cognitive development

What is the nature versus nurture debate

The discussion about whether genetics or environment has a greater impact on human development

Are all behavioural traits heritable

All behavioural traits are partly heritable

Whose effects are stronger

The effects of genes are stronger than the effects of families

Is all variation in behaviour genetic or familial

A large proportion of variation in behavioural traits is neither genetic nor familial

What is Piaget’s theory of cognitive development

A theory that describes how humans progress through stages of thinking to reach full intelligence

What happens in the sensorimotor stage

Develop five senses + object permanence + instinctive to intentional actions + learn to sit + crawl + stand + walk + run + egocentric thinking

What happens in the preoperational stage

Learn to speak + understand symbols + play pretend + primitive reasoning + ask questions

What happens in the concrete operational stage

Discover logic + inductive reasoning + classify thoughts + understand reversibility + recognize others have different thoughts and feelings

What happens in the formal operational stage

Think rationally about abstract concepts + hypothetical events + identity + morality + deductive reasoning + philosophical thinking + future planning

What are moral dilemmas

Situations where principles conflict and choosing the lesser of two wrongs is required

What is the principle of maximizing happiness

Act in a way that maximizes overall happiness and minimizes pain for everyone involved

What is the universalizability principle

Only act in a way you would be happy everyone else always acted

What are Kohlberg’s levels of moral development

Preconventional + conventional + post-conventional

What cultures are individualistic

Most western countries like USA + Australia + Europe + focus on individual freedom and civil rights

What cultures are collectivist

Asian + African + South and Central American countries tend to focus on the greater good and societal benefit

What is Mannheim’s theory of generations

Generations hold similar worldviews due to era and social influences