Human Development Across the Lifespan (7A) Practice Test

In a longitudinal study of 18-month-old toddlers, researchers observe that when a caregiver hides a toy under a cloth and then moves it to a second location in full view of the child, many toddlers still search under the first cloth. When the same children are retested at 24 months, most search in the correct location and also begin using short phrases to describe where the toy is. Based on the vignette, which explanation is most consistent with developmental changes in early cognition and symbolic thought?

In a longitudinal study of pretend play, researchers observed 54 children (ages 3–5) during a structured “clinic” role-play. When a researcher placed a toy banana next to a toy phone and said, “Call your mom,” many 3-year-olds attempted to dial the banana and then laughed, while most 5-year-olds used the toy phone and later explained that the banana was “just food.” The researchers interpret the shift as a change in how children mentally represent symbols and rules. Which explanation is most consistent with this developmental change as described by stage-like increases in representational thought and reduced reliance on immediate perceptual cues?