Choose ONE of the following Big Picture Questions. Respond to the question in a
ID: 151453 • Letter: C
Question
Choose ONE of the following Big Picture Questions.
Respond to the question in a typed, proof-read response.
Please write out your answers – do not just list responses in bullet points.
Please make sure to label your responses so I know which question you are answering as there may be overlap in the content of some questions.
Use material from lecture, the text, your own experiences, other classes, and your opinion to support your response. Please cite when referring to non-class material.
Make sure to answer all parts of the question.
This question is worth 24 points and will be scored on the depth of thought and insight shown for class material, the extent to which you convey an accurate knowledge of class material, and the clarity of your response.
The entire exam is open-book, open-note, etc. Because these are open-book, open-note and you have a whole week to do them my expectations are high.
Describe 3 ways to create a healthy prenatal environment for your developing fetus. Pick one teratogen or genetic disorder in particular and describe its effects on the developing fetus in more detail.
Discuss the benefits of nursing an infant, the challenges of nursing, and confounds in research into the benefits of breastfeeding.
Describe Piaget’s substages of cognitive development in infants and discuss two potential problems with his theory and/or existing research into his theory.
Describe how inequalities in society and access to resources can impact BOTH: prenatal development AND one of the three areas of postnatal development (physical, cognitive, social-emotional). Include specific examples and support your thoughts in detail.
Explanation / Answer
Describe Piaget’s substages of cognitive development in infants and discuss two potential problems with his theory and/or existing research into his theory.
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Jean Piaget was a Swiss Developmental psychologist who gave theory of cognitive development. It describes the nature and development of human intelligence from birth to adulthood.
Piaget described cognitive development as a progressive reorganization of mental processes arising from biological maturity and environmental exposure. According to him children construct an understanding of the world around them. They constantly adjust their ideas according to new experiences and discrepancies from their present knowledge. Cognitive development is the center of human organism according to him.
Piaget described the importance, development and acquisition of schemas in cognitive development. A schema can be defined as a set of linked mental representations of the world, which we use both to understand and to respond to situations. He believed that newborn babies have a small number of innate schemas. These neonatal schemas are the cognitive structures underlying innate reflexes. These reflexes are genetically programmed into us.
Piaget’s theory has three basic components-
i) Schemas
ii) Adaptation process for transition from one stage to another
iii) Four stages of Cognitive development (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational)
The Sensorimotor stage is the first stage of cognitive development which extends from birth to acquisition of language. Infants continuously construct knowledge and understanding by experience and interaction with object. They gain knowledge from the action they perform. Object permanence is the greatest achievement in this stage. Children come to understand that a objects keeps on existing even if they can’t see it.
Sensorimotor stage is divided into six substages.
1) Simple reflexes (birth to 6 weeks)
Piaget described three primary reflexes- Sucking of objects in mouth, following moving or interesting objects with eyes and closing of the hand when an object touches palm. Over six weeks these reflexes become voluntary.
2) First habits and primary circular reactions phase (6 weeks – 4 months)
The focus is still on the infant’s body. Coordination of senses and two types of schema begins to form. Habits and primary circular reactions. Infant may start to repeat certain actions. Passive reactions can also appear.
3) Secondary circular reactions phase (4 to 8 months)
Development of coordination between vision and grasping power. Intentional grasping, secondary circular reactions start to develop. Child begins to develop logic as he can now differentiate means from end.
4) Coordination of secondary circular reactions stages (8-12 months)
This stage is associated with logical development and coordination between means and end. Piaget termed it as “First proper intelligence”. Child can now plan steps to achieve a small goal.
Child start to experiment with objects and becomes amused with the surroundings. This stage is of discovery. Piaget described the child at this stage as “young scientist”
At this stage child develops insight, creativity. Infants develop the ability to use symbols and form mental representations.
PROBLEMS WITH PIAGET’S THEORY
1) Piaget failed to consider the effect that the social setting and culture may have on cognitive development. Piaget made observation on his own children and few other children of his relatives and friends. The study was essentially done on higher economic class children. In reality a child’s environment and social setting plays a crucial role in his development. Social interaction is directly related to a child’s cognitive learning.
2) Development does not always proceed smoothly in stages as Piaget’s theory seems to predict. Some children may be able to learn advance concepts and complex reasoning that represented later stages. Piaget did not take into account the variability in the performance of child in different domains.