Exam 1: Understanding Human Development: Approaches and Theories

Each time Isabella sits down to feed her baby a bottle, she gently strokes the baby's head. One day, Isabella began stroking her daughter's head and noticed that the baby started sucking, even though it was not feeding time. The baby's association between having her head stroked and the presentation of food is an example of ______.

Sonja is strongly influenced by others, especially her parents and close friends, but she does not have much influence on other individuals. Sonja is ______ in her development.

Which theory hypothesizes that the mind works in ways similar to a computer?

What is the term for the process of posing and answering questions by making careful and systematic observations and gathering information?

Today's developmental scientists tend to emphasize nurture as an influence on prefer to people grow and change throughout life.

According to evolutionary developmental theory, genetic programs and biological predispositions influence development by interacting with which environments?

When conducting research, investigators are guided by the determination of what is right and wrong, which is called ______.

D.J. is working on a research team that is gathering information on how freshmen students view their first year of college. D.J.'s team wants to use a flexible conversational style that allows for follow-up questions to gather as much information as possible. Which technique is best suited for this type of study?

Give an example of how you actively participate in your lifespan development.

Kara is doing research about development in Ethiopia of children from birth to age 2. When comparing her results to research findings of children in the U.S., Kara concludes that the Ethiopian children are deficient in motor skill and cognitive development. How might Kara's conclusions be flawed?

Maturation of thought processes and the tools used to obtain knowledge, become aware of the world, and solve problems are involved in what type of development?

Dr. Rivera is studying the effects of music on studying. One group listened to music while memorizing a list of words. A second group memorized the list of words in a quiet room. What is the independent variable in the study?

Sierra believes that developmental change is primarily influenced by one's environment. How might Sierra explain an individual's propensity for artistic expression?

Which theorist is credited as the father of the psychoanalytic perspective?

Travis has worked for the same company for almost 10 years. He dislikes his boss, often works overtime without pay, and sees little opportunity for advancement. He frequently argues with his wife and has little patience for his 2-year-old son. Travis is easily irritated when his son whines or makes a mess, which creates even more stress in the household. According to Bronfenbrenner's theory, the influence of Travis's work stress on his son's development falls within the ______.

The study of human development is ______, meaning that it integrates research findings from the fields of medicine, anthropology, and sociology.

A Katie practices her math problems and her quiz scores get a little better each week. This is an example of which type of developmental change?

One ethical guideline that a researcher must adhere to is respect for his participants' autonomy, or ability to make and implement their own decisions.

The malleability or changeability of development is called ______.

Jordan is trying to figure out where he fits in the social order at school, and feels frustrated at being an outsider. Which developmental theory does this describe?