Theory of Cognitive Development

Question 1

What is a schema?

Answer 1

Building block of knowledge

Question 2

What is Assimilation?

Answer 2

Process through which children incorporate new experiences into their preexisting schemas

Question 3

What is Accommodation?

Answer 3

Process through which children adapt to new experiences by modifying their preexisting schemas

Question 4

What is Equilibrium?

Answer 4

Process by which children balance assimilation and accommodation and achieve understanding of a concept

Question 5

What are Piaget’s cognitive development stages?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What is the Sensorimotor stage?

Answer 6

Infants learn the world through their sense and actions

Question 7

What is the Preoperational stage?

Answer 7

World internally represented through language and mental imagery - see world from other’s perspectives

Question 8

What is the Concrete Operatonal stage?

Answer 8

Children able to think logically, not just intutively - able to understand multiple reasons cause events

Question 9

What is the Formal Operational stage?

Answer 9

Adolescents can think systematically and use reasoning, Able to understand politicis and culture and can engage in scientific reasoning

Question 10

What is the A-not-B task?

Answer 10

Tendency to reach for hidden object where it was last found, rather than new location it was hidden
- 12months - start searching at objects current place

Question 11

What is object permanence and when do infants undersand it?

Answer 11

Object exists even when it is out of sight - 8 months

Question 12

What is Deferred Imitation and what age is it introduced?

Answer 12

Imitation of behaviours after their occurrence - 18-24 months

Question 13

What abilities are developed in the Preoperational stage?

Answer 13

Symbols (images, language), pretend play

Question 14

What is preoperational thinking limited to?

Answer 14

• Animisitc thinking - thought that pobjects have human like qualities
• Egocentrism - unable to see thungs from alternative POV
• Centration - Focus on one aspect of a problem and ignote others

Question 15

Who developed the 3 mountain task and centration?

Answer 15

Siegler (2020) - others will see the view of 3 mountains as they do

Question 16

What is the balance scale problem?

Answer 16

Children focus on the weight only and ignore the distances of weights from the fulcrum

Question 17

What is transitive inference?

Answer 17

Being able to think about things or events even when there is no direct experience

Question 18

What are the weaknesses of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 18

• No methodology to test assimilation and accommodation
• Small sample sizes
• No info on Ps socio-economic status
• Some questions were confusing

Question 19

What was Vygotsky’s (1962) approach?

Answer 19

Sociocultural approach - children are social learners and have certain capabilities
- Attention
- Perception
- Memory
Interactions with adults can strengthen abilities

Question 20

What was the Central Asian Research?

Answer 20

‘In the Far North, where there is snow, all bears are white. Novaya is in the Far North. What colour are the bears?’
- Syllogism; non-literate people

Question 21

How is Vygotsky’s knowledge transmitted?

Answer 21

• Zone of proximal development
• Scaffolding
• Private speech (egocentric)

Question 22

What is the Zone of proximal development?

Answer 22

The distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under the adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.

Question 23

What is Scaffolding?

Answer 23

Instructional process in which the more knowledgable partner adjusts the amount and type of support he offers to the child, to fit with the child’s learning needs over the course of interaction

Question 24

What is intersubjectivity?

Answer 24

Mutual understanding when people communicate - beginning in infancy and develops

Question 25

What did Hammond (2012) find?

Answer 25

Scaffolding at age 2 had indirect effect on children's executive functions at age 4 through children's verbal ability at age 3

Question 26

What is egocentric speech (Piaget's view) ?

Answer 26

E.g two 5y/os playing - they talk but don't take into account the perspective of the other

Question 27

What is Private speech?

Answer 27

Form of self directed dialogue that helps a child to solve problems and guide thought processes

Question 28

What are the differences between Vygotsky and Piaget's view on private/egocentric speech?

Answer 28

Piaget - reflects child's lack of ability to tale other persons perspective - decreases with age and has no specific prediction Vygotsky - Plays a key role in self-guidance and self-direction, increases to a point then decreases, required to solve a problem

Question 29

What are the key concepts of Vygotsky's theory (Functions) ?

Answer 29

- Elementary mental functions are influenced by biological factors - Higher mental functions need many cognitive processes to be involved - problem solving and voluntary attention

Question 30

What are the key concepts of Vygotsky's theory (Mediators) ?

Answer 30

- Mediators are tools that can enhance thinking (numbers, art, language, play) - By using mediators children can become better at problem solving

Question 31

What is Vygotsky's contribution to education - reciprocal teaching?

Answer 31

- Method of teaching - Uses dialogue - Level is beyond the learners/peers zone of proximal development - Group of learner/peers and teacher - Teacher asks Qs, explains and summarises - Learners/peers answer questions, elaborate and discuss disagreement - Group discuss future content

Question 32

What is cooperative learning?

Answer 32

- Small group of learners/peers - Learners/peers share common goals - Mixed group - knowledgeable and less knowledgable learners and peers

Question 33

What are the strengths of Vygotsky's theory?

Answer 33

- Recognised the important role of cultural tools in fostering cognitive development - Source of inspiration - Researchers conducted studies to examine the role of children’s interactions with more experienced adults or peers in fostering cognitive development

Question 34

What are the weaknesses of Vygotsky's theory?

Answer 34

Didn't address key issues: - Collaboration IRL - Role of group dynamics - Quality of interactions across cultures - Role of non-verbal aspects of communication Didn't discuss: - Whether interactions with more experienced adults or peers can undermine a child's ability to work and think independently - The processes by which childen develop cognitively over time