Development | Edexcel GCSE Psychology (1PS0)
Development
- 85 questions
- 5 subtopics
- Paper 1
- Paper 1
Development is examined in Paper 1, every student.
It covers early brain development, Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Dweck's mindset theory and Willingham's learning theory, the three mountains task and Gunderson's praise study and the development of morality.
Sample questions from Development
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Early brain development
Which structures develop from the hindbrain?
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The hindbrain develops into the cerebellum, the pons and the medulla. The pons and medulla form much of the brainstem. -
Early brain development
Which part of the forebrain is the last to mature?
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The pre-frontal cortex is the last area to mature. The pre-frontal cortex keeps developing into a person's twenties. -
Piaget's theory of cognitive development
What is equilibrium in Piaget's theory?
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Equilibrium is a state of mental balance in which existing schemas can explain new experiences. -
Piaget's theory of cognitive development
Describe the concrete operational stage.
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The concrete operational stage lasts from about seven to eleven years. Children can reason logically about real, physical objects but struggle with abstract ideas. -
Dweck's mindset theory and Willingham's learning theory
A pupil says, 'I'm just not a maths person.' Which mindset does the pupil show, and why?
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The pupil shows a fixed mindset. The pupil believes maths ability is inborn and cannot be improved. -
Dweck's mindset theory and Willingham's learning theory
What does Willingham say about the effect of effort on intelligence?
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Willingham argues that intelligence is not fixed. Sustained hard work and practice can improve it. -
The three mountains task and Gunderson's praise study
Give one strength of the three mountains task.
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The task used a standardised procedure with the same model and questions for every child. Other researchers can repeat it to check reliability. -
The three mountains task and Gunderson's praise study
How were the children's motivational frameworks measured in Gunderson's study?
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The children completed a questionnaire when they were seven to eight years old. The questionnaire measured attitudes to challenge and beliefs about whether traits can change.
The 5 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Early brain development | How the brain grows from the neural tube into the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, what the medulla and cerebellum do from birth, and how nature and the environment shape development. | 16 |
| Piaget's theory of cognitive development | Schemas, assimilation, accommodation and equilibrium, the sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete and formal operational stages, egocentrism and conservation, and the theory's strengths and weaknesses. | 18 |
| Dweck's mindset theory and Willingham's learning theory | Fixed and growth mindsets, praise for effort, and Willingham's view that factual knowledge and practice come before skill, with strategies for cognitive, physical and social development. | 18 |
| The three mountains task and Gunderson's praise study | Piaget and Inhelder's three mountains task on egocentrism, and Gunderson's study of parents' process and person praise and children's later mindsets. | 18 |
| The development of morality | Morality and morals, Kohlberg's pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional levels, Piaget's research on moral judgement, and the link with cognitive development. | 15 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel GCSE Psychology Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 891 questions with their answers.