Theory of Cognitive Development and Commitment Scores

Explain the difference between assimilation and accommodation. Suppose that a 15-month-old toddler has learned to call the four-legged house pet a “doggie. ” What do you think would happen if the child sees a horse for the first time? Is the child likely to call the horse a “horsie” or a “doggie” or a “doggie-horse” or some other term? Write your best guess in the space below, and add a sentence explaining why you think the child would use that term to refer to the horse.

Stages of Development

What are some characteristics of a child in the sensorimotor stage of development? What is object permanence? What are some cognitive limitations of preschoolers? What is egocentrism? A child in the concrete operations stage can reason differently than can a child in the sensorimotor stage. For example, if shown two identical balls of clay, one of which has been rolled into a rope, an older child (in the concrete operational period) might decide that the ball and the rope both have the same amount of clay.

What kinds of reasoning do you think the older child might use to draw that conclusion? Cognitive Development Measures of Mental Operations. What are some differences in mental operations among the three children in the conservation of number/checkers task? What are some differences in mental operations among the three children in the conservation of liquid/water glass task? What are some differences in mental operations among the three children in the seriation/sticks task? What are some differences in mental operations among the three children in the seriation without visible objects/word problem task? This activity will help you understand Erik Erikson’s perspective on identity formation, as well as James Marcia’s four steps or stages in the identity process.

• What was your exploration score? ___________
• What was your commitment score? ___________
• Paths to Identity Achievement
• How did Erikson define identity achievement? What combination of exploration and commitment scores are seen?
• Section: ________________________

What is diffusion? What combination of exploration and commitment scores are seen? What is foreclosure? What combination of exploration and commitment scores are seen? What is a moratorium? What combination of exploration and commitment scores are seen?

Marcia’s Identity Status Model 

After considering your identity status classification based on the initial questionnaire, do you believe that your classification was accurate? Which of Marcia’s four statuses best fits you right now? Why you would not classify yourself as being in the other three statuses? In this activity, you will explore the main aspects of physical aging.

Aging Begins in Early Adulthood

What distinctions do researchers find between primary and secondary aging?

Section: ________________________

List four changes in appearance experienced with aging: 1. 2. 3. 4.