Child Development and Learning Theories Flashcards

Bronfenbrenner's ecological model places the family and classroom in which system?

Answer: Microsystem

The microsystem includes the immediate environments—family, school, and peers—that directly affect a child.

A PreK-4 child who uses a stick as a pretend sword is demonstrating:

Answer: Symbolic/representational thinking

Using an object to stand for something else is symbolic thinking, a hallmark of the preoperational stage.

Which term describes a child's inability to see a situation from another's perspective in early childhood?

Answer: Egocentrism

Egocentrism is Piaget's term for a young child's difficulty understanding that others have different viewpoints.

Scaffolding in early childhood education means:

Answer: Providing temporary support adjusted to the child's current ability

Scaffolding, derived from Vygotsky's work, involves offering adjustable support that is gradually withdrawn as competence grows.

Which attachment style describes a child who is distressed when a caregiver leaves and easily comforted upon return?

Answer: Secure

Securely attached children show distress at separation but are readily soothed upon reunion, reflecting trust in the caregiver.

Conservation, the understanding that quantity stays the same despite changes in appearance, typically develops during which Piagetian stage?

Answer: Concrete operational

Children in the concrete operational stage (ages 7–11) master conservation of number, mass, and volume.