Deck 14: Overarching Themes: Integrating Social Development

Question 1

Social policy is best viewed as the responsibility of:
(a)the federal government
(b)state, county, and city governments
(c)the United Nations
(c)all citizens

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In terms of methodological advice, what would you suggest to the next generation of social development scholars?
(a)find a good method and stick to it
(b)you have to rely exclusively on quantitative methods
(c)the only method that is worthwhile is the sequential design
(d)embrace a variety of methodological approaches

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Social development is best viewed as a product of the following:
(a)cultural forces but not historical change
(b)individual characterictics but not social situations
(c)historically based changes but most processes are universal rather than cultural
(d)both secular change and culture

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is not a take-home principle in the field of social development?
(a)cultural variations always trump universal processes
(b)development always processes in a linear fashion
(c)social development is best left in the hands of psychologists
(d)all of the above

Question 5

Infants and children are best viewed as:
(a)transcendental
(b)existential
(c)bidirectional
(d)active

Question 6

Normative developmental pathways are:
(a)more important than individual pathways
(b)less important than individual pathways
(c)less important than historical pathways
(d)both individual and normative pathways are important

Question 7

Social development is best viewed as:
(a)a strictly childhood process
(b)a process that is affected by the adulthood development of parents
(c)a process that covers the full life span
(d)some of the above

Question 8

After reading your textbook and listening to the lectures, you conclude that social development is:
(a)a domain unto itself
(b)influenced by motor development mainly
(c)influenced by emotional development but not language development
(d)influenced by advances in several other domains

Question 9

Social development is best characterized as:
(a)a transactional process
(b)a bipolar process
(c)a bidirectional process
(d)a unidirectional but dynamic process

Question 10

In terms of theories it is wise to:
(a)embrace a single theory and avoid competing theories
(b)try to develop a unified theory such as systems theory
(c)remember that domain specific theories are the only viable way to proceed
(d)adopt the tried and true theories such as those of Freud,Watson, and Piaget

Question 11

The influence pattern between social policy and basic research is best described as:
(a)unidirectional
(b)multidirectional
(c)bidirectional
(d)nondirectional

Question 12

Biological preparedness reminds us that:
(a)culture is important
(b)historical change is critical
(c)genetic factors do not matter
(d)there are universals in social development

Question 13

According to the principles of social development you have learned, the following is evident:
(a)critical periods provide the most important constraints on social development
(b)the effects of early experience are impossible to overcome
(c)early experience is important but reversible
(d)the effects of early experience are overrated and seldom leave any long-lasting effect

Question 14

The current thinking about genes and the environment is that:
(a)the environment is necessary to trigger genetic programs
(b)genes are important early in development but wane with age
(c)both genes and environment are important throughout the life span
(d)some of the above

Question 15

Which is not an important principle of social development?
(a)equifinality
(b)transcendentiality
(c)mutifinality
(d)transactionality

Question 16

The most advantageous level of analysis for studying social development is:
(a)dyadic
(b)group
(c)individual
(d)all of the above

Question 17

For understanding social development, the best reporters are likely to be:
(a)mothers
(b)peers
(c)teachers
(d)a variety of different reporters

Question 18

Regarding social policy, it is best to try to develop:
(a)universally applicable approaches
(b)approaches that are unique to every community
(c)programs that recognize cultural variability but use sound principles that have worked in other contexts
(d)leave it to the states and minimize the role of the federal government

Question 19

Explaining social development requires that we recognize the following:
(a)genetics is the primary explanation
(b)Freud was right and mothers are the primary socializing agents
(c)Watson was right and the environment rules
(d)none of the above

Question 20

In designing a research project, the following issue is most important:
(a)a well vetted method
(b)a psychometrically sound instrument
(c)a well chosen sample
(d)an interesting question

Question 21

Social development is a shared intellectual enterprise and is not the sole domain of psychologists

Question 22

Some social agents, such as mothers, are more important to consider than other social agents, such as fathers, extended family members, and peers

Question 23

Cultural variations-both within and across cultures-aare critical considerations in studies of social development

Question 24

A well designed study is better than a less well designed study even though the question is not of significance

Question 25

Early experience is not reversible so it is critically important that the main focus of social development research is on the early years of childhood

Question 26

Gene-environment interactions suggest that genes are only expressed under certain environmental circumstances

Question 27

Most often reliance on a single method is the best research strategy because it saves time and money

Question 28

Historical changes mean it is important to repeat older studies to make sure that the findings are still valid

Question 29

An effective and good economic way to design a social policy is to make sure that one size fits all

Question 30

Since infants are best viewed as biologically prepared for social interaction, parents do not have a significant role in social development

Question 31

Social policy makers are best left to make policy without addressing the findings of research because research only confuses an already complex process