Cognition And Dev Key Words Flashcards
(47 cards)
What is the general term that describes the development of all mental processes, particularly thinking and reasoning?
Cognitive
Cognitive development continues throughout the human lifespan, with a focus on childhood.
What are schemas?
Mental frameworks of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing
Schemas contain the understanding of an object, person, or idea and become increasingly complex with development.
What is assimilation in the context of cognitive development?
A form of learning where new information is incorporated into an existing schema without radical change
This occurs when the new information does not significantly alter the understanding of the topic.
What does accommodation refer to in cognitive development?
A form of learning that occurs when new information radically changes the understanding of a topic
This may involve forming new schemas or reorganizing existing ones.
What is equilibrium in cognitive development?
A state of balance
This state is considered ‘pleasant.’
What is disequilibrium?
A state of unbalance
This state is considered ‘unpleasant’ and motivates a return to equilibrium.
What is equilibration?
The process of incorporating new information into understanding, either through assimilation or accommodation
This process restores balance and avoids the unpleasant experience of disequilibrium.
What are the four stages of intellectual development identified by Piaget?
- Sensorimotor
- Preoperational
- Concrete operational
- Formal operational
What is the definition of object permanence?
The ability to realise that an object still exists when it passes out of the visual field.
Piaget believed this ability appears at around eight months of age.
At what age does Piaget believe object permanence develops?
Around eight months of age.
What is conservation in the context of Piaget’s theory?
The ability to realise that quantity remains the same even when the appearance of an object changes.
Provide an example of conservation.
The volume of liquid stays the same when poured between containers of different shapes.
What is egocentrism according to Piaget?
The child’s tendency to only be able to see the world from their own point of view.
What task demonstrates egocentrism in children?
The three mountains task.
What is class inclusion?
An advanced classification skill recognizing that classes of objects have subsets and are themselves subsets of larger classes.
True or False: Pre-operational children usually struggle to place things in more than one class.
True.
What is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?
The gap between a child’s current level of development and what they can potentially do with help.
Define Scaffolding in the context of learning.
The process of helping a learner cross the ZPD and advance, with declining assistance as they progress.
Fill in the blank: The ZPD involves a child’s ability to perform tasks _______.
[unaided]
This refers to tasks that the child can complete without assistance.
True or False: Scaffolding only involves providing constant support to the learner.
False
Support typically declines as the learner becomes more competent.
Who can be considered a ‘more expert other’ in the context of ZPD?
An adult or a more advanced child.
What happens to the level of help provided during Scaffolding as the learner progresses?
It declines.
What does knowledge of the physical world refer to?
Understanding how the physical world works, such as object permanence.
Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist when they leave the visual field. There is a debate concerning the ages at which children develop this kind of knowledge.
What is the nativist approach?
A theory that suggests humans are born with innate abilities.
This approach posits that certain types of knowledge or skills are hardwired into the brain at birth.
