Cognitive Development and Learning Theories

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Questions and Answers

What ability do infants and some primates share regarding quantity representation?

Understanding of non-observable properties

Ability to estimate approximate magnitude (correct)

Exact calculation of large numbers

Development of counting words

At what age do children typically begin to demonstrate knowledge of three-item sets?

Age 3 to 3.5 years (correct)

Age 2.5 to 3 years

Age 4 to 4.5 years

Age 2 to 2.5 years

Which of the following is a characteristic of the Pirahã people's numerical abilities?

They can comprehend abstract mathematical concepts

They struggle with precise 1:1 numerical correspondence (correct)

They use a complex system of base counting

They easily track large quantities with high precision

How do cultural differences influence understanding of numbers, especially in Babylonian systems?

They can vary, such as using base 60 for the Babylonians Signup and view all the answers

What concept relates to a child's ability to understand deeper properties within the same category?

Sensitivity to history Signup and view all the answers

What do constraints on learning primarily address in the context of information processing?

The problem of induction in learning. Signup and view all the answers

What psychological concept explains how young children understand that a cow raised on a pig farm retains its inherent characteristics?

Essentialism Signup and view all the answers

In the context of core knowledge theory, what is indicated by infants' longer looking times at impossible events during the draw-bridge task?

Causal reasoning abilities. Signup and view all the answers

What defines the ability of infants to respond to contingent events that suggest causation?

Core knowledge systems. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'domain-general factors' in behavioral shifts according to information processing?

Factors that influence learning in all areas equally. Signup and view all the answers

What does the theory-theory concept emphasize in children's understanding of the world?

Understanding deeper properties of objects. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best explains the reasoning behind why children perceive a girl raised in a boy's environment as having 'girl-like' properties?

Psychological essentialism. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the concepts formed by adults according to the content provided?

Statistical summaries of features. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Information Processing & Learning

Learning is a problem of induction, requiring constraints.
Core knowledge provides early, evolved solutions to developmental problems.
Infants have expectations and respond to contingent events, suggesting causal understanding.
Core knowledge is domain-specific (e.g., language, objects).
Core knowledge isn't the sole explanation for development.

Induction in Development

Causal Event (Leslie & Keeble, 1987): Six-month-olds look longer at causal events (small ball hitting big ball).
Draw-bridge Task (Baillargeon et al., 1985): Infants show longer looking times at impossible events (violation of expectation).
Core Knowledge of Animate Objects (Gergely et al., 1995): Twelve-month-olds show surprise at impossible events involving moving objects.

Theory-Theory

Theory = Schema.
Core knowledge forms a limited foundation for understanding.
Children explain the world using deeper properties (rather than surface appearances).

Intuitive Theory of Biology

Children move beyond surface-level reasoning, understanding the world abstractly.

Essentialism (Locke)

Objects have inherent, unchanging characteristics, regardless of visual changes.
This guides learning about categories.

Switch at Birth Paradigm

Example: A cow raised on a pig farm still has 'cow-like' properties per the 4-year-old's view.

Information Processing & Development

Development involves changes in representations and processes.
Factors causing behavioral shifts can be domain-general or domain-specific.
Core knowledge speeds up learning.

Concepts

Concepts are constituents of thought.

Concepts in Adults

Adult concepts are statistical summaries of characteristic features.
Concepts are represented in multiple ways.
Intuitive theories explain and predict aspects of the world.

Perceptual Categories (Quinn et al., 1993)

Three-month-olds can categorize novel animals.

Sensitivity to History in 3-Year-Olds

Four-year-olds understand non-observable properties.
Four-year-olds can recognize deeper properties of objects even with visual differences (85%).

Natural Kind Concept Development

Early perceptual categories develop quickly.
Background knowledge affects later understanding.
There is debate about whether this represents conceptual competence or learned performance.

Number

Numbers are culturally and linguistically constructed.
Systems like Babylonian (base 60) and Oksapmin (body-part based) exist.
Two early number systems exist for representing approximate quantities.

Analogue Magnitude

Ability to estimate approximate magnitude is present in infants, primates, and other species, but less sensitive than adults.

Parallel Individuation

Precise representation of small object sets, breaking for more.
Adults/infants track 1-4 objects easily.
One-knowers: Age 2–2.5 years.
Two-knowers: Age 2.5–3 years.
Three-knowers: Age 3–3.5 years (Wynn, 1990).

Cultural Differences in Learning Number

Pirahã people struggle with precise 1:1 numerical correspondence, but match visually.
Analog magnitude errors increase with larger sets.

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Description

Explore the fascinating concepts of cognitive development and learning in this quiz. Delve into core knowledge, induction in development, and theory-theory as they relate to understanding childhood cognitive processes. Assess your grasp of how infants develop expectations and understand causality.