Study Guide for Exam 2
Cognitive Development during the First Two Years
What do we mean by “cognitive development” broadly?
Piaget’s theory
o general idea behind it (constructivism, schemas, assimilation & accommodation—
how children learn by constructing their own knowledge)
o the 4 stages (know what all 4 are called and years associated, but here focus on
first stage (Sensorimotor) )
o Sensorimotor Stage: ages 0-2
how do children in this age explore and learn?
what are circular reactions?
when do children begin to understand trial and error, and think before they
act?
What is object permanence? How did Piaget test it? When did he
determine it developed?
Does it change based on HOW you assess it (e.g., reaching vs.
looking tasks, familiar vs. unfamiliar objects—know studies we
discussed in class)
A not B error—what is it, what does it look like, what does it
imply about object permanence development
o Critiques of Piaget/challenging evidence from research
Information Processing Theory
o What is the focus/explanation of cognitive development according to this
approach?
o What are affordances?
o research we discussed regarding infant memory
Language Development during the First Two Years
Know the 3 approaches or theories towards understanding language learning (nativist,
behaviorist, and interactionist)—what do they believe, and what do they use to justify it?
Know studies we discussed in class indicating anything about language learning in this
time
Know the progression of language learning in the first two years (timing and order, too)
o discrimination of sounds (universally and their language-specific)
o sound production
o non-verbal communication
o word production, naming explosion
o common errors in early language production (e.g. overextension, underextension)
o other factors that contribute to individual differences between children in
language development
Psychosocial Development during the First Two Years
Know what emotions babies are born with, and which develop over the first two years
Know what self-awareness is, how it is tested, when it typically develops, and how it
contributes to emotional development in this time
know what is happening in the brain to facilitate emotional development during this time
know how psychoanalytic, behavioral, and cognitive theorists would explain how we
develop emotionally and socially during the infancy period
know what temperament is, how babies with different temperaments behave differently,
and any studies we discussed showing importance of temperament for later outcomes
know sociocultural explanations of emotional development
o what are some things, contextually that can contribute to differences between
cultures or groups in emotional development (e.g., generational differences,
cultural values, parenting practices of difference cultures, etc.)
Development of social bonds/morality
o what early behaviors do babies come equipped with that facilitate social bonds?
o What evidence do we have that babies need social bonds early on (e.g., still face
study, studies on sound distinction comparing live humans and audio recordings,
etc.)
o Do babies have morality? What does it look like?
Attachment theory
o know Harlow’s monkey study and what it demonstrated (comfort vs. food)
o Bowlby’s theory of attachment—what is it, how does it develop over the first 2
years
o Strange situation
why was it designed?
What is the general procedure?
Know how a baby of each different classification of attachment style
(secure, avoidant, resistant, disorganized) would behave during the
procedure
factors that influence attachment style (e.g., parenting, temperament, etc.)
and why
outcomes associated with infant attachment style later in life (what does a
secure vs. insecure attachment in infancy predict later in life?)
consistency of attachment style across the lifespan—why?
are there cultural differences in any attachment style prevalence? if so,
why do you or researchers think that is?
Infant Day Care
What are some of the issues to consider in investigating infant day care?
o What makes it hard to study?