What Can a Newborn Infant (Less Than 3 Days Old)

question 158

Multiple Choice

What can a newborn infant (less than 3 days old) learn to do, if anything?

• A) press a button to turn the lights on or off
• B) clap its hands every time it hears a familiar sound
• C) suck on a nipple that turns on a recording of its mother's voice
• D) Infants younger than 3 days old show no evidence of learning.

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Definitions:

Decentering Stage

A cognitive development stage in which children start to understand perspectives and feelings of others, moving beyond self-centered thought.

Abstract Operational Stage

A stage of cognitive development in Jean Piaget's theory, typically occurring from around age 12 and up, when individuals gain the ability to think abstractly and logically.

Centration

A cognitive limitation in early childhood, where the focus is on one salient aspect of a situation, neglecting other possible factors.

Symbolic Functioning

The ability to use symbols, signs, or objects to represent something else, a milestone in cognitive development allowing for complex thought.