CPT Child Development & Learning Theories 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In operant conditioning, what is a 'negative reinforcement'?
- Punishing a child for misbehavior
- Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior (Correct answer)
- Adding an aversive stimulus after unwanted behavior
- Ignoring a behavior so it decreases
Correct answer: Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior
Negative reinforcement strengthens a behavior by removing or avoiding something unpleasant, which encourages the child to repeat the behavior.
Question 2: Which attachment style describes a child who is distressed when separated from a caregiver but is not easily comforted upon reunion?
- Secure attachment
- Avoidant attachment
- Disorganized attachment
- Anxious-ambivalent attachment (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Anxious-ambivalent attachment
Anxious-ambivalent (resistant) attachment features high distress at separation and difficulty being soothed upon reunion, showing conflicting feelings toward the caregiver.
Question 3: What does Erikson's stage 'Initiative vs. Guilt' (ages 3–6) primarily involve for preschool children?
- Learning basic academic skills
- Exploring independence and taking on purposeful activities (Correct answer)
- Forming a personal identity
- Developing trust in caregivers
Correct answer: Exploring independence and taking on purposeful activities
During the Initiative vs. Guilt stage, children assert themselves through play and purposeful activities; guilt arises when they feel their initiative is inappropriate.
Question 4: Which approach to early childhood education emphasizes child-led exploration, teacher as observer, and learning through prepared environments with natural materials?
- Direct instruction model
- Montessori method (Correct answer)
- Behaviorist curriculum
- Scripted literacy programs
Correct answer: Montessori method
The Montessori method uses specially prepared environments where children self-direct learning and teachers observe rather than lecture.
Question 5: What does the term 'accommodation' mean in Piaget's theory?
- Fitting new information into an existing schema
- Modifying an existing schema to fit new information (Correct answer)
- Forgetting outdated knowledge
- Memorizing facts through repetition
Correct answer: Modifying an existing schema to fit new information
Accommodation occurs when a new experience cannot fit an existing schema, causing the child to alter or create a schema to incorporate it.
Question 6: A preschool teacher uses puppets to re-enact a social conflict and asks children what the characters should do. Which learning theory most directly supports this strategy?
- Maturational theory
- Behaviorism
- Social learning theory (Correct answer)
- Psychoanalytic theory
Correct answer: Social learning theory
Social learning theory (Bandura) emphasizes observational learning and modeling, which puppet-based role-play directly leverages.
Question 7: Which domain of development refers to children's ability to form relationships, cooperate, and understand others' emotions?
- Cognitive development
- Language development
- Social-emotional development (Correct answer)
- Physical development
Correct answer: Social-emotional development
Social-emotional development encompasses relationship skills, emotional regulation, empathy, and cooperation—core competencies shaped in preschool.
CPT Child Development & Learning Theories 3
In operant conditioning, what is a 'negative reinforcement'?