Cognitive Development Answers

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Concept formation is the ability to categorize information into groups. An example would be making categories of different dogs, such as poodles, beagles, or collies. Another example of concept formation is categorizing different kinds of vegetables, such as peppers, cucumbers, and carrots. Symbolism is placing a symbol to represent an object, idea, or event. Words are symbols of ideas, people, or objects. Signs can be a symbol that represents an object or idea as well.

Responses may vary but should include all or some of the following information: Both theorists felt that children were active participants in their learning, stressed the importance of mentally challenging students, and that children can benefit cognitively as a result of social interactions. However, Piaget claimed that the self-exploration initiated by the child fueled cognitive development and Vygotsky stressed that cogntive development occurs through social interactions. Vygotsky also stressed the importance of language development and the influence of culture on cognitive skills more than Piaget. Responses may vary but should include all or some of the following information: Both theorists felt that children were active participants in their learning, stressed the importance of mentally challenging students, and believed that children can benefit cognitively as a result of social interactions. However, Piaget claimed that the self-exploration initiated by the child fueled cognitive development, while Vygotsky stressed that cognitive development occurs through social interactions. Vygotsky also stressed the importance of language development and the influence of culture on cognitive skills more than Piaget.

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Children in Piaget’s preoperational stage of development are unable to understand that they are part of a bigger picture. They also focus on one feature of a problem instead of looking at the whole problem in order to come to a logical conclusion. This is known as centration. They also think in terms of the current stage of a problem. They are unable to think of the process that caused a certain state or anything that will happen after. Children in this stage are also unable to mentally reverse actions, such as seeing someone pour water from one glass into a taller, more slender glass and being unable to mentally reverse the action to realize that it is still the same amount of water.