Child Development & Learning Theories Flashcards

Which of the following best illustrates 'egocentrism' as described by Piaget?

Answer: A child assumes others see a mountain from the same view they do

Piaget's three-mountain task demonstrated that preoperational children assume others see the world from their own perspective.

Intrinsic motivation in children refers to engaging in an activity because of:

Answer: Personal interest, enjoyment, or satisfaction

Intrinsically motivated children engage in activities for the inherent pleasure or satisfaction they receive from the activity itself.

During which stage of play do children begin engaging in cooperative, goal-directed activities with peers?

Answer: Cooperative play

Cooperative play, typically seen in children ages 4–5 and older, involves organized, interactive play with shared goals.

A child with an 'easy' temperament is most likely to:

Answer: Adapt readily to new routines and people with a positive mood

Thomas and Chess described 'easy' children as generally positive in mood, regular in biological functions, and adaptable to new experiences.

Which of the following strategies best supports language development in young children?

Answer: Engaging in rich, back-and-forth dialogue and reading aloud

Conversational exchanges and shared book reading provide vocabulary exposure and model sentence structure, accelerating language development.

Which statement best reflects Vygotsky's view of the role of language in cognitive development?

Answer: Language is a social tool that shapes and organizes thinking

Vygotsky believed that language is a critical tool for thought, and that social speech eventually becomes internalized as private inner speech.

A teacher assistant who adjusts her communication style to match a child's language level is applying the concept of:

Answer: Child-directed speech (motherese)

Child-directed speech involves using simpler vocabulary, shorter sentences, and higher pitch to support young children's language comprehension.