Cognitive Development

Question 1

What is cognitive development?

Answer 1

How children/people think, learn, explore, remember, and solve problems

Question 2

What 8 things does cognitive development include? (PALMCRIP)

Answer 2

Perception
Attention
Language
Problem-solving
Reasoning
Memory
Conceptual understanding
Intelligence

Question 3

What are the four stages of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?

Answer 3

Sensorimotor
Pre-operational
Concrete operation
Formal operational

Question 4

What is the sensorimotor stage and when does it happen?

Answer 4

Birth-2 years
The child is exploring the world through their senses

Question 5

What is the pre-operational stage and when does it happen?

Answer 5

2-7 years
Develop mental imagination and thinking, often related to their direct needs.

Question 6

What is the concrete operation stage and when is it?

Answer 6

7-12 years
Develop more sophisticated, logical thinking.
Things are measured by different dimensions and factors

Question 7

What is the formal operational stage and when is it?

Answer 7

12+ years
People can think systematically and hypothetically

Question 8

What are the pros of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 8

Appealing explanation of cognitive development
Covers a long period of time (infant-adult)
Supported by research

Question 9

What are the cons of Piaget’s theory?

Answer 9

Vaguely (at best) describes the mechanisms of development
Underestimates infants/young children
Doesn’t include diversity/variation in people’s behaviours

Question 10

Describe Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory

Answer 10

Believed that children were in charge of their development, not that time dictated development.
Described children as social learners

Infants have basic cognitive skills
As infants interact with others, these skills improve

Question 11

What are the pros of Vygotsky’s theory?

Answer 11

Emphasises importance of social and cultural backgrounds

Question 12

What are the cons of Vygotsky’s theory?

Answer 12

Hasn’t really been supported by research
Some argue it actually overemphasises social and cultural backgrounds
Does not discuss the role the child actually has themselves

Question 13

Discuss the information processing theory including pros and cons

Answer 13

The human mind uses a complex information-processing style and works like a computer. Basically the working memory model.
Pros: clear framework of what cognitive skills consist of
Cons: doesn’t really describe developmental procedure

Question 14

Define intelligence

Answer 14

The capacity to learn from experience and adapt to one’s environment

Question 15

What is general intelligence?

Answer 15

A person’s ability to complete intellectual tasks

Question 16

What is the difference between crystallised vs fluid intelligence?

Answer 16

Crystallised- knowledge and facts
Fluid- problem solving, tackling new situations

Question 17

How is mental age determined?

Answer 17

The mean age that children achieve a certain score on Binet and Simon’s test

Question 18

How do you calculate IQ?

Answer 18

(mental age/chronological age) x 100

Question 19

Why was the Simon and Binet test developed?

Answer 19

French school system- trying to identify kids that were likely to fall behind

Question 20

What did John Carroll propose?

Answer 20

Three-stratum theory of intelligence
A hierarchal integration of:
G
Eight generalised abilities
Many specific processes

Question 21

Discuss the Stanford Binet Scales

Answer 21

Popular in the US
Used for ages 2-23
Uses mental age to calculate IQ
Used in clinical settings, education settings, career assessment
Uses five cognitive abilitiesW

Question 22

What are the five cognitive abilities that the Stanford- Binet scales use?

Answer 22

Fluid reasoning
Knowledge
Quantitative reasoning
Visual-spatial processes
Working memory

Question 23

Discuss the British Ability Scale

Answer 23

Attempts to not measure intelligence as one dimension, but the measurement outcome is still rather one-dimensional. Used mainly by clinicians.

Three domains:
Verbal ability
Non-verbal reasoning
Spatial ability

Uses g, for ages 3-17

Question 24

Describe the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children (WISC)

Answer 24

Most widely used instrument for children aged 6+
Two main sections:
Verbal and Performance

Question 25

What does the verbal section of the WISC include?

Answer 25

Information- What is the capital of France? Vocabulary- What is a helicopter? Similarities- How are a hammer and chisel alike? Arithmetic- If 4 friends divided 20 lollies, how many would each get? Comprehension- Why do we have prisons? Digit Span- Repeat the numbers i say

Question 26

What does the performance section of the WISC include?

Answer 26

Block design- arrange blocks to match a picture Coding- identifying patterns from shapes/numbers Mazes Object assembly- assemble puzzle parts Picture completion- fill in the missing part Picture arrangement- arrange cartoon frames to tell a coherent story

Question 27

Why are there cultural issues with intelligence tests?

Answer 27

Knowing the answers largely depends on how you've been raised and what skills/knowledge your culture finds valuable