Essay Scoring Directions
Score your essay using this eight-point rubric or guide. Award yourself a point for each seg-
ment you answered correctly.
This essay has eight points:
Point 1:Define continuity or communicate its meaning.
Continuity is gradual or cumulative or quantitative change.
Point 2:Define discontinuity or communicate its meaning.
Discontinuity is distinct or qualitative change, or stages.
Point 3:Describe cognitive development.
Cognitive development is characterized by changes in thinking and the way people process
information as they grow from birth to death.
Point 4:Give an example of a theory of cognitive development that supports continuity.
Vygotsky’s theory supports continuity.
Point 5:Give an example of a theory of cognitive development that supports discontinuity.
Piaget’s theory supports discontinuity.
Point 6:Describe personality development.
Personality development is characterized by changes in unique behaviors, attitudes and
emotions as an individual grows from birth to death.
Point 7:Give an example of a theory of personality development that supports continuity.
Behavioral studies support continuity. Kagan’s studies support continuity for temperament,
activity level.
Point 8:Give an example of a theory of personality development that supports discontinuity.
Stage theories support discontinuity.Sample Full-credit Essay
The controversy of continuity versus discontinuity deals with the question of whether
development is gradual with change accumulating until we die, or a sequence of discrete
stages that differ in kind, structure, or organization.
Cognitive development refers to development of the ability to think and know.
Lev Vygotsky thought that cognitive change is continuous. His sociocultural theory highlights
the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which is the distance between what a child can
master on his/her own and what a child can master with the assistance of others. Working
close to the upper limit of a child’s capability, the instructor and child work closely together
to reach that goal and then, through continued practice, the child is able to attain the goal
more and more independently. When the goal is achieved without help, then that goal
becomes the new lower limit for a new ZPD. So, in Vygotsky’s theory, cognitive develop-
ment is gradual or continuous.
On the other hand, Jean Piaget in his theory of cognitive development thought that
cognitive development is marked by stages during which children have different abilities.
He named four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal oper-
ational. During the sensorimotor stage, babies are unable to use symbols, whereas once in
the preoperational stage, young children can.
Personality refers to the unique behaviors, attitudes, and emotions of an individual.
Theorists who support continuity think that change in an individual’s personality over time
is gradual, whereas theorists who support discontinuity think that change occurs in stages.32 ❯ STEP 2. Determine Your Test Readiness