Posted: September 18th, 2017

Read and Answer Assignment

Assignment 8

/content/enforced/68349-006797-01-2155-OL3-7380/Mandler_IESBS_2004.pdf

Read the attached (above) article by Mandler (2004). In the article, the author describes some research on concept formation in very young children. Concepts are part of our explicit knowledge and are of central importance to any overall theory of cognition and the mind. A concept is an abstract idea or mental symbol that is a cognitive unit of meaning. When we talk about information in the world around us, we are using concepts.

Once you’ve read the article, answer the following questions:

Questions:

1) It is relatively straightforward to ask questions of an adult. However, this is not the case with infants. How do psychologists ask an infant about what they know or remember? That is, what methodology is used to conduct research on infants?

2) Do you think the assumptions of these methods for studying infants are sound? Are there limitations that you can think of with these methods?

3) What are Mandler’s findings in relation to Piaget on early cognitive development?

Reference:

Mandler, J. M. (2004). Early Concept Learning in Children. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2004, 3932-3934.