L3

• What impact have Piaget’s theories had on our understanding of children’s intellectual growth?


  They have had an enormous impact.
• What is a common criticism of Piaget’s theory regarding children’s abilities?


  Critics assert that Piaget underestimated children’s abilities at various ages.
• What is the first criticism of Piaget’s theory regarding infants?


  • Babies don’t start with nothing.
  • They can perceive depth around the time they can crawl.
  • Pre-crawling infants may discriminate between sides of the “cliff.”
• What experiment demonstrates infants' perception of depth?


  The Visual Cliff experiment.
• At what developmental stage do children appear to perceive depth?


  Around the time they can crawl.
• What does the effect of occlusion demonstrate about infants?


  Even 4-month-olds appear to understand the principle of occlusion.
• What is the habituation procedure in infants?


  • Infants prefer novel stimuli.
  • They become accustomed to stimuli over time.
  • They pay attention again when something new occurs.
• What does the “A not B” error indicate about infants' understanding of object permanence?


  It suggests difficulty overriding a motor habit rather than a lack of understanding.
• At what age did Piaget claim children could not conserve number?


  Around 6 years old.
• What evidence suggests that 6-month-olds have some understanding of number?


  Even 6-month-olds show some understanding of number.
• What social cognition abilities do newborns exhibit?


  • Prefer to look at faces over scrambled faces.
  • Attempt to imitate facial expressions at 3 weeks old.
  • Look in the direction of their mother’s gaze at 9 months old.
• What do 6-month-olds understand about intentions?


  They understand that the object being reached for is separate from the reach itself.
• What is the second criticism of Piaget’s theory regarding cognitive development?


  • Cognitive development isn’t an all-or-nothing phenomenon.
  • Children can show numerical skills and social cognition earlier than Piaget suggested.
• How do preschoolers demonstrate understanding of counting?


  Even when using incorrect numbers, toddlers understand what counting is about.
• What might explain why children younger than 6 can conserve number in relevant tasks?

  Repeated questioning may influence their responses.
• What did Piaget believe about egocentrism in children?


  He thought children were egocentric until around 7 years old.
• How can 3- and 4-year-olds demonstrate less egocentrism in relevant tasks?


  They can pass a diorama task if it is relevant.
• What behavior do children aged 2 ½ to 3 ½ exhibit that shows social cognition?


  They will turn a book around for an adult to see and bend down when talking to younger children.
• What does the broccoli versus crackers study demonstrate about infants' understanding of others' preferences?


  18-month-olds give the experimenter what she likes, while 14-month-olds give what they like.
• What is one aspect of theory of mind related to false beliefs?


  On average, 4-year-olds pass the false belief task while 3-year-olds do not.
• What are the key components of theory of mind?


  • Understanding intentions, beliefs, likes and dislikes, and perspectives of others.
  • Essential for effective social interactions.