Cognitive Development Theories: Piaget, Information Processing, and Sociocultural Perspectives Study Guide

What does Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasize?

Development occurs through stages and involves both nature and nurture.

What is the main focus of information processing theory?

It views development as continuous, emphasizing increasing processing abilities.

What are the four stages of Piaget's cognitive development?

Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational.

What is assimilation in Piaget's theory?

Incorporating new information into concepts already known.

What is accommodation in Piaget's theory?

Changing or improving current understanding based on new experiences.

What is equilibration in Piaget's theory?

Balancing assimilation and accommodation to create stable understanding.

What is object permanence?

Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

What is deferred imitation?

Reproducing an action after a delay, occurring during the sensorimotor period.

What is egocentrism in cognitive development?

Seeing the world mainly from one's own point of view.

What does conservation mean in cognitive development?

Understanding that changing an object's appearance does not change its properties.

What is the role of executive function in cognitive development?

It controls cognition and helps other cognitive functions.

What does dynamic systems theory emphasize?

Development results from complex interactions among biological systems, experiences, and environment.

What is guided participation?

More knowledgeable people help children develop skills that they can eventually use independently.

What is intersubjectivity?

Shared understanding between people.

What is social scaffolding?

Temporary support from a more competent person to help a child think at a higher level.

What are major motor milestones in early development?

They include early reflexes and developing motor skills, with variation in walking behavior.

How does sociocultural context affect motor development?

The timing of motor milestones can vary depending on children's experiences and environments.

What is the significance of the A-not-B failure?

It highlights challenges in understanding object permanence and memory in infants.

What is the metaphor used in information processing theory?

The child is viewed as a limited-capacity processing system.

What is the difference between working memory and long-term memory?

Working memory is limited in capacity and speed, while long-term memory has no stated limits.

What is encoding in memory?

Representing features of objects and events in memory.

What is selective attention?

Intentionally focusing on the most relevant information.

What is the role of content knowledge in memory?

More existing knowledge makes new information easier to connect.

What is the purpose of rehearsal in memory?

Repeating information to help remember it.

What is the main critique of Piaget's theory?

He was vague about how cognitive growth occurs and underestimated young children's abilities.

What is the relationship between thought and action in dynamic systems theory?

Children's actions contribute to development, and thought shapes action while action shapes thought.

What does the term 'soft-assembly' refer to in dynamic systems theory?

It refers to the flexible and adaptive nature of cognitive processes, though not specifically defined in the notes.

What is the term for the opportunities for action that the environment provides?

Affordances

How does motor development expand an infant's world?

It allows infants to interact with and explore more of their environment.

What is the difference between modern and traditional views of motor development?

Modern views emphasize multifactorial development, while traditional views see it as preprogrammed.

What are scale errors in child development?

Treating a miniature object as though it were a larger, full-sized object.

What are the two primary components of language?

Receptive language (understanding) and productive language (speaking).

What is infant-directed speech (IDS)?

A speech style used by adults with babies that aids language development.

What is the sensitive period for language learning?

Early childhood, through approximately age 5.

What is intersubjectivity in language development?

Shared understanding during interactions that supports communication and language learning.

What is joint attention?

Shared focus that helps children connect words with objects or events.

What is prosody in language?

Rhythm and patterns of spoken language that help convey meaning and emotion.

What is word segmentation?

Discovering where words begin and end in fluent speech.

What is babbling?

Repeated consonant-vowel syllables, such as 'mamama'.

What is the vocabulary growth milestone around 18 months?

Children typically have about 50 words and experience a vocabulary spurt.

How do conversational turns influence language development?

They provide opportunities for language practice and are related to differences in development across SES groups.

How do infants categorize objects?

They develop concepts that organize objects based on similarities.

What is causal reasoning in infants?

Understanding relationships between causes and effects, recognized as early as 3 months.

What is Theory of Mind (ToM)?

Understanding other people's mental states and perspectives.

What role does pretend play have in conceptual development?

It allows children to explore ideas and understand the world.

What is general intelligence (g)?

A single ability that influences thinking and learning across intellectual tasks.

What is the difference between fluid and crystallized intelligence?

Fluid intelligence is the ability to solve new problems, while crystallized intelligence is knowledge about the world.

What are Carroll's three strata of intelligence?

Top: g, Middle: general abilities, Bottom: specific processes.

What does IQ predict?

Academic achievement, economic success, and occupational success.

What is the Flynn effect?

The consistent rise in average IQ scores over approximately 80 years in many countries.

What is the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset?

A fixed mindset views intelligence as fixed, while a growth mindset sees it as changeable.

What factors can influence IQ stability?

Testing interval, mood/alertness, family factors, and environmental changes.

What are Gardner's eight types of intelligence?

Linguistic, logical/mathematical, spatial, musical, naturalistic, bodily/kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal.

What are critiques of traditional intelligence tests?

They may contain cultural biases and measure a narrower range of abilities than intelligence includes.