Children's Thinking Homework 7 - ANSWERS PDF

Children’s Thinking Homework 7 - ANSWERS Chapter 7 – Learning to Think on Their Own Instructions: Be sure to read Chapter 7 in full before answering these questions. Then, complete this worksheet, save it to your desktop or flashdrive, and then upload it within the online classroom at Blackboard....

Children’s Thinking Homework 7 - ANSWERS Chapter 7 – Learning to Think on Their Own Instructions: Be sure to read Chapter 7 in full before answering these questions. Then, complete this worksheet, save it to your desktop or flashdrive, and then upload it within the online classroom at Blackboard. Please see p. 2 of the course syllabus for additional HW requirements (e.g., only the class text may be used as a source of information, page numbers from the text must be included for each answer, no general Internet searches may be used, etc.). This assignment is worth 15 points. 1. In what ways do theorists that focus on how children learn to think use computer models to describe cognitive development? Be sure to include the concepts of information- processing, hardware, and software in your response. Information-processing theories use computer analogies when describing how children learn to think, with the capacity of children’s memory systems and speed of processing being similar to computer hardware and their ability to access and use strategies being similar to computer software (p. 247). 2. Please describe the “modern information-processing approach” as shown in Figure 7.1B, making sure to list and describe each aspect of this model. This model includes the following: o Stimulus information: Any information coming in from the environment. o Sensory memory: Sensory registers that process incoming information (e.g., sights, sounds, etc.). o Attention: Focusing on information. o Short-term working memory: Temporary processing of information, using processes such as rehearsal, coding, decisions, retrieval strategies, etc. o Long-term memory: Relatively permanent storage of memory. o Response: Output based on the processing of information. This approach recognizes that the sensory store, STWM, and long-term memory interact to produce top-down and bottom-up processing (p. 248). 3. Please define top-down and bottom-up processing. Also, please give an example of each concept. Top-down processing: If our experiences and information stored in long-term memory direct our attention to some aspects of the world more than others, this is considered top-down, or concept-driven, processing (e.g., thinking of a time when you were out having fun with friends). Bottom-up processing: When the information we perceive and process in sensory memory directs our attention to something we already know or have experienced, stored in long-term memory, this is an example of bottom-up, or data-driven, processing (e.g., seeing a picture of a time when you were out having fun with friends) (p. 248). 4. When considering information-processing approaches to cognition, what are a) limited resource capacity, b) automatic processes, and c) effortful processes?  Limited resource capacity: People can only process a certain amount of information at any single point in time. Automatic processes: Processing of information that takes very little attention or processing ability. Effortful processes: Processing that requires much attention or processing ability to complete (p. 249). 5. Explain in detail the individual differences in various measures of executive function, including the concepts of higher-level cognitive abilities, genetics, environmental factors, and stability over time. Individual differences in various measures of executive function are related to a host of higher-level cognitive abilities, including reading, mathematics, theory of mind, and IQ, among others. Executive function abilities have been shown to have high genetic heritability but are also significantly associated with environmental factors, such as exercise, patterns of mother–child interactions, and culture. Individual differences in executive function are generally stable over time, that is, one’s rank order is fairly consistent across development although some research shows that interventions and training can aid executive function development (p. 251-265). 6. How are strategies, production deficiency, and utilization deficiency defined? Please also say how they are related to one another. Strategies are deliberate, goal-directed mental processes used to solve problems. Production deficiency is the inability to use mental strategies that are effective and efficient when solving problems. Utilization deficiency is evident when the use of a strategy does not improve performance when solving problems. These concepts are related because all focus on abilities, or lack thereof, to solve problems. (p. 266-269). 7. Please explain the adaptive strategy choice model shown in Figure 7.9. The adaptive strategy choice model shows that the use of different strategies changes as children grow both physically and mentally (p. 270). 8. Please define and give examples of mnemonics, rehearsal, and organization. Mnemonics are memory strategies. Rehearsal is a memory strategy where information is repeated in order to retain it. Organization is a memory strategy where different items are combined into categories, themes, or other units (p. 271-273). 9. Please list and define the 3 primary factors that influence children’s strategy use. Mental capacity: Children need enough mental resources to execute mental tasks. Knowledge base: Information that children have learned; the more a child knows about a topic, the better their memory for this information. Metacognition: The ability to think about one’s ability to think (e.g., knowing how successful you are at solving problems) (p. 274-279). 10. Please define the concepts of problem solving and goal-directed behavior. Also, when do children first solve problems? Problem solving having a goal, obstacles to the goal, strategies, and evaluation of results. Goal-directed behavior: Children’s ability to demonstrate that they can solve problems. Children can first demonstrate that they can solve problems when they are around 8 months old (p. 287). 11. What is reasoning and how is it related to problem solving? Please also define the concepts of analogical reasoning and relational mapping. Reasoning requires a person to make inferences (the ability to go beyond the information given, which often results in new knowledge). Analogical reasoning is using something you know to help you understand something you don’t know yet. Relational mapping is applying what you know about relations between things to relations between other things (e.g., “dog is to puppy as cat is to ?”) (p. 290). 12. What is relational shift and how is it related to a) analogical reasoning, b) knowledge, c) metacognition? In addition, what is a key factor required for scientific reasoning? Relational shift is the idea that as children develop, they shift from focusing on perceptual similarity to relational similarity to solve problems Relational shift is directly related to analogical reasoning, which is using something you know to help you understand something you don’t know yet. Relational shift is related to knowledge, because knowing more about different things helps them understand relationships between things. Relational shift is also related to metacognition, because knowledge of one’s own thoughts helps with problem solving. The key factor required for scientific reasoning is evidence.