DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
SOLUTIONS 2024
What is developmental psychology? - ANSWER The study of how and why people change over time in
terms of their behaviour and thoughts, as well as their ability to relate to others.
State three areas that developmental psychology focuses on. - ANSWER Identity, attachment and
adolescence.
What is cognitive developmental psychology? - ANSWER Cognitive developmental psychology deals with
how cognitive processes - such as reasoning, perception and memory - change over time.
How does Piaget's theory of cognitive development differ from other theories? - ANSWER It focuses on
development rather than learning, and it deals with children rather than all learners. It also suggests that
there are several discrete stages of development marked by qualitative differences (rather than a gradual
increase in the number and complexity of behaviours, concepts, ideas, etc.).
What are the three basic components of Piaget's theory? - ANSWER 1) Schemas
2) Adaption processes
3) Stages of development
What are the two types of adaption, according to Piaget's theory? - ANSWER 1) Assimilation - using an
existing schema to deal with a new situation
2) Accommodation - when an existing schema does not work, it either needs to be changed to deal with
the new situation or it needs to be replaced with a new schema
Explain the four stages of cognitive development in Piaget's theory. - ANSWER 1) The sensorimotor stage
(0-2 years) - Children characterized by extreme egocentrism. Main development is object permanence.
2) The pre-operational stage (2-7 years) - Key features are egocentrism and animism. Focus is on
limitations of children's thinking, e.g. their inability to grasp conservation.
3) Concrete operational stage (7-11 years) - Major turning point in cognitive development of children.
Less egocentrism and improved thinking, e.g. regarding conservation.
, 4) Formal operational stage (11+ years) - Abstract thinking, manipulation of ideas and inferential
reasoning.
What is egocentrism? - ANSWER It refers to a child's inability to see a situation from another person's
point of view.
Explain object permanence. - ANSWER Object permanence refers to the knowledge that an object still
exists, even when it is hidden. It requires the ability to form a schema of the object.
What is animism? - ANSWER The belief that inanimate objects have human feelings and intentions.
Explain conservation. - ANSWER Conservation is the understanding that something stays the same in
quantity even though it changes in appearance.
Evaluate Piaget's theory of cognitive development (3 strengths/3 weaknesses). - ANSWER + First
comprehensive theory - has been widely accepted
+ Deals with both biological and cognitive aspects
+ High applicability, as it deals with development and is very thorough
- Underestimates the importance of social and cultural aspects, as well as the role of language
- The model is too rigid and inflexible (e.g. the stages of development)
- Underestimates children's cognitive abilities in general
What is constructivism? - ANSWER The idea that knowledge is actively constructed through the child's
interaction with the environment.
Give three examples of how Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development differs from Piaget's theory. -
ANSWER 1) Vygotsky puts more emphasis on how culture can affect/shape cognitive development, while
Piaget states that cognitive development is mostly universal across cultures.
2) Vygotsky's theory focuses on how environment and social interactions (such as the guidance of
teachers) can influence children's cognitive development, while Piaget focuses more on the independent
explorations of the children.
3) Vygotsky places more emphasis on the role of language in cognitive development.
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