Developmental Psychology - Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary distinction between substage 4 and substage 5 of Piaget's sensorimotor stage?

Substage 5 involves imitation of past actions, while substage 4 involves repeating actions that are pleasing to the child.

Substage 5 involves developing cognitive representations, while substage 4 involves learning to adapt to the environment.

Substage 5 is characterized by tertiary circular reactions, while substage 4 is characterized by secondary circular reactions. (correct)

Substage 5 involves experimenting with objects, while substage 4 involves using means to achieve ends.

Infants' understanding of physics can be demonstrated through which of the following observations?

Infants' ability to use gestures to communicate their needs.

Infants' ability to recognize their own reflection in a mirror.

Infants' preference for looking at faces over other stimuli.

Infants' tendency to look longer at objects that violate their expectations of how objects should move. (correct)

Which of the following actions would be considered a primary circular reaction?

A baby throws a ball and observes where it lands.

A baby uses a spoon to eat food.

A baby sucks on their thumb to comfort themselves. (correct)

A baby repeatedly shakes a rattle to hear the sound it makes.

What is a characteristic of the substage of mental representation?

The ability to imitate an action seen earlier. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following examples demonstrates a naïve biological understanding?

A child assumes that a toy doll can feel pain. (A) Signup and view all the answers

At what age is a baby most likely to die from an accident, according to the text?

1 year (D) Signup and view all the answers

What area of the brain is responsible for producing and understanding language?

Left Hemisphere (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of breast milk for infants?

Guarantees a healthy weight gain for all infants (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a factor that contributes to malnutrition in children?

Lack of access to healthcare (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the corpus callosum?

To connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a fine motor skill?

Grasping (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process by which a baby's brain forms new connections between neurons?

Synaptogenesis (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a reflex present in newborns?

Smiling (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the frontal cortex in the brain?

Regulating emotions and personality (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the technique used to measure electrical activity in the brain?

EEG (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the ability of the brain to adapt and reorganize itself in response to experience?

Neuroplasticity (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key skill infants must acquire to master walking?

Reaching and grasping (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the theory that explains motor development as a result of interaction between many different factors?

Dynamic systems theory (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why are baby walkers banned in Canada?

All of the above (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of how a mother's smell can influence her infant?

Both A and B (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the ability of infants to use sounds to judge the distance and location of objects?

Auditory localization (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of infant-directed speech?

Speaking slowly and with exaggerated changes in pitch and loudness. (A) Signup and view all the answers

The Bayley Scales of Infant Development is used to measure which of the following aspects of infant development?

Cognitive, language, socio-emotional, adaptive behavior, and motor skills. (D) Signup and view all the answers

At what age do infants typically begin to babble with intonation that resembles adult speech?

7 or 8 months (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why are infant intelligence tests such as the Bayley Scales often criticized for being culturally biased?

All of the above. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the "p" and "b" sound experiment involving pacifiers and infants?

It highlights how infants' ability to discriminate between phonemes changes over time. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of infant-directed speech?

Using complex grammar structures. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between learning theorists' and modern theorists' perspectives on language development?

Learning theorists emphasize imitation and reward, while modern theorists focus on cognitive processes. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following examples could be classified as "babbling"?

A 6-month-old infant making sounds like "dah-mah-bah". (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an example of an infant's use of gestures to communicate?

Smiling at a familiar face (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used for the period when infants rapidly acquire new words, typically around 18 months of age?

Language explosion (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of 'overextension' in language development?

A child using the word 'doggie' to refer to a goat (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which style of language learning is characterized by a focus on social phrases and interaction?

Expressive style (B) Signup and view all the answers

At what age do infants typically start to display social smiles, indicating a connection with others?

2 months (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which emotion typically emerges around 4-6 months of age, often associated with unmet goal-directed behavior?

Anger (B) Signup and view all the answers

The emergence of which complex emotions, typically around 18-24 months, is dependent upon cognitive development and self-awareness?

Guilt, embarrassment, and pride (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for looking to a trusted person for emotional cues in a situation, typically observed in infants starting around 6-7 months of age?

Social referencing (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of attachment?

It is primarily based on physical needs (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the condition where basic necessities and comforts in life are not adequately provided, potentially impacting a child's development?

Privation (B) Signup and view all the answers

At what age do children typically begin to engage in cooperative play, which includes imaginary play scripts?

24 months (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which dimension of temperament refers to the strength of a child's emotional responses?

Emotionality (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which factors are shown to have an influence on a child's temperament?

Genetics and hormones (A) Signup and view all the answers

How stable is temperament in children, according to the content?

Modestly stable, but can change frequently (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of temperament identified in the New York Longitudinal Study?

Aggressive (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these researchers is known for their focus on environmental influences on behavior and development?

John B. Watson (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which theory emphasizes that individuals learn through observation and imitation of others?

Social Cognitive Theory (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

Social Cognitive Thought (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these researchers is credited with developing the Ecological Systems Theory?

Urie Bronfenbrenner (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a commonly used method in child development research?

Hypnotic Regression (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Operant Conditioning?

The consequences of behavior (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the best description of the 'tabula rasa' theory?

Children are born with a blank slate and learn through experience. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does the 'Microsystem' influence a child's development in the Ecological Systems Theory?

The Microsystem represents the child's immediate surroundings and the people they interact with daily. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which theory emphasizes the importance of sociocultural influences on cognitive development?

Contextual Perspective (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of Piaget's stages of cognitive development is characterized by the ability to think abstractly and reason hypothetically?

Formal Operational Thought (C) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lifespan Development

Lifespan development examines patterns of growth, change, and stability
Growth includes physical and psychological changes
Change involves improvement or loss of existing skills
Stability refers to characteristics and abilities
Age-graded influences are similar for individuals in a particular age group (e.g., puberty, formal education)
History-graded influences are associated with a particular historical time period (e.g., wars, economic depressions)
Sociocultural-graded influences vary based on social and cultural factors (e.g., ethnicity, social class)
Non-normative life events are unusual events that do not happen to most people at a certain time

Continuous vs. Discontinuous Change

Continuous change is gradual and quantitative (e.g., height)
Discontinuous change involves distinct stages and is qualitative (e.g., thinking)

Critical vs. Sensitive Periods

Critical periods are when the absence or presence of specific environmental factors permanently and irreversibly affect development (e.g., rubella in early pregnancy).
Sensitive periods are when the absence of specific environmental influences hinders development but later experiences may still overcome earlier deficits.

Nature vs. Nurture

Nature refers to hereditary information, traits, and abilities
Nurture refers to environmental factors, like the impact of a pregnant mother's drug use, discipline style, and peer pressure
Interaction exists between genetic and environmental factors

Universal vs. Context-Specific Development

"One right way to develop" versus multiple ways in which development happens
Different theories and perspectives on development exist

Theories of Child Development: Historical Perspectives

Locke: Tabula Rasa (blank slate)
Rousseau: Innate sense of justice
Baldwin: Theory guides experimentation

Natural Selection (Darwin)

Process results in the survival of organisms best adapted to their environment

Maturation Theory (Gesell)

Development is a pre-arranged plan within the body based on a timetable
Development proceeds naturally without outside interference

Ethological Theory

Evolutionary perspective focuses on behaviours that have survival value
Critical periods influence development (e.g., imprinting).

Psychodynamic Perspective (Freud)

Theory of personality with components like the id (primitive), ego (practical), and superego (moral).
Psychosexual stages (e.g., oral, anal, phallic)

Psychosocial Theory (Erikson)

Focuses on social and cultural influences
Stages of development with psychosocial crises (e.g., trust vs doubt, autonomy vs shame)

Learning Perspectives (Watson, Skinner)

Emphasis on environmental influences
Classical conditioning (Pavlov)
Operant conditioning (Skinner)

Observational learning and self-efficacy

Cognitive Development (Piaget)

Children are naturally curious, forming schemas to understand the world
Stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational

Contextual Perspective (Vygotsky)

Sociocultural approach emphasizing culture (tools, language, symbols, customs)
Important influence from infancy to adolescence

Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner)

Environment as a series of interconnected systems (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, chronosystem)

Measurement in Child Development

Systematic observation (naturalistic, structured)
Sampling behaviour with tasks
Self-reports (questionnaires, interviews)

Validity and Reliability

Convergent validity - positively correlated
Divergent validity - not correlated
Representativeness of samples in research

Development Perspective (Piaget)

Children are naturally motivated to make sense of the physical and social world
Stages in cognitive development (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational).

Prenatal Development

Fertilization occurs when a sperm penetrates an egg
Zygote, embryo, and fetus stages
Critical periods during pregnancy

Prenatal Development: Influences

Nutrition, stress, and maternal age
Teratogens (e.g., thalidomide, infections, drugs) during pregnancy

Methods in Studying Development

Longitudinal studies: measure variables repeatedly in same participants over time
Cross-sectional studies: measure variables in different age groups at one point in time
Sequential design: combine aspects of longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches

Ethical Responsibilities

Minimise risks to participants
Benefit analysis of research
Informed consent/assent
Avoid deception

Child Development Methods

Measure individual change (e.g., language development)
Microgenetic study: measures variable repeatedly in the same person
Sequential design: combines aspects of longitudinal and cross sectional approach

Assessing the Newborn

Apgar score evaluates the newborn's condition
Five vital signs rated

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Description

This quiz focuses on key concepts of Piaget's sensorimotor stage, including distinctions between substages, infant cognition, and biological understanding. Test your knowledge on developmental milestones and brain functions related to early childhood. Engage with questions about motor skills, reflexes, and the benefits of breast milk for infants.