Skip to Main Content| Colorblind Mode:OnOff

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Intelligence

Video Exercises

fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d

Baby Talk and Brain Waves

Researchers studying the brains of toddlers say the strength of their brain waves can indicate language ability. The research might lead to early identification of language impairment.

Interviewee: April Benasich, Center for Neurosciences at Rutgers and Gary Marcus, NYU Child Language Center

Copyright © ScienCentral, Inc.

During the second and third years of life (12 to 24 months), the typical child’s language abilities develop dramatically. Children learn how to produce and understand words and sentences, and they become active participants in complex conversations. But all children don’t become equally proficient in language and some children are language impaired.

1.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
The child shown in this video is 18-month-old Valentina. Her brain waves are being measured by Dr. April Benasich. If Valentina is an average 18-month-old child, what language abilities should she be starting to show right now when she speaks?
2.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
When she is a bit older, if Valentina produces speech errors, like saying “flied” for “flew” or “runned” for “ran,” would this be an indication of language impairment?
3.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
The textbook explains that young children are capable of distinguishing all the sounds of all the languages of the world, something their parents are not able to do. If you tested 18-month-old Valentina, should she be able to distinguish all the various sounds of different languages, even ones they were not exposed to?
4.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
According to the video, the researchers are particularly interested in gamma waves, which are “thought to allow different areas of the brain to talk to each other more easily.” Assuming that different brain areas are associated with different abilities, what sensory and/or cognitive abilities might we expect would be important to link together for normal language development?
5.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
The researchers are measuring brain waves. With children, they use “soft sensors” that can be put on the child’s head without much difficulty. What kind of brain measuring device do you think they are using?
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d

Moms Who Listen

Psychologists now say that explaining things to your mom actually helps you learn better. This ScienCentral News video has more.

Interviewee: Bethany Rittle-Johnson, Vanderbilt University

Copyright © ScienCentral, Inc.

Children have a lot to learn about their world and culture, and part of good parenting is finding ways to help children succeed.

6.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
The children in this study, described as “preschoolers,” were 4 and 5 years old. Which of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development would this put them in? And what are the thinking abilities of children at this stage?
7.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
The children in this study looked at plastic bugs (spiders, dragonflies, and caterpillars) that were each in one of three colors (red, blue, and yellow). On each trial, six of the bugs were placed on a table in front of the child in a particular pattern. For instance, they might see a red spider, then two blue dragonflies, then another red spider followed by two more blue dragonflies. A space was then left blank for the child to guess what the next bug in order would be. What would you guess the next bug should be?
8.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
Dr. Rittle-Johnson and her colleagues conducted an experiment with the children. There was one independent variable in the study. Identify that variable.
9.
fiogf49gjkf0d
fiogf49gjkf0d
Results of this study showed that children who explained what they were thinking to their mothers did better on later tests with new patterns of bugs than children who explained their reasoning to a tape recorder or didn’t explain at all. Who was this psychologist and how does his theory relate to the results of Dr. Rittle-Johnson’s study?

Submit to Gradebook:

First Name:
 
Last Name:
 
Your Email Address:
 
Your Professor's Email Address:
 

Print This Page
Bookmark and Share

The Norton Gradebook

Instructors and students now have an easy way to track online quiz scores with the Norton Gradebook.

Go to the Norton Gradebook

Norton Ebooks

The ebook version Psychology, 8e offers the full content of the print version at half the price.

Norton Ebooks