Piaget's Child Development
AP Psychology
Assignment Part 1
Find 2 Examples of age/developmentally appropriate toys for each of Piaget’s stages. Explain
what makes each toy a good selection of a child in that age range or developmental stage.
Stage
Sensorimotor Stage
Preoperational Stage
Concrete Operational Stage
Formal Operational Stage
Example #1 with Explanation
A plush toy with different
textures, shapes, and colors:
This toy would be appropriate
for an infant in the sensory-
motor stage because it
provides a variety of sensory
experiences for them to
explore and learn from.
A shape-sorter toy: This toy
would be appropriate for a
child in the preoperational
stage because it requires
them to use their symbolic
thinking skills to match the
shapes to the corresponding
openings in the toy.
A simple board game that
requires problem-solving: This
toy would be appropriate for a
child in the concrete
operational stage because it
requires them to use their
logical thinking skills and
consider different possibilities
in order to win.
A science experiment set: This
toy would be appropriate for a
child in the formal operational
stage because it allows them
to engage in scientific inquiry
and problem-solving.
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Example #2 with Explanation
A stackable toy with rings of
different sizes: This toy would
be appropriate for an infant in
the sensory-motor stage
because it allows them to
practice grasping and
manipulating objects with
their hands.
A toy kitchen set: This toy
would be appropriate for a
child in the preoperational
stage because it allows them
to act out different scenarios
and roles, which can help
them to develop their social
skills and understanding of
the world around them.
A LEGO set: This toy would be
appropriate for a child in the
concrete operational stage
because it can help the child
to develop their spatial skills
and their understanding of
the properties of different
materials.
A chess set: This toy would be
appropriate for a child in the
formal operational stage
because it requires them to
think abstractly and calculate
moves ahead. This can help
the child to develop their
strategic thinking skills and
their understanding of the
principles of cause and effect.
Assignment Part 2
Vygotsky’s Theory - Write 1 paragraph explaining his theory and comparing it to Paiget’s.
Vygotsky's development theory is a cognitive-developmental theory that emphasizes the role of
social interactions and cultural experiences in the development of higher mental functions.
According to Vygotsky, children learn and develop through interactions with their environment
and with more knowledgeable others, such as parents, teachers, and peers. These interactions
allow children to internalize new knowledge and skills, which then become part of their mental
structures and processes Both Vygotsky's and Piaget's theories recognize the importance of
social and cultural experiences in development, but they differ in their emphasis on the role of
individual experience and the mechanisms by which new knowledge and skills are internalized.

Outline an experiment you think could test a child's executive functioning. Be sure to use
psychology’s scientific method format discussed in the first unit and keep ethics in mind.
State the research question: How does the type of feedback provided to a child during a task
influence their executive functioning abilities?

Formulate a hypothesis: If a child receives positive feedback during a task, they will
demonstrate better executive functioning abilities compared to if they receive negative
feedback or no feedback.

Design the study:

Participants: A group of children between the ages of 6 and 8, who are randomly assigned to
one of three conditions: positive feedback, negative feedback, or no feedback.
Procedure: The children will complete a series of tasks designed to measure their executive
functioning abilities. In the positive feedback condition, the children will receive verbal praise
and encouragement for their performance. In the negative feedback condition, the children will
receive criticism and corrections for their performance. In the no feedback condition, the
children will not receive any feedback about their performance.
Measures: The children's performance on the tasks will be scored and recorded by trained
research assistants.
Controls: To control for extraneous variables, the tasks will be presented in a standardized
manner to all of the children, and the research assistants will be blind to the condition to which
each child has been assigned.
Collect and analyze the data: The data collected from the children's performance on the tasks
will be analyzed using statistical tests to determine whether there are significant differences
between the three conditions.

Draw conclusions: If the results of the statistical tests show that the children in the positive
feedback condition demonstrated better executive functioning abilities compared to the
children in the negative feedback or no feedback conditions, this would support the hypothesis
that positive feedback can improve executive functioning in children.

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