Deck 5: Physical Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Question 1

Which of the following statements is true about stimulation of neurons?

A) Neurons that are stimulated return to an uncommitted state so they can support future development.
B) Appropriate stimulation of the brain is vital during periods in which synaptic pruning is at its peak.
C) An early overabundance of synapses ensures that infants will acquire motor, cognitive, and social skills.
D) Overstimulation of synapses leads to synaptic pruning during childhood and adolescence.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In all, about ____ percent of synapses are pruned during childhood and adolescence.

A) 20
B) 40
C) 60
D) 80

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true about skeletal age?

A) Caucasian-American children tend to be slightly ahead of African-American children in skeletal age.
B) At birth, the sexes differ by about 2 to 3 weeks in skeletal age.
C) Girls are considerably ahead of boys in skeletal age.
D) The gap between the sexes in skeletal age closes during toddlerhood.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following statements is consistent with the proximodistal trend of body growth?

A) In the prenatal period, the head, chest, and trunk grow first, then the arms and legs.
B) At birth, the head takes up one-fourth of total body length, the legs only one-third.
C) In the prenatal period, the trunk grows first, followed by the chest and the head.
D) During infancy and childhood, the hands and feet develop more rapidly than the trunk.

Question 5

_________ can be estimated by X-raying the bones and seeing the number of epiphyses and the extent to which they are fused.

A) Chronological age
B) Skeletal age
C) Adult height
D) Bone pliability

Question 6

Throughout childhood, girls

A) are slightly taller than boys.
B) are slightly heavier than boys.
C) have a higher ratio of fat to muscle than boys.
D) have more "baby fat" than boys.

Question 7

Neurons

A) store and transmit information.
B) are tightly packed together.
C) do not directly connect with each other.
D) that are stimulated too soon lose their synapses.

Question 8

A surprising aspect of brain growth is that

A) the neural tube produces far less neurons than the brain will need.
B) as synapses form, 20 to 80 percent of the surrounding neurons die.
C) during infancy and toddlerhood, neural fibers stagnate.
D) neurons send messages to one another through neuroimaging.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true about changes in body size during the first two years of life?

A) Infants and toddlers make steady gains in growth.
B) By the end of the second year, a typical toddler is 36 inches tall.
C) By five months of age, birth weight typically has tripled.
D) An average 1-year-old's height is 75 percent greater than at birth.

Question 10

The best estimate of a child's physical maturity is

A) height.
B) weight.
C) skeletal age.
D) chronological age.

Question 11

By the end of the first year, a typical child's weight has ________ since birth.

A) doubled
B) tripled
C) quadrupled
D) quintupled

Question 12

Which of the following statements demonstrates the cephalocaudal trend?

A) During infancy and childhood, the legs and arms grow faster than the trunk.
B) At birth, the head takes up one-fourth of total body length, the legs only one-third.
C) In the prenatal period, the head, chest, and trunk grow first, then the arms and legs.
D) During infancy and childhood, the hands and feet grow ahead of the fingers and toes.

Question 13

________ are responsible for coating neural fibers with an insulating fatty sheath.

A) Glial cells
B) Neurotransmitters
C) Brain waves
D) Synapses

Question 14

Skull growth is especially rapid

A) between birth and age 2 years.
B) during the preschool years.
C) between age 3 and 5 years.
D) during adolescence.

Question 15

_______ improves the efficiency of message transfer.

A) Stimulation
B) Synaptic pruning
C) Tomography
D) Myelination

Question 16

Fontanels

A) cannot be felt after four or five months.
B) prevent the brain from growing too large.
C) permit the bones to overlap during childbirth.
D) gradually close by adolescence.

Question 17

Considering the average growth norms, which child will probably be the smallest?

A) Timmy, a Caucasian-American boy
B) June, an African-American girl
C) Freddy, an African-American boy
D) Kim, an Asian boy

Question 18

The bones of the skull

A) begin to grow around age 2.
B) never completely grow together.
C) are fused at birth.
D) are separated by six fontanels at birth.

Question 19

"Baby fat"

A) helps the infant maintain a constant body temperature.
B) peaks at about 6 months.
C) increases very slowly during infancy.
D) helps the infant gain strength and physical coordination.

Question 20

At birth, the ________ is nearer to its adult size than any other physical structure.

A) heart
B) liver
C) brain
D) skull

Question 21

Which of the following is a limitation of neurophysiological methods?

A) They cannot uncover relationships between the brain and psychological development and, therefore, have limited practical value.
B) Researchers have yet to devise a method for detecting changes in electrical brain-wave activity in the cerebral cortex.
C) Even though a stimulus produces a consistent pattern of brain activity, investigators cannot be certain that an individual has processed it in a certain way.
D) They are largely ineffective for studying preverbal infants' responsiveness to various stimuli.

Question 22

In a large study of children with injuries to the cerebral cortex that occurred before birth or in the first six months of life,

A) delays in language development persisted into adolescence if injury occurred in the left hemisphere.
B) delays in language development persisted into adolescence if injury occurred in the right hemisphere.
C) undamaged areas in either the left or the right hemisphere took over vocabulary and grammatical skills by age 5.
D) language skills were more likely to be permanently damaged than spatial skills.

Question 23

A study of children who had spent their first eight months or more in Romanian institutions before being adopted into Canadian homes found that

A) the longer the children spent in orphanage care, the higher their cortisol levels-even 6½ years after adoption.
B) the children had abnormally high levels of oxytocin in their blood, regardless of when they were adopted.
C) children who experienced adequate early nutrition were not negatively affected by early orphanage rearing.
D) depression only appeared in those children who spent more than 2 years in an orphanage.

Question 24

Gains in ________ and ________ are responsible for the extraordinary gain in overall size of the brain during the first 2 years.

A) neurons; synapses
B) neural fibers; myelination
C) glial cells; synapses
D) muscle; fat

Question 25

When a 1-month-old kitten is put in the dark and kept there during the fourth week of life and beyond, damage to visual centers of the brain is permanent. This example provides evidence of

A) brain plasticity.
B) synaptic pruning.
C) lateralization of the cerebral cortex.
D) sensitive periods in brain development.

Question 26

Research reveals that

A) plasticity declines during synaptic pruning.
B) plasticity is greatest while the brain is forming new neurons.
C) brain plasticity is restricted to early childhood.
D) the adult brain cannot produce new neurons.

Question 27

Near-infrared spectroscopy

A) enables identification of general regions of stimulus-induced activity.
B) detects changes in electrical brain-wave activity in the cerebral cortex.
C) is appropriate for infants and young children, who can move within a limited range during testing.
D) records the frequency and amplitude of brain waves in response to particular stimuli using the EEG.

Question 28

Most newborns show greater activation in the left hemisphere while

A) displaying a positive state of arousal.
B) listening to nonspeech sounds.
C) drinking a sour-tasting fluid.
D) feeling distress.

Question 29

For most people, the left hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is responsible for

A) judging distances.
B) negative emotion.
C) verbal abilities.
D) recognizing geometric shapes.

Question 30

Studies using fMRI reveal that the right hemisphere is specialized for processing information in a(n) _______ manner.

A) sequential
B) analytical
C) piece-by-piece
D) integrative

Question 31

The cerebral cortex

A) contains the greatest number of neurons and synapses in the brain.
B) is the first part of the brain to stop growing.
C) is less sensitive to environmental influences than other parts of the brain.
D) fully develops during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Question 32

In a highly plastic cerebral cortex,

A) the areas of the brain are strongly committed to specific functions, and there is a high capacity for learning.
B) if a part of the cortex is damaged, other parts can take over the tasks it would have handled.
C) spatial skills develop more rapidly than language skills and are easier to recover after injury.
D) the right and left hemispheres of the brain have become strongly lateralized.

Question 33

When measuring brain functioning with _____________, researchers use a geodesic sensor net to hold interconnected electrodes in place.

A) the EEG
B) fMRI
C) PET
D) NIRS

Question 34

Experience-expectant brain growth

A) is a result of specific learning experiences that vary widely across cultures.
B) usually occurs later than experience-dependent brain growth.
C) occurs naturally as caregivers engage babies in enjoyable daily routines.
D) provides mastery of skills that depend on extensive training.

Question 35

Alexia was born with cataracts in both eyes. What can you tell her parents about when she should have corrective surgery?

A) Alexia should wait to have corrective surgery until adulthood when her eyes are fully mature.
B) Alexia should not have corrective surgery during the first six months of life because her vision would be severely and permanently impaired.
C) The longer cataract surgery is postponed beyond infancy, the less complete Alexia's recovery in visual skills.
D) Alexia should wait until later in childhood to have corrective surgery because there are no sensitive periods in visual development.

Question 36

The cortical regions with the most extended period of development are the ________ lobes.

A) occipital
B) frontal
C) temporal
D) parietal

Question 37

Damon is injected with a radioactive substance and then lies on an apparatus with a scanner that emits fine streams of X-rays, which detect increased blood flow and oxygen metabolism in areas of the brain as Damon processes particular stimuli. Damon's brain functioning is being measured using

A) an electroencephalogram.
B) event-related potentials.
C) functional magnetic resonance imaging.
D) position emission tomography.

Question 38

The ________ cortex is responsible for consciousness, inhibition of impulses, and use of memory.

A) occipital
B) temporal
C) parietal
D) prefrontal

Question 39

Nicole is considering sending her 8-month-old son Austin to a new academic learning center where infants are trained with letter and number flash cards. You can advise Nicole that

A) Austin will likely score 10 to 15 points higher in IQ than agemates who attend traditional early child-care programs.
B) although this program will not likely raise Austin's IQ, it will probably help him learn to read more quickly.
C) this program is probably as effective as a traditional early childhood development program in promoting cognitive development.
D) this program could overwhelm Austin and cause him to withdraw, thereby threatening his interest in learning.

Question 40

Sensitive adult care

A) may overwhelm institutionalized infants beyond their capacities and interfere with the brain's potential.
B) seems to protect the young brain from the potentially damaging effects of inadequate stress-hormone exposure.
C) has little impact on brain development in traumatized infants and young children.
D) may help institutionalized infants grow physically, but will not aid in cognitive development.

Question 41

Breastfed babies in poverty-stricken regions of the world

A) are more likely than bottle-fed babies to be malnourished.
B) should be given a vitamin-enriched supplement of commercial formula at least weekly.
C) are far more likely than bottle-fed babies to survive the first year of life.
D) should be breastfed until age 2 years, with solid food added at 3 months of age.

Question 42

In the United States,

A) nearly 75 percent of mothers breastfeed, but half of them stop after a few months.
B) most mothers follow the advice of the World Health Organization regarding when to stop breastfeeding.
C) breastfeeding has become more common, especially among low-income minority women.
D) only 25 percent of preterm babies are breastfed at hospital discharge.

Question 43

Pound for pound, a young infant's energy needs are at least __ times those of an adult.

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5

Question 44

One possible explanation for the high frequency of bedtime struggles in American homes is that American children

A) are much more dependent than children from other cultures.
B) are expected to sleep for more hours than children from other cultures .
C) often eat late in the evening, which interferes with sleep.
D) may feel stressed when they must fall asleep without assistance.

Question 45

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advises

A) exclusive breastfeeding for the first 2 years.
B) exclusive breastfeeding for the first 12 months.
C) inclusion of breast milk in the baby's diet until at least 1 year.
D) weaning from breast milk by age 6 months.

Question 46

As long as negative environmental influences such as poor nutrition or illness are not severe,

A) children and adolescents typically show catch-up growth once conditions improve.
B) adopted children typically reach a height closer to their adoptive than biological parents' heights.
C) body weight is influenced by eating habits rather than heredity.
D) height and rate of physical growth are largely determined by the environment.

Question 47

Bulous is 20 months old and was recently weaned. He has an unbalanced diet very low in protein. Bulous has an enlarged belly, swollen feet, a skin rash, and thinning hair. Bulous most likely has

A) iron-deficiency anemia.
B) kwashiorkor.
C) nonorganic failure to thrive.
D) marasmus.

Question 48

The average 2-year-old needs _____ to _____ hours of sleep.

A) 16; 18
B) 14; 15
C) 12; 13
D) 10; 11

Question 49

Which of the following is an activity associated with experience-expectant brain growth?

A) coloring a picture
B) playing peekaboo
C) learning to ride a bike
D) playing the piano

Question 50

Experience-dependent brain growth

A) takes place through naturally occurring interactions with caregivers.
B) provides a foundation for later-occurring, experience-expectant development.
C) depends on ordinary experiences, such as moving about and exploring the environment.
D) relies on specific learning experiences that differ widely across individuals.

Question 51

Cross-cultural research shows that cosleeping

A) is the norm for approximately 90 percent of the world's population.
B) is uncommon in U.S. ethnic minority families.
C) babies breastfeed for shorter time periods than independent sleepers.
D) children are at risk for later social problems, especially dependency.

Question 52

Between ages _____ and _____, napping subsides.

A) 1; 3
B) 2; 4
C) 3; 5
D) 4; 6

Question 53

In cultures where parent-child cosleeping is widespread,

A) the rate infant mortality from SIDS is high.
B) parents and infants usually sleep on soft mattresses.
C) infants often sleep in a cradle or hammock next to the parents' bed.
D) infants tend to lie on their stomach or side facing the mother.

Question 54

Garrett, 2 months, is an enthusiastic eater who nurses vigorously and gains weight quickly. Garrett's mom, Christine, is concerned that Garrett might be at risk of being permanently overweight. You can advise Christine that

A) most chubby babies will continue to gain weight during toddlerhood and the preschool years.
B) there is no evidence that rapid weight gain in infancy is related to later obesity.
C) she should start supplementing Garrett's diet with cereal.
D) breastfeeding for the first six months is associated with a leaner body build through early childhood.

Question 55

Zahara, age 3 months, is painfully thin. Her mother is too malnourished to produce enough breast milk and the supply of formula is inadequate for bottle-feeding. Zahara is probably in danger of dying from

A) marasmus.
B) growth faltering.
C) kwashiorkor.
D) nonorganic failure to thrive.

Question 56

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until age ___, with solid foods added at ____.

A) 3 months; 4 months
B) 6 months; 6 months
C) 1 year; 4 months
D) 2 years; 6 months

Question 57

Which of the following is an activity associated with experience-dependent brain growth?

A) writing a poem
B) singing a song
C) imitating facial expressions
D) playing peekaboo

Question 58

Which of the following statements is true about breastfeeding?

A) Human milk is lower in fat and higher in protein than the milk of other mammals.
B) A mother who breastfeeds needs to add solid foods to her infant's diet around 4 months.
C) Breastfed babies suffer from more gastrointestinal problems than bottle-fed infants.
D) Breastfed infants generally accept new solid foods more easily than bottle-fed infants.

Question 59

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a controversial warning that parent-infant bedsharing may increase the risk of

A) excessive dependency.
B) SIDS.
C) suffocation.
D) adjustment problems.

Question 60

Which of the following statements is true regarding breastfeeding?

A) Breastfeeding should be combined with formula for a balanced diet.
B) Breastfeeding helps increase spacing among siblings.
C) Breastfeeding has become less common in industrialized nations.
D) Breastfeeding is a reliable method of birth control.

Question 61

As Baby Harriet smiles and laughs, her mother responds by smiling, laughing, and talking gently to her. This makes Harriet smile and laugh more often. The mother's behavior is an example of

A) habituation.
B) a reinforcer.
C) recovery.
D) extinction.

Question 62

In operant conditioning, a(n) ___________ increases the occurrence of a response.

A) neutral stimulus
B) conditioned stimulus
C) reinforcer
D) unconditioned stimulus

Question 63

Young infants can be classically conditioned most easily when

A) a conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
B) the conditioned response is fear.
C) the association between two stimuli has survival value.
D) a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned response.

Question 64

An estimated 22 percent of U.S. children suffer from

A) marasmus.
B) food insecurity.
C) kwashiorkor.
D) iron deficiency anemia.

Question 65

Baby Paul's mother strokes his hair just before he eats. Now when Paul's mother strokes his hair, Paul begins to suck. Paul's response to the stroking illustrates

A) habituation.
B) recovery.
C) operant conditioning.
D) classical conditioning.

Question 66

In classical conditioning, if a conditioned stimulus is presented alone enough times, without being paired with the unconditioned stimulus, _________ occurs.

A) habituation
B) extinction
C) imitation
D) recovery

Question 67

Prim has classically conditioned young Rue to suck when Prim touches Rue's stomach during feeding. If Prim repeatedly touches Rue's stomach without feeding her, Rue will

A) gradually stop sucking in response to having her stomach touched.
B) learn to suck without having her stomach touched.
C) stop eating until Prim touches her stomach and feeds her again.
D) increase her level of sucking in response to having her stomach touched.

Question 68

_________ preference assesses infants' _______.

A) Familiarity; recent memory
B) Novelty; remote memory
C) Novelty; recent memory
D) Familiarity; reflexes

Question 69

In classical conditioning, if learning occurs, the neutral stimulus alone produces a(n)

A) unconditioned response.
B) neutral response.
C) unconditioned stimulus.
D) conditioned response.

Question 70

At first, Baby Marcia wakes up from her nap when she hears the noise of the dishwasher. After several weeks, Marcia sleeps through the noise of the dishwasher. This is an example of

A) imitation.
B) recovery.
C) reinforcement.
D) habituation.

Question 71

Six-month-old Luka's weight, height, and head circumference are substantially below age-related growth norms. Luka is withdrawn and apathetic. A disturbed parent-infant relationship contributed to Luka's failure to grow normally. Luka most likely suffers from

A) growth faltering.
B) malnutrition.
C) marasmus.
D) food insecurity.

Question 72

________ is a very difficult response to classically condition in young infants because they _______________.

A) Hunger; are almost always hungry
B) Fear; do not have the motor skills to escape unpleasant events
C) Happiness; express happiness only in familiar contexts
D) Anger; do not yet have the capacity to express anger

Question 73

Baby Calinda sucks on a bottle. The taste of the sweet liquid increases Calinda's sucking. This is an example of

A) operant conditioning.
B) habituation.
C) classical conditioning.
D) extinction.

Question 74

Once habituation occurs, ________ causes responsiveness to return to a high level.

A) imitation
B) recovery
C) extinction
D) punishment

Question 75

Osita is a 4-year-old Ethiopian boy. He survived kwashiorkor and was recently adopted by a Canadian couple. Osita will probably

A) continue to undereat even when food is plentiful.
B) gain very little weight as his diet improves.
C) have an average to high basal metabolism rate.
D) suffer from lasting damage to the brain, heart, or other organs.

Question 76

Baby Paul's mother strokes his hair just before he eats. Now when Paul's mother strokes his hair, Paul begins to suck. The stroking is the __________, and the taste of milk is the _____________.

A) conditioned stimulus; neutral stimulus
B) unconditioned stimulus; conditioned stimulus
C) neutral stimulus; unconditioned stimulus
D) neutral stimulus; conditioned response

Question 77

At birth, the human brain is set up to be

A) attracted to novelty.
B) wary of change.
C) attracted to familiarity.
D) bored by repetition.

Question 78

When Baby Rico whimpers and whines, his mother responds by ignoring him and refusing to pick him up. This decreases Rico's whining. The mother's behavior is an example of

A) habituation.
B) a reinforcer.
C) recovery.
D) punishment.

Question 79

Classical conditioning

A) helps infants anticipate what is about to happen next.
B) disappears once reflexive behaviors become voluntary.
C) plays a vital role in the formation of social relationships.
D) emerges only after newborn reflexes have begun to wane.

Question 80

If growth faltering is corrected in infancy, most babies

A) remain small.
B) show lasting cognitive difficulties.
C) show quick catch-up growth.
D) show lasting emotional difficulties.