Test Bank for Developmental
Psychology: Infancy and
Childhood
schema - ANSWERSmental molds into which we pour our experiences. Schemas are developed
based on information provided by life experiences and are then stored in memory
assimilation - ANSWERSinterpretation of new experiences in terms of our current understandings.
(ex: little girl learns 'cow' from a book. she sees a moose & tries to assimilate this new animal into an
existing schema --> her mom corrects her)
accommodation - ANSWERSthe modification of present schemas to fit with new experiences (ex. girl
accommodates her schema for large shaggy animals & continues to modify that schema to include
mommy moose, baby moose, etc.)
Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development - ANSWERSSensorimotor, Pre-operational, Concrete
Operational, Formal Operational
Sensorimotor - ANSWERS(birth-2 yrs) experiencing the world through senses & actions.
-Object Permanence
-Stranger Anxiety (~8 months)
Pre operational Stage - ANSWERS(2-6/7 yrs) too young to perform mental operations.
-Egocentrism
-Theory of Mind
Concrete Operational - ANSWERS(7-11yrs) enjoy jokes bc they begin to understand punch lines.
Children fully gain mental ability to comprehend:
-Conservation
-Mathematical transformations
Formal Operational - ANSWERS(12+ yrs) reasoning expands from purely concrete to encompass
abstract thinking.
, -Abstract logic
Object permanence - ANSWERSthe awareness that objects continue to exist when not perceived
Stranger anxiety - ANSWERSfear of strangers(~8 months)
Conservation - ANSWERSquantity remains the same despite changes in shape
Egocentrism - ANSWERSdifficulty perceiving things from another person's point of view
Theory of Mind - ANSWERSability to infer others' mental states. growing ability to tease, empathize,
& persuade stems from this growing ability.
self-concept - ANSWERSa sense of one's identity & personal worth. emerges around 6 months
~15-18 months: recognize themselves in the mirror
~8-10 yrs: self-image is stable
Harry Harlow's study on origins of attachment - ANSWERSHarlow showed that infants bond with
surrogate mothers because of bodily contact, NOT because of nourishment
Mary Ainsworth's "Strange Situation" Study - ANSWERSInfant's behavior is observed in an unfamiliar
room with toys, while mom movies in and out of the room
secure (type of attachment) - ANSWERSinfant explores the situation freely in presence of mother,
displays distress when mother leaves, responds enthusiastically when mother returns
insecure avoidant (type of attachment) - ANSWERSindicated by exploration. minima interest in the
mother, shows little distress when she leaves, & avoids her when she returns
insecure-ambivalent (type of attachment) - ANSWERSinfant seeks closeness to the mother. does not
explore the situation, high level of distress when mother leaves. ambivalent behavior when she
returns: alternately clinging to and pushing away from her
Psychology: Infancy and
Childhood
schema - ANSWERSmental molds into which we pour our experiences. Schemas are developed
based on information provided by life experiences and are then stored in memory
assimilation - ANSWERSinterpretation of new experiences in terms of our current understandings.
(ex: little girl learns 'cow' from a book. she sees a moose & tries to assimilate this new animal into an
existing schema --> her mom corrects her)
accommodation - ANSWERSthe modification of present schemas to fit with new experiences (ex. girl
accommodates her schema for large shaggy animals & continues to modify that schema to include
mommy moose, baby moose, etc.)
Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development - ANSWERSSensorimotor, Pre-operational, Concrete
Operational, Formal Operational
Sensorimotor - ANSWERS(birth-2 yrs) experiencing the world through senses & actions.
-Object Permanence
-Stranger Anxiety (~8 months)
Pre operational Stage - ANSWERS(2-6/7 yrs) too young to perform mental operations.
-Egocentrism
-Theory of Mind
Concrete Operational - ANSWERS(7-11yrs) enjoy jokes bc they begin to understand punch lines.
Children fully gain mental ability to comprehend:
-Conservation
-Mathematical transformations
Formal Operational - ANSWERS(12+ yrs) reasoning expands from purely concrete to encompass
abstract thinking.
, -Abstract logic
Object permanence - ANSWERSthe awareness that objects continue to exist when not perceived
Stranger anxiety - ANSWERSfear of strangers(~8 months)
Conservation - ANSWERSquantity remains the same despite changes in shape
Egocentrism - ANSWERSdifficulty perceiving things from another person's point of view
Theory of Mind - ANSWERSability to infer others' mental states. growing ability to tease, empathize,
& persuade stems from this growing ability.
self-concept - ANSWERSa sense of one's identity & personal worth. emerges around 6 months
~15-18 months: recognize themselves in the mirror
~8-10 yrs: self-image is stable
Harry Harlow's study on origins of attachment - ANSWERSHarlow showed that infants bond with
surrogate mothers because of bodily contact, NOT because of nourishment
Mary Ainsworth's "Strange Situation" Study - ANSWERSInfant's behavior is observed in an unfamiliar
room with toys, while mom movies in and out of the room
secure (type of attachment) - ANSWERSinfant explores the situation freely in presence of mother,
displays distress when mother leaves, responds enthusiastically when mother returns
insecure avoidant (type of attachment) - ANSWERSindicated by exploration. minima interest in the
mother, shows little distress when she leaves, & avoids her when she returns
insecure-ambivalent (type of attachment) - ANSWERSinfant seeks closeness to the mother. does not
explore the situation, high level of distress when mother leaves. ambivalent behavior when she
returns: alternately clinging to and pushing away from her
