Development

• What is the brain stem?

  -Highly developed at birth

  -Connects brain to spinal cord

  -Autonomic functions
• What is the cerebellum?

  -Matures late

  -Near top of the spinal cord

  -Co-ordinates sensory and motor
• What is the Thalamus

  -Deep inside the brain in each hemisphere

  -Information hub, recieves and then sends signals around the brain.
• What is the cortex?

  -Very thin and folded cover

  -Thinking and processing,

  -Frontal, visual, auditory, motor areas in each hemisphere
• What is the role of nature and nurture in developement?

  -Nature is inherited

  -Nurture is environmental influences on development
• What is the role of nurture in smoking during pregnancy?

  Smoking during pregnancy can lead to smaller brains.
• What is the role of nurture in infection during pregnancy?

  In the womb, German measles can lead to hearing loss.
• What is the role of nurture in understanding voices during pregnancy?

  Babies learn to recognise their mothers voice.
• What is the interaction between nature and nurture in development?

  The brain forms due to nature, but the environment has a major influence even in the womb
• Describe Piagets theory


  Piaget proposes,

  -Changes in thinking happen over time.Children think differently to adults.

  -Stages-different kinds of logical thinking occur at each stage.

  -Role of schemas-mental structures containing knowledge.Schemas become more complex through assimilation and accommodation.

  -The point of Assimilation and Accommodation
• What is assimilation?


  adding new information to an existing schema
• What is accommodation?


  receiving new information that changes our understanding so a new schema is formed.
• Evaluate Piagets theory


  (+)Research evidence-Many studies have been conducted to test Piagets theory, which has helped improve our understanding of how children thinking develops.

  (+)Real world application-the theory has helped change classroom teaching, so it is now more activity-based.

  (-)The sample-Middle class Swiss-children were used to come to conclusion.So theory may not be universal.
• What did Piaget believe about conservation?

  -Although, appearance changes, quantity stays the same.

  -Piaget showed that younger children can't conserve quantities.

  -Further challenged by 'naughty teddy' study.
• What was the conservation task by Piaget?

  -Children given two glasses where both were wide.

  -Glasses were full of water.

  -The experimenter would then pour one of the wide glasses which contained the same water into a taller and thinner glass.

  -Children asked which contained more water.

  -Children answered the glass which was tall had more water.

  -This showed that children did not understand conservation of quantities as even though the glass was full and wide the narrow one would seem bigger to them.
• What were some evaluation points for Piagets study?

  Similar to naughty teddy bear study.

  (-)Challanged by Naughty Teddy Bear study-The study shows that Piaget confused young children with his style of questioning.

  (-)The sample-Primary school sample from one schools comparisons between the groups may not be valid.

  (-)Real world application-the theory has helped change classroom teaching, so it is now more activity-based.
• Describe McGarrigle


  -Aim-The naughty teddy study aimed to see if a deliberate change in the row of counters would help children conserve.

  -Method-Children ages 4-6 years.

  Two rows of counters, teddy messed up one of them.Child asked if the rows were the same.

  -Results-Deliberate change=41% conserved and Accidental change=68%.

  This meant that older children did better than young ones.

  -Conclusion-Piagets method does not show what children can do.This study does show there are still age-related changes.
• Evaluate McGarr


  (-)The sample-Primary school sample from one schools comparisons between the groups may not be valid.

  (-)The change was not noticed-Children may appear to conserve because they simply didn't notice the change as they were distracted by the teddy.

  (+)Challenges Piaget-The study shows that Piaget confused young children with hi style of questioning.This helps refine his theory.
• What is egocentrism?


  -Seeing the world form ones point of view.

  -Piaget tested this with the three mountains task, showing egocentrism up to age 7.

  -This was further challenged by the 'policemen doll study'.
• Describe Piagets study of egocentrism

  -A child is shown a model of three mountains.One mountain is covered in snowmen has a cross on the top and one has a house on top.

  -A doll is then placed opposite to the child and the child is asked to choose what the doll would see from a range of pictures such as those below.

  -Young children can't do it-they describe what they can see, not that the doll would see.

  -Children over the age of 7 would consistently choose the correct picture.Egocentrism because young children cannot shift their view of the world.
• Describe Hugh's study


  Aim-The 'policeman' doll study aimed to create a test that would make more sense than Piagets.

  Method-3 1/2 to 5 year olds asked to hide a boy doll away from two policemen.They were given practice first with one doll.

  Results-90% could hide the boy doll away from two policemen.3 year olds did less well with a more complex task.

  Conclusion-Children aged 4 years are mostly egocentric.Piaget underestimated abilities but was right that thinking changes with age.
• Evaluate Hugh's study


  (+)More realistic-task made better sense to children and they were given practice so they understood, so a more realistic test of abilities.

  (-)Effects of expectations-unconscious cues from the researcher may have influenced the children's behaviours the results lack validity.

  (+)Challenged Piaget-The study shows that Piaget's task confused the children, making them appear less able thinkers.This helps to refine his theory.
• What are the stages of cognitive development according to Piaget?

  -sensorimotor

  -pre-operational

  -concrete operational

  -formal operational

  -Four stages at different ages

  -Children think differently as their brains mature.

  -Universal order of stages.
• When is the sensorimotor stage and what skills does a child have during it?

  -0-2 years, learn to co-ordinate sensory and motor information.

  -Object permanence develops.
• When is the pre-operational stage and what skills does a child have during it?

  -2-7 years, cant think in a consistently logical way (it doesn't make sense).

  -Egocentric and lack conservation.
• When is the concrete operational stage and what skills does a child have during it?

  -7-11 years

  -At 7, most children can conserve and show less egocentrism.

  -Logical thinking applied to physical objects only.
• When is the formal operational stage and what skills does a child have during it?

  -11+ years

  -Children can draw conclusions about abstract concepts and form arguments
• Evaluate the stage of cognitive development by Piaget

  (-)Underestimated children abilities-some types of thinking develop earlier than Piaget proposed.

  (-)Overestimated children's abilities-suggested that children 11+ are capable of abstract reasoning but most cant cope with Wason's card sorting task in abstract form.

  (+)Basic idea is correct-does show children thinking changes with ages theory is valid.
• What are the different application in education from Piagets theory?

  -Readiness-Can only teach something when a child is biologically 'ready'

  -Learning by discovery and the teachers role-

  Children must play active-role ,not rote-learn

  Teachers should challenge schemas.

  -Individual leanring-Children go through same stages in same order but at differs rates.

  -The application to the different stages
• What is readiness?


  Can only teach something when a child is biologically 'ready
• What is the learning by discovery and teachers role?

  -Children must play active-role ,not rote-learn

  -Teachers should challenge schemas.
• What is individual learning?

  -Children go through same stages in same order but at differs rates.
• What is the application to different stages?

  Sensorimotor-Stimulating sensory environment

  Pre operational-discovery learning rather than written work

  Concrete operational- physical materials to manipulate.

  Formal operational-scientific experiments to develop logical thinking.
• Evaluate the application to education of Piagets theory?

  (+)Very influential-positive impact on UK education as more child-entered activity in primary schools.

  (+)Positive to improve with practice-thinking can develop at an earlier age, if given enough practice, not just when ready.

  (-)Traditional methods may be good-direct instruction is a better teaching method in some subjects.
• Describe Dwecks mindset theory


  Dweck proposes,

  <The set of assumption we have (mindset) affects success. Success is due to effort not talent.

  -Fixed mindset-effort won't help because talent is fixed in the genes.Focused on performance.

  -Growth mindset-can improve with effort, enjoy challenge.Focused on learning goals.

  <Dealing with failure:

  -Fixed mindset-Failure indicates lack of talent so give up.

  -Growth mindset-Opportunity to learn more and put in more effort.

  <A continuum-Not simply one or the other, it depends on the situation.
• What is a fixed mindset?

  -Fixed mindset-effort won't help because talent is fixed in the genes.

  -Focused on performance.
• What is a growth mindset?

  -Growth mindset-can improve with effort, enjoy challenge.

  -Focused on learning goals.
• What is the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, when dealing with failure?

  -Fixed mindset-Failure indicates lack of talent so give up.

  
  

  -Growth mindset-Opportunity to learn more and put in more effort.
• What does it mean if the different mindsets are continuum?

  Not simply one or the other (growth or fixed), it depends on the situation.
• Evaluate Dwecks mindset theory

  (+)Research support-Deck found children taught a growth mindset, had better grades and motivation.

  (-)Both mindsets involve praise-Praising effort still leads to doing things for approval so can discourage independent behaviour.

  (+)Real world application-In sport, business and relationships-seeing failure as a lack of effort rather than talent motivates future effort.