflexes, circular reactions, and early experimentation.

Question 7

What is object permanence?

Answer 7

Understanding that objects exist even when out of sight. Development of symbolic thought.
Piaget thought it developed at 9 months

Question 8

Explain the Preoperational Stage

Answer 8

2-7years
Growth in symbolic thinking, centration (focus on one aspect), and egocentric thought.
Centration and conservation errors are common; limited by primitive reasoning

Question 9

What is the Concrete Operational Stage?

Answer 9

(7-12 years)
Logical thinking about concrete objects; begins understanding conservation and perspective-taking

Question 10

What is the Formal Operational Stage?

Answer 10

Abstract and critical thinking abilities develop; can engage in hypothetical reasoning.

Question 11

What was Piagets theory of stages?

Answer 11

Piaget proposed that cognitive development occurs in distinct, sequential stages, each with specific cognitive abilities.

Question 12

What are the limitations of Piagets stage theory?

Answer 12

Cognitive development is actually more gradual continuous.

Recent studies suggest that children are not egocentric

His sample for studies were not diverse and some researchers argue that Piaget’s stages may not apply universally across cultures

He did not include the role of the educator.

Question 13

What was Piagets view on egocentrism?

Answer 13

Piaget argued that young children, especially in the pre-operational stage, struggle to see things from perspectives other than their own, a concept he termed “egocentrism.”

Question 14

What was the issue with Piagets theory in relation to his definitions?

Answer 14

His operational definitions were not clear enough.

Piaget’s descriptions are often abstract, leaving some terms open to interpretation, which complicates empirical testing and operationalization.

Question 15

What are some issues with Piaget referring to aging and children’s imagination?

Answer 15

When children engage in play, such as with dolls, they may display behaviors indicating belief in the doll’s life. However, it’s unclear whether children genuinely believe the doll is alive or are simply immersed in imaginative play. Piaget’s framework lacks a clear explanation for this phenomenon, as it does not consider the role of social and environmental factors in shaping children’s beliefs and understandings.

Research from 1981 revealed that a significant portion of adults (around 50%) struggle to demonstrate formal operational thinking on various tasks, raising questions about the universality of this stage and its relevance throughout adulthood.

Piaget’s theory does not adequately address how schemas evolve or change as individuals age, especially in the context of unhealthy aging.

Question 16

Who was Renee Baillargeon and what did she focus on in her studies?

Answer 16

A Canadian (French-Canadian) psychologist, influential in cognitive development research, especially in challenging Piaget’s ideas on object permanence.

Question 17

What was Baillargeon’s drawbridge experiement?

Answer 17

Babies were seated on their mothers’ laps, watching a screen with a moving drawbridge.

Familiarization Event: Babies saw the drawbridge moving back and forth without obstruction.

Possible Event: A clown figure appeared, and the drawbridge stopped, unable to go down because the object blocked its path.

Impossible Event: The drawbridge moved as if passing through the object, which should be impossible if the object were there.

Babies were expected to look longer at unexpected or impossible events

Infants displayed boredom during familiarization, indicating that they understood the drawbridge motion.

Question 18

What were the results of Baillargeon’s experiment?

Answer 18

Infants as young as 4.5 months showed surprise at the impossible event, indicating early evidence of object permanence, much younger than Piaget’s 9-month estimate.

Younger infants did not show surprise, suggesting they hadn’t developed the same expectations

Some infants got bored (habituated) quicker than others. The short-habituators were more surprised by the impossible event, suggesting some infants might demonstrate object permanence earlier than others

Question 19

What did Baillargeon propose after the findings of her experiment?

Answer 19

Proposed that object permanence may either be innate (Nativism) or develop very early with minimal experience, as if triggered by a “light switch” in the brain.

These findings contradicted Piaget’s.

Question 20

What was the impact that Baillargeon had on the field of psychology?

Answer 20

This work was groundbreaking, fundamentally altering the field of developmental psychology and sparking extensive debate. It was recognized as the fifth most influential paper in psychology at the time.

Question 21

Who was Vygotsky inspired by?

Answer 21

Karl Marx

Question 22

What did Vygotsky think about language and thought?

Answer 22

Vygotsky viewed language as essential for advanced-level thinking. He believed basic, low-level thought occurs without language.

Language is independent of practical intelligence (e.g., preverbal children use basic reflexes to interact with their world, similar to animals).

Language functions as a mediator: a tool that allows people to think beyond their immediate environment

Question 23

What was Vygotsky’s idea of egocentrism?

Answer 23

Unlike Piaget, who saw egocentric speech as children’s inability to understand others’ perspectives, Vygotsky believed it was a self-guided process of problem-solving.

Egocentric speech (or “private speech”) is a tool for children to plan and control their actions, especially for challenging tasks

Question 24

What was the Levina experiement?

Answer 24

Task: Children were asked to retrieve out-of-reach candy.
Findings: Children who talked themselves through the task were more successful. Those who didn’t use language struggled or failed to get the candy.

Interpretation:
Piaget might consider this self-talk as egocentric behavior.

Vygotsky argued that talking through tasks is essential for task completion, highlighting the importance of language in problem-solving.

Question 25

Explain the development of speech and thought?

Answer 25

Thought and language develop independently until around age 3, then merge to form “private speech” (talking to oneself).

Private speech is common during difficult tasks, as it helps with planning and execution.

Question 26

What is progression in relation to inner thought?

Answer 26

Private speech evolves from accompanying actions (talking while acting) to planning actions (speaking before acting)

Question 27

What is scaffolding according to Vygotsky?

Answer 27

A process where an adult supports a child’s learning by breaking down tasks and communicating at the child’s level.

Scaffolding requires adults to adjust language complexity, ensuring they guide the child effectively without overwhelming them

Question 28

What is the zone of proximal development

Answer 28

This is the range of tasks a child can’t do alone but can complete with help from a skilled adult or peer.

Purple Zone: Knowledge the child already has.

Green Zone: Content beyond the child’s current understanding.

Blue Zone: Knowledge accessible to the child with assistance

Question 29

When is private speech more likely to be used in children?

Answer 29

Children are more likely to use private speech during complex tasks, as it helps them focus and manage their actions

Question 30

What is assimilation?

Answer 30

Integrating new information into existing schemas

Question 31

What is accomodation?

Answer 31

Modifying schemas to fit new experiences.

Question 32

What is equlibrium?

Answer 32

Balancing assimilation and accommodation, helping children advance to new cognitive stages when they encounter new challenges.

Question 33

What are Tools of the Mind Curriculum?

Answer 33

A program that applies Vygotsky’s ideas, focusing on interactive and meaningful classroom practices.