1. Review the Brief Chapter Summary.
2. Answer and submit the Learning Objectives. Write the question and then the answer.
3. Complete and submit the Learning Activity. Write the question and then the answer.
BRIEF CHAPTER SUMMARY
According to Piaget, from earliest infancy, children actively build psychological structures, or schemes, as they
manipulate and explore their world. The vast changes that take place in PiagetÕs sensorimotor stage are divided into
six substages. By acting on the world, infants make strides in intentional behavior, mastery of object permanence, and
physical reasoning. In the final substage, they transfer their action-based schemes to a mental level, and
representation appears.
Alternative explanations for babiesÕ amazing cognitive accomplishments include the core knowledge perspective,
which holds that babies are born with a set of innate knowledge systems, or core domains of thoughtÑÒprewiredÓ
understandings that permit a ready grasp of new, related information and therefore support early, rapid development.
However, this approach has not offered greater clarity than PiagetÕs theory on how biology and environment jointly
produce cognitive change.
Research findings have yielded broad agreement that many cognitive changes of infancy are gradual and
continuous, not abrupt and stagelike, and that various aspects of infant cognition change unevenly. These ideas form
the basis for another major approach to cognitive developmentÑinformation processing, which focuses on the
development of mental strategies for storing and interpreting information. With age, infantsÕ attention becomes more
efficient and flexible, and memory improves and is supported by a capacity for mental representation. Findings on
infant categorization indicate that young babies structure experience in adultlike ways.
VygotskyÕs sociocultural theory emphasizes that cognitive development is socially mediated as adults help
infants and toddlers master challenging tasks. More specifically, skilled partners aid the child in carrying out tasks
within their zone of proximal development.
A variety of infant intelligence tests have been devised to measure individual differences in early mental
development. Most predict later performance poorly, but tests that focus on speed of habituation and recovery to
visual stimuli and on object permanence are better predictors because they assess factors, such as memory and
quickness and flexibility of thinking, that underlie intelligent behavior at any age. Other powerful influences on
intellectual progress are the home environment, child care, and early intervention for at-risk infants and toddlers.
Behaviorist and nativist theories provide sharply contrasting accounts of language development. The
interactionist view emphasizes that innate abilities and environmental influences combine to produce childrenÕs
extraordinary language achievements. During the first year, infants prepare for language in many ways. First words
appear around 12 months, two-word utterances between 18 and 24 months. Substantial individual differences exist in
rate and style of early language progress. Conversational give-and-take and the use of child-directed speech (a
simplified form of parental language) support infantsÕ and toddlersÕ efforts to become competent speakers.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
6.1 Describe PiagetÕs view of development, noting how schemes change over the course of development.
(pp. 208-209)
6.2 Describe the major cognitive achievements of PiagetÕs sensorimotor stage. (pp. 209-212)
6.3 Discuss follow-up research on sensorimotor development and its implications for the accuracy of PiagetÕs
theory. (pp. 212-216)
6.4 Describe the alternate views of cognitive development, including the core knowledge perspective.
(pp. 216-219)
6.5 Describe the general structure of the information-processing system, explain how this approach differs from
PiagetÕs perspective, and review the strengths and limitations of the information-processing theory of
cognitive development. (pp. 220-221)
6.6 Discuss changes in attention, memory, and categorization that take place over the first two years.
(pp. 221-226)
6.7 Explain how VygotskyÕs concept of the zone of proximal development expands our understanding of early
cognitive development. (pp. 227-228)
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Chapter 6 Cognitive Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood
6.8 Describe the mental testing approach, the meaning of intelligence test scores, and the extent to which infant
tests predict later performance. (pp. 228-231)
6.9 Discuss environmental influences on early mental development, including home, child care, and early
interventions for at-risk infants and toddlers. (pp. 231-235)
6.10 Describe three theories of language development, indicating the emphasis each places on innate and
environmental influences. (pp. 236-240)
6.11 Describe major milestones of language development in the first two years, individual differences, and ways
adults can support infantsÕ and toddlersÕ emerging capacities. (pp. 240-242)
6.12 Describe the characteristics of infantsÕ first words and two-word phrases, and explain why language
comprehension develops ahead of language production. (pp. 242-243)
6.13 Describe individual and cultural differences in early language development, including factors that influence
these differences. (p. 244)
6.14 Explain how child-directed speech and conversation support early language development. (pp. 244-246)
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6.8: Interviewing Parents About Their ToddlerÕs Early Vocabulary (pp. 242-246)
Interview the parent of a toddler about early vocabulary development. During the interview, parents
can be asked to list the words their child produces and the contexts in which the child uses them. Note
examples of object words, action words, and state words and of early two-word combinations. Once you have
completed the activity, discuss your findings.