EDUC 210 MODULES 1 AND 2 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
EXPLANATIONS
A teacher pours juice from a larger glass into two tiny glasses, and the child beams,
happy now that he has "more juice." What cognitive stage (Piaget's theory) does the
account best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
B) Formal operational thought
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: C
Explanation: C) The child is in the preoperational stage. We can conclude this because
he has failed to demonstrate conservation by thinking that the tiny glasses contain more
juice.
Page Ref: 46
Skill: Understanding
In his first game of hide-and-seek, Andy covers his eyes so that his friends cannot see
him. His thinking can be described as
A) decentered.
B) egocentric.
C) schematic.
D) seriation. - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) Andy is acting in an egocentric manner. He assumes that just because
he cannot see his friends, they cannot see him. [Ostriches are said to act the same
way!]
Page Ref: 46
Skill: Understanding
A preoperational child's belief that a tall, narrow glass contains more liquid than a short,
wide glass is probably due to difficulties in
A) decentering.
B) egocentrism.
C) serration.
D) object permanence. - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) Decentering is the ability to focus on more than one aspect of a
situation at a time. This occurs, for example, when the preoperational child perceives
that, because a glass is taller, it must also have more liquid. In this case, the child is
unable to see that the amount of liquid has not changed.
Page Ref: 46
,Skill: Knowledge
Corinne has mastered this type of problem: "If the white house is bigger than the blue
house, and the blue house is bigger than the red house, is the white house bigger or
smaller than the red house?" What stage of Piaget's cognitive theory does this situation
best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
B) Formal operations
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) By demonstrating an ability to understand ordering and seriation,
Corinne is evidently in the concrete operations stage. She would be less capable at this
task, however, if she were dealing with abstractions rather than with concrete objects
(houses of different colors).
Page Ref: 47
Skill: Understanding
David has just purchased a car and is intensely interested in it. When the car has
engine trouble, he is able systematically to locate the problem. What cognitive stage of
Piaget's theory does this situation best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
B) Formal operations
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) David appears to be in the formal operations stage. He is able to use
logical thinking to locate the engine trouble systematically. He is evidently using formal
thought to solve unique problems.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Understanding
What is the hallmark of Piaget's stage of formal operations?
A) Semiotic function
B) Hypothetical-deductive reasoning
C) Organized thinking of dependent elements
D) Reversible thinking - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) The hallmark of Piaget's stage of formal operations is hypothetical-
deductive reasoning. This ability involves both deductive and inductive reasoning to
solve real as well as hypothetical problems.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Knowledge
Janie was having some difficulty deciding how to organize her defense for the debate
competition. She prepared several hypothetical arguments that her opponents might
raise, and how she might reply. What cognitive stage of Piaget's theory does this
account best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
, B) Formal operations
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) Janie's problem with organizing her defense for the debate reflects the
characteristics of formal operations, including hypothetical-deductive reasoning,
problem solving, and scientific thought.
Page Ref: 50-51
Skill: Understanding
Perry is able to solve hypothetical problems by mentally working through a set of
possibilities. What characteristic of cognitive development does Perry illustrate?
A) Compensatory reasoning
B) Inductive thinking
C) Organized thinking
D) Reversible reasoning - Answer-Answer: C
Explanation: C) Perry is probably in the formal operations stage because he is able to
solve hypothetical problems by working through a set of possible actions. Such skills
would be difficult for a concrete-minded child.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Understanding
When Mary returned from the high-school prom, she complained, "Everyone hated my
dress!" What specific concept does this account best illustrate?
A) Adolescent egocentrism
B) Interpsychological action
C) Reversible thinking
D) Semiotic function - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) Mary is probably in the formal operations stage. She is demonstrating
adolescent egocentrism by believing that everyone is focusing on her appearance.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Understanding
Which one of the following is an example of maturation?
A) Gaining weight from age two to age three
B) Losing weight due to exercise
C) Losing weight during a brief illness
D) Learning which foods produce the most weight - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) Maturation refers to changes that occur naturally and spontaneously
rather than as a result of environmental circumstances. An example would be gaining
weight from age two to age three. [Note: losing weight due to illness or exercise is not a
natural occurrence, but one that is caused by particular environmental events.]
Page Ref: 30
Skill: Understanding
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
EXPLANATIONS
A teacher pours juice from a larger glass into two tiny glasses, and the child beams,
happy now that he has "more juice." What cognitive stage (Piaget's theory) does the
account best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
B) Formal operational thought
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: C
Explanation: C) The child is in the preoperational stage. We can conclude this because
he has failed to demonstrate conservation by thinking that the tiny glasses contain more
juice.
Page Ref: 46
Skill: Understanding
In his first game of hide-and-seek, Andy covers his eyes so that his friends cannot see
him. His thinking can be described as
A) decentered.
B) egocentric.
C) schematic.
D) seriation. - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) Andy is acting in an egocentric manner. He assumes that just because
he cannot see his friends, they cannot see him. [Ostriches are said to act the same
way!]
Page Ref: 46
Skill: Understanding
A preoperational child's belief that a tall, narrow glass contains more liquid than a short,
wide glass is probably due to difficulties in
A) decentering.
B) egocentrism.
C) serration.
D) object permanence. - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) Decentering is the ability to focus on more than one aspect of a
situation at a time. This occurs, for example, when the preoperational child perceives
that, because a glass is taller, it must also have more liquid. In this case, the child is
unable to see that the amount of liquid has not changed.
Page Ref: 46
,Skill: Knowledge
Corinne has mastered this type of problem: "If the white house is bigger than the blue
house, and the blue house is bigger than the red house, is the white house bigger or
smaller than the red house?" What stage of Piaget's cognitive theory does this situation
best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
B) Formal operations
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) By demonstrating an ability to understand ordering and seriation,
Corinne is evidently in the concrete operations stage. She would be less capable at this
task, however, if she were dealing with abstractions rather than with concrete objects
(houses of different colors).
Page Ref: 47
Skill: Understanding
David has just purchased a car and is intensely interested in it. When the car has
engine trouble, he is able systematically to locate the problem. What cognitive stage of
Piaget's theory does this situation best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
B) Formal operations
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) David appears to be in the formal operations stage. He is able to use
logical thinking to locate the engine trouble systematically. He is evidently using formal
thought to solve unique problems.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Understanding
What is the hallmark of Piaget's stage of formal operations?
A) Semiotic function
B) Hypothetical-deductive reasoning
C) Organized thinking of dependent elements
D) Reversible thinking - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) The hallmark of Piaget's stage of formal operations is hypothetical-
deductive reasoning. This ability involves both deductive and inductive reasoning to
solve real as well as hypothetical problems.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Knowledge
Janie was having some difficulty deciding how to organize her defense for the debate
competition. She prepared several hypothetical arguments that her opponents might
raise, and how she might reply. What cognitive stage of Piaget's theory does this
account best illustrate?
A) Concrete operations
, B) Formal operations
C) Preoperational thought
D) Sensorimotor - Answer-Answer: B
Explanation: B) Janie's problem with organizing her defense for the debate reflects the
characteristics of formal operations, including hypothetical-deductive reasoning,
problem solving, and scientific thought.
Page Ref: 50-51
Skill: Understanding
Perry is able to solve hypothetical problems by mentally working through a set of
possibilities. What characteristic of cognitive development does Perry illustrate?
A) Compensatory reasoning
B) Inductive thinking
C) Organized thinking
D) Reversible reasoning - Answer-Answer: C
Explanation: C) Perry is probably in the formal operations stage because he is able to
solve hypothetical problems by working through a set of possible actions. Such skills
would be difficult for a concrete-minded child.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Understanding
When Mary returned from the high-school prom, she complained, "Everyone hated my
dress!" What specific concept does this account best illustrate?
A) Adolescent egocentrism
B) Interpsychological action
C) Reversible thinking
D) Semiotic function - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) Mary is probably in the formal operations stage. She is demonstrating
adolescent egocentrism by believing that everyone is focusing on her appearance.
Page Ref: 50
Skill: Understanding
Which one of the following is an example of maturation?
A) Gaining weight from age two to age three
B) Losing weight due to exercise
C) Losing weight during a brief illness
D) Learning which foods produce the most weight - Answer-Answer: A
Explanation: A) Maturation refers to changes that occur naturally and spontaneously
rather than as a result of environmental circumstances. An example would be gaining
weight from age two to age three. [Note: losing weight due to illness or exercise is not a
natural occurrence, but one that is caused by particular environmental events.]
Page Ref: 30
Skill: Understanding
