A psychologist observes Sami, aged four, during a community cooking activity. Sami is given a kitchen utensil that he has not encountered before.
| Event | Observation recorded by the psychologist |
|---|---|
| Sami examines the utensil, which is shaped like a bowl but has holes in it. | Sami says, "It is a bowl." |
| An older child tells Sami that it is called a colander and explains that water passes through its holes. | Sami watches the older child use it to drain washed vegetables. |
| Sami is given the utensil again. | Sami calls it a colander and uses it to drain water from vegetables. |
The psychologist makes these interpretations:
Explain why each of the psychologist's interpretations should be treated with caution. Refer to details from the observation in your answer.
104 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 2.2 Theories/Explanations, covering 2.2.1 Piaget's four invariant stages, 2.2.2 Assimilation and accommodation, 2.2.3 Object permanence, animism, egocentrism, 2.2.4 Decentration, reversibility, conservation; criticisms, 2.2.5 Cognitive Development research study: Piaget (1952), 2.2.6 Dweck's fixed and growth mindsets, 2.2.7 Willingham's learning styles and meaning; criticisms, and 2.2.8 Learning research study: Blackwell et al. (2007). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.