Cognitive Development and Conceptualization

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to cognitive development and categorization.

Category

A set of objects that are equivalent in some way, essential for intelligent behavior.

Concepts

Mental representations of categories that people form, allowing them to conceptualize objects and their functions.

Typicality

The degree to which a member of a category is representative or typical of that category.

Fuzzy Category Boundaries

The lack of clear-cut definitions for category membership, leading to borderline items.

Prototype Approach

A theory suggesting that people have a mental representation of the most typical member of a category.

Exemplar Approach

A theory positing that concepts are remembered through specific past observations or examples.

Knowledge Approach

The framework suggesting that new concepts are learned by connecting them to existing knowledge.

Psychological Essentialism

The belief that members of a category have an unseen property that determines their category membership.

Cognitive Development

The development of thinking across the lifespan, involving both higher and simpler mental processes.

Piaget's Stage Theory

A theory stating that cognitive development occurs in a sequence of distinct, discontinuous stages.

Sociocultural Theories

Theories emphasizing the role of social interactions and cultural context in the development of cognitive functions.

Information Processing Theories

Theories describing cognitive processes and growth over time as children develop.

Quantitative Changes

Gradual, incremental changes in cognitive abilities, such as growth in height.

Qualitative Changes

Fundamental changes in cognitive abilities, exemplified by a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.

Object Permanence Task

A task that assesses an infant's understanding that objects continue to exist even when not visible.

Conservation Problems

Challenges faced by children in understanding that quantities remain the same despite changes in shape or appearance.

Phonemic Awareness

An awareness of the individual sounds within words, essential for reading and language development.

Cognitive Development in Childhood

The study of how children's cognitive abilities and processes evolve over time.