Child Development Flashcards

Which Piagetian concept explains why a 4-year-old believes everyone can see what they see and knows what they know?

Answer: Egocentrism

Egocentrism in Piaget's preoperational stage refers to the child's inability to take another person's perspective or recognize that others have different viewpoints.

A school social worker is working with a 9-year-old who has difficulty reading social cues and engages in repetitive behaviors. Which developmental framework would be most useful for understanding this child's profile?

Answer: Neurodevelopmental perspective including autism spectrum characteristics

Difficulty reading social cues combined with repetitive behaviors are hallmark characteristics often associated with autism spectrum disorder, best understood through a neurodevelopmental lens.

According to Kohlberg's theory, a child who follows rules to avoid punishment is operating at which level of moral reasoning?

Answer: Preconventional level

Stage 1 of Kohlberg's preconventional level involves obedience and punishment orientation, where rules are followed to avoid negative consequences.

Which term describes the process by which children internalize the rules and values of society through interactions with parents and other socializing agents?

Answer: Socialization

Socialization is the process through which children acquire the values, behaviors, and norms of their culture via family, peers, school, and media.

A 16-year-old demonstrates the ability to think about hypothetical situations and use abstract reasoning. According to Piaget, this reflects which stage?

Answer: Formal operational stage

The formal operational stage, beginning around age 11-12, enables abstract, hypothetical, and deductive reasoning.

Research on peer relationships in middle childhood indicates that children who are 'rejected' by peers (as opposed to 'neglected') are at greatest risk for:

Answer: Long-term adjustment problems including delinquency and school dropout

Peer rejection—active dislike by peers—is associated with significantly worse long-term outcomes than peer neglect, including conduct problems and school dropout.

A school social worker is using a strengths-based approach to support a child's resilience. Which factor is most consistently identified in research as a protective factor for children facing adversity?

Answer: Presence of at least one stable, caring adult relationship

Research consistently identifies a stable, supportive relationship with at least one caring adult as the most critical protective factor promoting resilience in children facing adversity.