Deck 12: Development of Self and Social Understandings

Question 1

Marcus likes to drink beer, and he loves to drive fast. He knows that it is generally dangerous for other people to drink and drive, but he believes he is an especially skillful driver and can do so without risk of injury. Which one of the following concepts best helps us explain Marcus's behavior?

A) foreclosure
B) identity crisis
C) personal fable
D) imaginary audience

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Children's self-concepts become increasingly stable, and therefore increasingly difficult to change, as they grow older. Using what you have learned about the development of youngsters' sense of self, choose the most likely explanation for the increasing stability of the self-concept over time:

A) Maturational factors play a major role in the formation of the self-concept; these factors continue to unfold throughout childhood.
B) Research studies indicate that the self-concept has a strong genetic component.
C) Many teachers intuitively sense how children feel about themselves, and such intuitions invariably influence teachers' behaviors toward different children.
D) Children behave in ways consistent with their self-concepts, thereby reaffirming their views of themselves.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Mike desperately wants to do well on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), as his scores will affect his chances of getting into his first-choice college. He also knows that many students at his school think that SAT scores are good indicators of how "smart" a person is. Yet the night before the test, rather than get a good night's sleep, Mike goes out with his friends, has a few beers, comes home late, and wakes up with a hangover. With this information in mind, we might suspect that Michael:

A) Is engaging in self-socialization
B) Is engaging in self-handicapping
C) Has fallen victim to the imaginary-audience phenomenon
D) Has poorly developed social information processing skills

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The formation of children's sense of self is most strongly influenced by:

A) The self-concepts of their parents
B) Their inherited temperaments
C) How other people treat them
D) Their athletic ability

Question 5

Which one of the following appears earliest in the development of children's sense of self?

A) Personal fable
B) Imaginary audience
C) An autobiographical self
D) Recognition of oneself in the mirror

Question 6

Which one of these examples best reflects the role that children's and adolescents' sense of self typically plays in their behavior?

A) Linda knows she is a good reader, so she takes an extra reading class as an elective.
B) Kim doesn't want to take any more math classes because she knows she's already good at math.
C) Melissa thinks of herself as physically fit, so she doesn't think she needs to participate in sports or other physical activities.
D) Nettie doesn't think she is very popular, so she smiles at others and tries to talk to them so they will like her.

Question 7

As children grow older, they are more likely to:

A) Be satisfied with low levels of performance
B) Hold themselves to unrealistically high standards for performance
C) Evaluate their own performance in terms of how it compares with that of their peers
D) Evaluate their own performance in terms of how much improvement it shows over time

Question 8

Which one of the following illustrates developmental theorists' notion of the personal fable?

A) In an attempt to improve her image with classmates, Jasmine tells them that she's a really good figure skater, when in fact she's never skated at all.
B) As she lies in bed at night, Wanda imagines scenarios in which the most popular boy in school asks her to the prom.
C) When Lucas forgets to do his homework, he tells his teachers that he wasn't feeling very well the night before.
D) Ryan doesn't use a condom when he is sexually intimate with others because he says, "I won't get AIDS. I've always been a very healthy guy."

Question 9

Three of the following statements accurately describe how sense of self changes over the course of childhood and adolescence. Which statement is not accurate?

A) With age, children increasingly make distinctions among different aspects of themselves.
B) With age, children increasingly internalize other people's standards for evaluating their own behavior.
C) With age, children's sense of worth becomes stable.
D) With age, children's self-appraisals become less and less accurate.

Question 10

Which one of the following teenage girls appears to have contingent self-worth?

A) Marlene feels great some days and terrible other days, depending on how many classmates have recently smiled at her in the school corridors.
B) Roxanne knows she's smart because she has always done well in her schoolwork.
C) Shayla discovers that she is a better tennis play when she regularly practices her serve.
D) When Rennie plans a party, she wants to invite only the really "popular" kids.

Question 11

Which one of the following best describes the role of sense of self as a factor in children's development?

A) Children are always comparing their own performance to that of the adults around them.
B) Once children reach puberty, they become especially alert to, and try to avoid, the typical dangers of life.
C) In the high school years especially, most students greatly underestimate their ability levels.
D) Most youngsters want to believe that they are competent individuals.

Question 12

Given what we know about the development and effects of children's sense of self, three of the following are likely scenarios. Which scenario is not likely to occur?

A) Daniel knows he has many friends, but he wishes he were a better student.
B) Almost daily, Ross vacillates between thinking of himself as being very smart and as being extremely stupid.
C) Aaron thinks that kids his age don't like him, so he spends most of his spare time with his parents.
D) Rex knows he's good in math and science but thinks of himself as a complete klutz when it comes to sports.

Question 13

Darien knows that he wants to work with children when he grows up, but he wonders if he'd rather be a pediatrician or a teacher. This situation illustrates what important function that youngsters' sense of self serves?

A) It influences how they react to certain events.
B) It helps them think about possible future selves.
C) It helps them make sense of things that happen to them.
D) It motivates them to engage in behaviors to which other people will respond favorably.

Question 14

Given what we know about changes in children's and adolescents' self-esteem over the years, which teachers should be especially careful to help students acquire a positive sense of self?

A) Third- and fourth-grade teachers
B) Junior high school teachers
C) High school teachers who teach advanced courses
D) High school coaches and physical education teachers

Question 15

Which one of the following best illustrates self-concept rather than self-worth or self-esteem?

A) Anne says "I am a fast runner."
B) Brandi says "I am glad that I am good in math."
C) Connor says "It makes me sad that I am the worst reader in the class."
D) Darvin says "I'm bad at sports and I don't like always being picked last for a team."

Question 16

Elena woke up this morning with a large pimple on her nose. She refuses to go to school, telling her mother, "It looks awful, and everyone will laugh at me." Which one of the following concepts best helps us explain Elena's behavior?

A) identity crisis
B) personal fable
C) low self-efficacy
D) imaginary audience

Question 17

Which one of the following examples best illustrates how the imaginary audience can be a factor in an adolescent's developing sense of self?

A) Annette writes in her diary when she is having problems and feels she has no one to confide in.
B) Bernita thinks everyone is looking at her when she walks down the hall with her friends.
C) Candy feels detached, as if she has no life of her own but is only watching everyone else live their lives.
D) Dora feels self-conscious when she has to get up in front of her class and give a speech from memory.

Question 18

On average, children who attend schools for gifted students have lower self-esteem than children of equal intelligence who attend regular schools with students of widely varying abilities. If we consider research about factors affecting youngsters' sense of self, we can explain this finding in which one of the following ways?

A) Children who attend gifted programs typically have assertive parents, and such parents tend to undermine their children's self-esteem.
B) Having a label of any kind-even the label "gifted"-tends to lower self-esteem.
C) Identifying a child as gifted requires an intensive evaluation, and evaluations inevitably lower self-esteem.
D) Children form their self-concepts in part by comparing their own performance to the performance of those around them.

Question 19

Which one of the following statements reflects a child's autobiographical self?

A) "I'm three years old."
B) "I like playing baseball and basketball."
C) " I was really scared when I moved here last year."
D) "I have brown eyes, curly hair, and an olive complexion."

Question 20

Marion puts off doing a project for the science fair until she has so little time to do it that she cannot possibly complete a good project. Such behavior is most consistent with the concept of:

A) Androgyny
B) Personal fable
C) Self-handicapping
D) Recursive thinking

Question 21

Three-year-old Stacey watches her father put away the groceries he has just brought home. She is particularly interested in the package of Oreo cookies, which he puts in the breadbox just before leaving the room. A few minutes later, Stacey's mother opens the breadbox, exclaims, "Goodness, these Oreos belong in the cupboard!" and moves them to the correct spot. At lunchtime Stacey asks her father for an Oreo cookie. Given the typical development of theory of mind in 3-year-olds, which one of the following will she expect him to do?

A) Forget where he put the cookies
B) Look for the cookies in the breadbox
C) Look for the cookies in the cupboard
D) Ask her where she thinks he should look for the cookies

Question 22

When working with youngsters from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, it is important to keep in mind that:

A) Some youngsters may simultaneously be active participants in two or more cultural groups.
B) Youngsters' ethnic identities are almost always stronger than their need to "belong" to mainstream Western culture.
C) Youngsters' need to "belong" to mainstream Western culture is almost always stronger than their ethnic identities.
D) At the elementary school level, children typically have little conscious awareness that their backgrounds might be different from those of their classmates.

Question 23

Chelsea thinks of herself as outgoing and goofy when she's with her friends, but she knows she can be pretty quiet and moody when she's with her parents. She is confused by these very different sides of herself. Chelsea is most likely to be in:

A) first grade
B) third grade
C) sixth grade
D) ninth grade

Question 24

Sixteen-year-old Reynelda has known since she was a preschooler that she will become a teacher. Her grandmother was a teacher, and her mother and two aunts are teachers. She's never really even thought about any other occupation. Reynelda can best be described as showing:

A) foreclosure
B) moratorium
C) identity diffusion
D) identity achievement

Question 25

What is the tendency to conform to one's own ideas about appropriate behavior?

A) Gender schema
B) Gender-appropriate behavior
C) Self-evaluation
D) Self-socialization

Question 26

In what way might the imaginary audience phenomenon in adolescence be developmentally adaptive?

A) It helps youngsters behave in ways that others are likely to approve of.
B) It gives youngsters greater self-confidence than they might otherwise have.
C) It helps youngsters integrate their many self-perceptions into an overall sense of self.
D) It emboldens youngsters to attempt risky yet potentially growth-enhancing new activities.

Question 27

Which one of the following is most likely to be true for children who have a strong ethnic identity?

A) On average, they tend to suffer from low self-esteem.
B) On average, they tend to be academically and socially successful.
C) On average, they tend to see little value in getting an education and often drop out before twelfth grade.
D) They are apt to speak a language other than English even when others in the group are speaking English.

Question 28

Research on gender differences in children's and adolescents' sense of self tells us that:

A) In adolescence, girls rate their physical appearance more positively than boys do.
B) On average, girls have a better overall sense of self-worth than boys.
C) Boys rate themselves higher in mathematics and emotional well-being.
D) Boys are more likely than girls to see themselves as being good readers.

Question 29

Which one of the following is the best example of social cognition?

A) Matt refuses to do the tasks his teacher assigns because he doesn't want to look foolish when he fails at them.
B) Julie and Isabelle giggle as they try to imitate the obnoxious arrogance of the head cheerleader.
C) Rhonda needs to be around other people all the time; she gets bored when she has to entertain herself.
D) Luke tries to predict how Sheila might respond if he backs out of the science project the two of them have agreed to do together.

Question 30

Which one of the following best illustrates a sense of identity?

A) Carlos takes pride in his Mexican American heritage.
B) Shea knows she could be a better dancer if she practiced more often.
C) Drew wonders whether she should be a doctor or a lawyer.
D) Noah feels confident that he will make new friends when he moves to a new school district next year.

Question 31

Kevin tells himself, "Even though Grandpa just died, I mustn't cry at school today, or the other kids will laugh at me." This situation illustrates which one of the following phenomena?

A) androgyny
B) personal fable
C) self-socialization
D) recursive thinking

Question 32

Adults can most effectively enhance children's sense of self when they:

A) Talk about the advantages of having high self-esteem
B) Encourage children to think more positively about themselves
C) Hold high yet achievable expectations for children's performance
D) Hold expectations for performance that they know children can achieve with little or no effort

Question 33

Lamont worries that he has unintentionally hurt another student's feelings. From this information alone, we can reasonably conclude that Lamont:

A) Must be at least ten years old
B) Is able to think androgynously
C) Is capable of recursive thinking
D) Has developed a theory of mind

Question 34

Which one of the following acquisitions related to theory of mind first appears in the elementary school years?

A) Sensitivity to the subtle nuances of people's body language
B) An awareness that people's actions do not always reflect their true thoughts
C) An awareness that people can have false beliefs
D) A basic awareness of intentionality

Question 35

As a 17-year-old high school senior, Julian has no sense of direction. Over the past year he has dabbled in auto mechanics, photography, and Buddhism, but nothing has held his interest for more than a month or two. Julian can best be described as showing:

A) foreclosure
B) moratorium
C) identity diffusion
D) identity achievement

Question 36

Which one of the following reflects intentionality as an aspect of an infant's theory of mind?

A) When Angie's father starts running water in the bathtub, she knows that he's getting ready to give her a bath.
B) Benjamin is puzzled by all the colorful decorations that the family puts around the house in December.
C) Cristina loves to look at all the photographs in her mother's fashion magazines, but she is quite surprised when Mom scolds her for ripping some of the pages.
D) Desmond sees a giant teddy bear across the room and immediately crawls over to get it.

Question 37

Three of the following teachers are using strategies that should promote their students' sense of self. Which one probably will not?

A) Ms. Abrams gives her students easy assignments and praises them for their high performance.
B) Mr. Barnes tells his students he fully expects that all of them will be able to succeed in his class if they work hard and seek his help when they need it.
C) When Matthew is hospitalized with a broken leg, Ms. Crumb comes by to see how he is doing and to bring him some assignments to do during his absence from class.
D) Mr. Danetta tells Susan, "The short story you wrote yesterday was a really good start. The main character seems a little flat, though. Let's sit down and brainstorm some ideas as to how you might give her more life."

Question 38

Sharon is a 12-year-old who does not believe that she can be academically successful. Considering the textbook's discussion of factors that promote positive self-perceptions, you should:

A) Tell her at least once a day that she is smarter than she thinks she is.
B) Tell her that social skills are more important than academics anyway.
C) Put her in situations in which she will experience academic success.
D) Foster a friendship between Sharon and a student who is academically gifted.

Question 39

Marietta is a high school student. Considering what developmental theorists have learned about the effects of gender schemas, and without knowing anything else about Marietta, in which subject area would you expect her to be most interested?

A) Nursing
B) Engineering
C) Body building
D) Auto mechanics

Question 40

The four teachers below are hoping to improve their students' sense of self. Which one will probably be least effective in doing so?

A) Mr. Anderson helps his students be successful at math word problems.
B) Ms. Berry often tells her students how wonderful they are.
C) Mr. Carrera helps his students improve their creative writing skills.
D) Ms. D'Amato helps her students throw a softball farther.

Question 41

Pretend you are in third grade. Write a self-description of 50-75 words as a typical 8-year-old might write it.

Question 42

Ten-year-old Mark is overheard telling tasteless jokes about the homeless people he sees on city sidewalks. When his teacher confronts him about his intolerant remarks, he responds, "All those people are just lazy. They need to get a job!" Mark's response is a good example of:

A) a stereotype
B) an ethnic identity
C) self-socialization
D) relational aggression

Question 43

Pretend you are in tenth grade. Write a self-description of 75-100 words as a typical 16-year-old might write it.

Question 44

Why is a child's "theory of mind" important for social interaction? In your answer, clearly define "theory of mind" in your own words and identify specific social-cognitive behaviors from at least two different developmental periods that influence interactions with others.
Developmental Trends Table
The table below presents examples of children's and adolescents' understandings of themselves or others, describes the relevant developmental concepts, and offers implications for adults working with each age group. Apply what you've learned about the development of sense of self and social cognition to fill in the empty cells in the table.
Determining How Children Think About Themselves and Others

Question 45

Some adolescents regularly face discrimination within society. For instance, members of ethnic or racial minority groups, gay and lesbian teens, and youngsters with disabilities are often the targets of prejudice and discrimination. What unique issues and challenges do these adolescents face as they strive to form an adult identity?

Question 46

What can adults do to foster children's theory of mind?

A) Encourage children to think about other people's thoughts and feelings
B) Be aware that children encounter a lot of aggression and violence in their homes and communities
C) Make social studies an important part of the curriculum beginning in first grade
D) Make sure that children are raised in a cooperative or competitive social environment

Question 47

As a classroom teacher, you want to actively work on breaking down stereotypes and prejudices. Which one of the following techniques is least likely to be effective?

A) Play cooperative group games.
B) Establish pen pal relationships.
C) Encourage children to see people as individuals.
D) Play competitive group games.

Question 48

In talking with a group of 8-year-olds, you discover that they have rigid yet erroneous beliefs about a particular racial group. Which one of the following should you conclude?

A) Their stereotypes will probably become even more rigid as they progress through the elementary grades and then will gradually dissipate in adolescence.
B) Although undesirable, such stereotypes are common for the age-group and reflect a natural tendency to categorize experiences.
C) These children appear to be prone to hostile attributional biases.
D) These stereotypes reflect a poorly developed theory of mind.

Question 49

When Ramona passes William in the hall, she gives him a friendly smile. But he is deeply engaged in a conversation with a friend and so doesn't notice her walk by. Ramona concludes, "Will is a real snob. He never says hello to anyone!" Ramona's conclusion is an example of:

A) prejudice
B) intentionality
C) relational aggression
D) a social-cognitive bias

Question 50

Think about an older adolescent or young adult you know well-perhaps a sibling or close friend. Decide which of the following labels-identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, or identity achievement-best describes the individual's progress in forming an adult identity. Justify your response using several examples of the person's behavior.

Question 51

Students' self-perceptions related to school subject matter affect their learning and performance in the classroom. Imagine that you are a teacher with several students who have very little self-confidence regarding their ability to perform in your class. Simply giving them encouragement-for example, "You can do it if you try!"-may not be especially effective. Keeping in mind the factors that affect students' sense of self, describe three different strategies you might use to enhance your students' confidence that they can succeed in school. Describe each of these strategies in terms of specific things that you might do in the classroom.

Question 52

You want to foster the development of effective social cognition in a group of children. Which one of the following techniques is least likely to be effective?

A) Create opportunities for the children to discover that people from a particular racial group are all individuals with unique characteristics.
B) Talk to the children about what they are feeling and why; acknowledge that people can have mixed feelings.
C) Encourage the children to speculate about what characters in storybooks might be thinking and feeling.
D) If the children are age 6 or younger, praise them when they describe certain ethnic groups in stereotypical ways, because stereotypes form a foundation for more flexible views later on.

Question 53

Youngsters begin to think more systematically about what other people might be thinking about them during:

A) Early childhood
B) Middle childhood
C) Early adolescence
D) Late adolescence

Question 54

If teachers want to promote social perspective taking in students, probably the best strategy is to:

A) Tell students, "Keep an open mind about things."
B) Have students tutor children at a younger grade level.
C) Have students listen to one another's points of view about an issue.
D) Punish students when they act in an extremely self-centered fashion.

Question 55

Luanne's parents are in the process of getting a divorce. She is so distracted and upset by the situation that she sometimes has trouble paying attention in class, and her performance on assignments and quizzes has slipped a bit. She worries that her teachers might think she simply doesn't care about her schoolwork, when nothing could be further from the truth. Luanne is showing:

A) empathy
B) recursive thinking
C) prosocial reasoning
D) a social-cognitive bias