EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY EXAM
#2 QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS(GRADED A+)
development - ANSWERthe pattern of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional
changes that begin from conception throughout the rest of life
biological processes - ANSWERChanges to development as a result of that person's
physical nature (ie genetics, brain development, height, weight gains etc).
cognitive processes - ANSWERchanges in an individual's thought, intelligence, and
language
socioemotional processes - ANSWERchanges in an individual's relationships with
other people, emotions, and personality
Nature - nurture issue - ANSWERThe long standing controversy over the relative
contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological
traits and behaviors
Continuity and discontinuity issue - ANSWERfocuses on whether the changes
people undergo over the life span are gradual or abrupt
Early-later experience issue - ANSWERThe issue of the degree to which early
experiences (esp. in infancy) or later experiences are the key determinants of the
child's development.
schemas - ANSWERconceptual frameworks a person uses to make sense of the
world
assimilation - ANSWERthe application of a general schema to a particular instance
accommodation - ANSWERthe modification of internal representations in order to
accommodate a changing knowledge of reality
initiative vs. guilt - ANSWERErikson's third stage in which the child finds
independence in planning, playing and other activities
industry vs. inferiority - ANSWERErikson's 4th Stage in which children must learn the
productive skills their culture requires or else face feelings of inferiority
identity vs. identity confusion - ANSWERErikson's 5th stage. From age 12 - 20, the
major task is to build a consistent identity, a unified sense of self. Failure of teens to
achieve a sense of identity results in role confusion and uncertainty about the future.
, intimacy vs. isolation - ANSWEREriskon's sixth stage. From age 21 - 40, the major
task is to achieve intimacy (deeply caring about others and having meaningful
experiences with them). Otherwise, we experience isolation, feeling alone and
uncared for in life
organization - ANSWERgrouping isolated thoughts and behaviors into a higher-order
system
equilibration - ANSWERthe mental process that motivates humans to keep schemes
in balance with the real environment
sensorimotor stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2
years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory
impressions and motor activities
Preoperational stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7
years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet
comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
concrete operational stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive
development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the
mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
formal operational stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive
development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think
logically about abstract concepts
abstract reasoning - ANSWERpondering a deeper meaning beyond the concrete and
literal.
hypothetical-deductive reasoning - ANSWERPiaget's formal operational concept that
adolescents have the cognitive ability to develop hypotheses, about ways to solve
problems.
adolescent egocentrism - ANSWERthe heightened self-consciousness of
adolescents
Vygotsky's theory - ANSWERA sociocultural cognitive theory that emphasizes how
culture and social interaction guide cognitive development.
Zone of Proximal Development - ANSWERin Vygotsky's theory, the range between
children's present level of knowledge and their potential knowledge state if they
recieve proper guidance and instruction
Scaffolding - ANSWERVygotsky's idea that learners should be given only just
enough help so that they can reach the next level
#2 QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS(GRADED A+)
development - ANSWERthe pattern of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional
changes that begin from conception throughout the rest of life
biological processes - ANSWERChanges to development as a result of that person's
physical nature (ie genetics, brain development, height, weight gains etc).
cognitive processes - ANSWERchanges in an individual's thought, intelligence, and
language
socioemotional processes - ANSWERchanges in an individual's relationships with
other people, emotions, and personality
Nature - nurture issue - ANSWERThe long standing controversy over the relative
contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological
traits and behaviors
Continuity and discontinuity issue - ANSWERfocuses on whether the changes
people undergo over the life span are gradual or abrupt
Early-later experience issue - ANSWERThe issue of the degree to which early
experiences (esp. in infancy) or later experiences are the key determinants of the
child's development.
schemas - ANSWERconceptual frameworks a person uses to make sense of the
world
assimilation - ANSWERthe application of a general schema to a particular instance
accommodation - ANSWERthe modification of internal representations in order to
accommodate a changing knowledge of reality
initiative vs. guilt - ANSWERErikson's third stage in which the child finds
independence in planning, playing and other activities
industry vs. inferiority - ANSWERErikson's 4th Stage in which children must learn the
productive skills their culture requires or else face feelings of inferiority
identity vs. identity confusion - ANSWERErikson's 5th stage. From age 12 - 20, the
major task is to build a consistent identity, a unified sense of self. Failure of teens to
achieve a sense of identity results in role confusion and uncertainty about the future.
, intimacy vs. isolation - ANSWEREriskon's sixth stage. From age 21 - 40, the major
task is to achieve intimacy (deeply caring about others and having meaningful
experiences with them). Otherwise, we experience isolation, feeling alone and
uncared for in life
organization - ANSWERgrouping isolated thoughts and behaviors into a higher-order
system
equilibration - ANSWERthe mental process that motivates humans to keep schemes
in balance with the real environment
sensorimotor stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2
years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory
impressions and motor activities
Preoperational stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7
years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet
comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
concrete operational stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive
development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the
mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
formal operational stage - ANSWERin Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive
development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think
logically about abstract concepts
abstract reasoning - ANSWERpondering a deeper meaning beyond the concrete and
literal.
hypothetical-deductive reasoning - ANSWERPiaget's formal operational concept that
adolescents have the cognitive ability to develop hypotheses, about ways to solve
problems.
adolescent egocentrism - ANSWERthe heightened self-consciousness of
adolescents
Vygotsky's theory - ANSWERA sociocultural cognitive theory that emphasizes how
culture and social interaction guide cognitive development.
Zone of Proximal Development - ANSWERin Vygotsky's theory, the range between
children's present level of knowledge and their potential knowledge state if they
recieve proper guidance and instruction
Scaffolding - ANSWERVygotsky's idea that learners should be given only just
enough help so that they can reach the next level
