Deck 3: A: Human Development

Question 1

The code for genetic information consists of

A) the sperm and ovum.
B) the presence of neurotransmitters, especially acetylcholine.
C) the order of the molecules making up DNA.
D) molecular ganglia.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

When psychologists attribute development to nature,they are referring to the effects of

A) mother/infant bonding.
B) heredity and genetics.
C) environmental influences.
D) evolutionary selection.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to the text,what conclusion can be drawn in the nature-nurture debate?

A) Heredity is the most important because we inherit our potential for development as well as our limitations.
B) Environment is the most important because influences, such as learning, nutrition, disease, and culture affect our ability to develop to our potential.
C) It is the interaction between heredity and environment that is important in determining who we become.
D) Neither heredity nor environment is important; only our own behavior determines who we are.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Developmental psychology is the study of

A) the language, personality, and emotions of children and adolescents.
B) the stages of life and the important tasks of each.
C) progressive changes in behavior and abilities from conception to death.
D) the role of maturation in the unfolding of human potential.

Question 5

The long,ladder-like chains of chemical molecules that act as a code for genetic information are known as

A) DNA.
B) gametes.
C) ribosomes.
D) neurilemmas.

Question 6

The chemical molecules making up DNA are

A) organic acids.
B) organic bases.
C) ribosomes.
D) molecular ganglia.

Question 7

The uniting of the egg and sperm is referred to as

A) development.
B) transformation.
C) conception.
D) developmental sequencing.

Question 8

Which of the following is found in the nucleus of every human cell and contains a record of all the instructions needed to make a human?

A) DNA
B) MSG
C) myelin
D) neurilemma

Question 9

The study of changes in behavior from conception to death encompasses

A) gerontology.
B) thanatology.
C) developmental psychology.
D) social psychology.

Question 10

Psychologists generally resolve the nature-nurture debate by agreeing that

A) heredity and environment are interacting and inseparable factors in development.
B) heredity is more important because it precedes the effects of experience.
C) environment is more important because its effects are less flexible than those of heredity.
D) environment is more important because most behaviors of interest to psychologists are learned.

Question 11

Conception occurs when the

A) egg is released from the ovary.
B) egg and sperm unite.
C) fertilized egg makes its first division.
D) embryo implants into the uterine lining.

Question 12

The importance of heredity stems from the fact that it

A) is not subject to environmental influences.
B) determines the overall health of the organism.
C) sets the limits of development by providing a framework of potentials and limitations.
D) is more fragile than the environment and, consequently, can be more changeable.

Question 13

Within the nucleus of every human cell are 46 thread-like structures that hold the coded instructions of heredity.These 46 structures are called

A) gametes.
B) DNA organic acids.
C) chromosomes.
D) genes.

Question 14

In 2003,a major scientific milestone was reached with the completion of the entire sequencing of three billion chemical base pairs of human DNA.This project was known as the __________ Project.

A) Manhattan
B) Nature-Nurture
C) Human Genome
D) Polygenic Mapping

Question 15

Learning to dance or to use a computer is primarily a matter of

A) nurture.
B) nature.
C) heredity.
D) maturation.

Question 16

The genetic transmission of physical and psychological characteristics from parents to offspring is known as

A) development.
B) heredity.
C) nurture.
D) maturation.

Question 17

Which of the following words means "colored body"?

A) gene
B) chromosome
C) zygote
D) gamete

Question 18

Achieving sexual maturity is mostly governed by

A) nurture.
B) nature.
C) the environment.
D) evolutionary senescence.

Question 19

Dianne is a psychologist who is interested in the progressive changes that people show in their behavior and abilities from conception to death.Dianne is most likely a __________ psychologist.

A) social
B) behavioral
C) comparative
D) developmental

Question 20

Developmental psychologists are interested in changes in behavior that occur from

A) conception on to death (the womb to the tomb).
B) birth to adolescence (infant to teen).
C) birth to adulthood (child to grown-up).
D) conception to senescence.

Question 21

The overall pattern of physical development from conception to death is known as the

A) human growth sequence.
B) senescence pattern.
C) adaptation sequence.
D) zone of proximal development.

Question 22

James has one brown-eye gene and one blue-eye gene.His wife Carolyn also has one brown-eye gene and one blue-eye gene.What is the chance that their child could have blue eyes?

A) one chance in two
B) one chance in three
C) one chance in four
D) no chance (zero out of four)

Question 23

Both parents carry one recessive gene for sickle cell anemia,but they do not have sickle cell anemia themselves.What is the chance that their child could have sickle cell anemia?

A) one chance in two
B) one chance in three
C) one chance in four
D) no chance (zero out of four)

Question 24

Bruce has a dominant gene for brown eyes and a recessive gene for blue eyes.Bruce's eye color would be

A) green
B) brown
C) blue
D) impossible to predict

Question 25

The part of a chromosome that contains instructions that affect a particular process or personal characteristic is called a(n)

A) isotope.
B) gene.
C) soma.
D) autosome.

Question 26

In the nucleus of every human cell,except for the sperm and ova,are __________ chromosomes.

A) 24
B) 36
C) 46
D) 60

Question 27

In the human growth sequence,the germinal,embryonic,and fetal periods make up the __________ period.

A) prenatal
B) neonatal
C) postnatal
D) senescence

Question 28

Regarding the mechanisms of heredity,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Most of our characteristics are controlled by single genes.
B) Heredity determines eye color, skin color, and susceptibility to some diseases.
C) Genes can switch on or off at certain ages or developmental stages.
D) Genetic instructions influence intelligence, personality traits, and sexual orientation.

Question 29

A gene whose influence will be expressed only when it is paired with a second gene of the same type is known as a __________ gene.

A) recessive
B) dominant
C) polygenic
D) gender-linked

Question 30

Within the nucleus of each sperm and each ovum there are __________ chromosomes.

A) 23
B) 36
C) 46
D) 60

Question 31

Morgan has albinism,a recessive condition resulting in a lack of skin pigment.If neither of Morgan's parents have albinism,how did Morgan develop this condition?

A) Morgan received a dominant gene for the condition from each parent.
B) Morgan received a recessive gene for the condition from each parent.
C) Morgan received two dominant genes for the condition from one of her parents.
D) Morgan received two recessive genes for the condition from one of her parents.

Question 32

Chromosomes are made up of

A) zygotes.
B) gametes.
C) genes.
D) phenotypes.

Question 33

How many genes have been shown to play a role in determining one's height?

A) only two
B) four
C) appoximately 10
D) almost 200

Question 34

One's skin color is controlled by the expression of many genes working together in combination.Thus,skin color is a __________ characteristic.

A) dominant
B) recessive
C) polygenic
D) sex-linked

Question 35

Which combination could produce a blue-eyed child?

A) The father is brown-eyed, and the mother is blue-eyed.
B) The father is blue-eyed, and the mother is brown-eyed.
C) Both father and mother are brown-eyed.
D) Each of these could produce a blue-eyed child.

Question 36

Specific areas on a strand of DNA that carry hereditary information are called

A) myelins.
B) genes.
C) neurilemmas.
D) ribosomes.

Question 37

The broad outlines of the human growth sequence are virtually universal.This fact is evidence of the effect of which of the following on development?

A) heredity
B) temperament
C) environment
D) motor primacy

Question 38

Traits that are determined by many genes working in combination are called __________ characteristics.

A) dominant
B) recessive
C) polymorphic
D) polygenic

Question 39

When an individual develops from a zygote to an embryo to a fetus to a neonate and so on until one's death,this overall pattern of physical development is known as the

A) human growth sequence.
B) senescence pattern.
C) adaptation sequence.
D) zone of proximal development.

Question 40

A gene whose influence will be expressed each time the gene is present is known as a __________ gene.

A) recessive
B) dominant
C) polygenic
D) sex-linked

Question 41

When John B.Watson made the statement that if he had a dozen infants he could take any one of them at random and train him to be a doctor,merchant,thief,etc.,he was referring to the powerful effect of

A) nature.
B) temperament.
C) the human growth sequence.
D) the environment.

Question 42

The sum of all external conditions that affect a person is referred to as

A) nurture.
B) senescence.
C) nature.
D) the human growth sequence.

Question 43

Compared to an adult,the brain of a newborn baby has __________ synapses.

A) significantly more
B) slightly more
C) fewer
D) the same number of

Question 44

The physical growth and development of the body,brain,and nervous system is called

A) readiness.
B) maturation.
C) mobility.
D) heredity.

Question 45

Jeffery is 18 months old,and his mother has spent almost every waking moment of the last three weeks trying to toilet-train Jeffery.However,Jeffery has shown no improvement.Jeffery's mother should be told that toilet training as well as other milestones in development are governed by the

A) habituation of the child.
B) child's assimilation pattern.
C) child's readiness.
D) quality and quantity of the training.

Question 46

The brain of a newborn baby is capable of being altered by experience,that is,it is highly

A) plastic.
B) polygenic.
C) anthropomorphic.
D) denotative.

Question 47

Milestones,such as when children are able to walk alone,feed themselves,or become toilet trained tend to be governed by

A) assimilation.
B) resiliency.
C) habituation.
D) readiness.

Question 48

Compared to an adult,the brain of a newborn baby has __________ dendrites.

A) significantly more
B) slightly more
C) fewer
D) the same number of

Question 49

Regarding nature and nurture,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) The present human culture is accelerating the rate at which human DNA is evolving.
B) Modern humans are still genetically quite similar to cave dwellers who lived 30,000 years ago.
C) The brain of a newborn baby has significantly more dendrites and synapses than an adult brain.
D) Early learning environments literally shape the developing brain, through "blooming and pruning" of synapses.

Question 50

Nature is to heredity as nurture is to

A) environment.
B) genetics.
C) maturation.
D) readiness.

Question 51

Current guidelines suggest that toilet training goes most smoothly when begun between __________ months of age.

A) nine and 12
B) 12 and 16
C) 18 and 24
D) 30 and 42

Question 52

Compared to the adult brain,the brain of a newborn baby has fewer nerve cell branches that receive information,which are called

A) axons.
B) dendrites.
C) nodes of Ranvier.
D) neurilemma.

Question 53

Compared to the adult brain,the brain of a newborn baby has fewer connections between nerve cells,which are called

A) dendrites.
B) synapses.
C) ion channels.
D) nodes of Ranvier.

Question 54

Regarding toilet training,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Parents may control when toilet training starts, but maturation tends to dictate when it will be completed.
B) Current guidelines suggest that toilet training goes most smoothly when begun between 10 and 16 months of age.
C) Parents are asking for failure when they try to force a child to learn skills too early or too late.
D) The older a child is before toilet training begins, the more likely he or she is to fail to develop full bladder control and become a daytime "wetter."

Question 55

Millions of new connections form in the child's brain every day,while unused connections disappear through a process known as

A) scaffolding.
B) "top-to-bottom processing."
C) anthropomorphic delineation.
D) "blooming and pruning."

Question 56

Maturation is defined as the

A) physical growth and development of the body, brain, and nervous system.
B) organism's ability to adapt to changing conditions.
C) sum of all the external conditions affecting development.
D) transmission of physical and psychological characteristics from parent to offspring.

Question 57

Sarah is seven months old.Her parents spend three hours a day for five weeks straight holding Sarah up next to furniture in hopes that she will grab onto the furniture and stand by herself.Sarah hates this treatment and screams and cries,but her parents are unyielding.Finally,at the end of the fifth week,Sarah stands up by herself while holding onto the furniture.Her parents smile triumphantly.What have they accomplished here?

A) Sarah's parents have trained Sarah to stand up by herself earlier than the average.
B) Sarah was ready to stand up by herself at about eight months of age; but her parents simply put her through a training ordeal for nothing.
C) If Sarah's parents had not trained her, Sarah would have been developmentally delayed.
D) Sarah's parents have respected her personal rate of growth by encouraging her with psychomotor training.

Question 58

Until minimum levels of physical structure are mature,no amount of practice will be sufficient to develop certain skills.This statement reflects

A) assimilation.
B) readiness.
C) resiliency.
D) habituation.

Question 59

In the human growth sequence,the period known as pubescence is the period that encompasses which age group?

A) early childhood
B) middle childhood
C) adolescence
D) adulthood

Question 60

A condition that exists when maturation has advanced enough to allow the rapid acquisition of a particular skill is known as

A) readiness.
B) assimilation.
C) habituation.
D) enrichment.

Question 61

If an expectant mother is exposed to German measles,the child could be born with a

A) genetic defect.
B) congenital problem.
C) cephalocaudal pattern problem.
D) proximodistal pattern problem.

Question 62

Which of the following is considered a congenital problem?

A) fetal alcohol syndrome
B) sickle-cell anemia
C) hemophilia
D) muscular dystrophy

Question 63

A physician who describes an infant as slow to respond and develop because of congenital problems is attributing the cause of the abnormality to the

A) postnatal environment.
B) infant's heredity.
C) mother's heredity.
D) intrauterine environment.

Question 64

If an unborn child is exposed to X-rays,PCBs,or drugs taken by the mother,the child could be born with a

A) genetic defect.
B) congenital problem.
C) cephalocaudal pattern problem.
D) proximodistal pattern problem.

Question 65

Considering what is known about the effects of alcohol on the fetus,pregnant women should be advised to drink

A) alcoholic beverages according to their own preference.
B) hard liquor only, never beer or wine.
C) wine and beer only, never hard liquor.
D) no alcoholic beverages at all.

Question 66

Babies of mothers who smoked heavily during pregnancy show all of the following characteristics EXCEPT

A) being overweight.
B) having lower scores on tests of language and mental ability.
C) being more likely to be miscarried or to die soon after birth.
D) receiving significantly less oxygen during prenatal development.

Question 67

Loud noises can increase the fetus' heart rate and movement,which illustrates that outside conditions can affect the unborn in the the __________ environment.

A) teratogen
B) genetic
C) intrauterine
D) endogenomic

Question 68

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of fetal alcohol syndrome?

A) increased risk of developing hemophilia.
B) small head and facial malformations
C) low birth weight
D) emotional, behavior, and mental handicaps

Question 69

If a mother smokes heavily during pregnancy,it is more likely that the infant will be born

A) with a cleft palate.
B) premature and underweight.
C) addicted to nicotine.
D) with facial abnormalities.

Question 70

Defects that are caused by inherited characteristics are known as

A) congenital problems.
B) genetic disorders.
C) teratogen defects.
D) endogenomic problems.

Question 71

Substances capable of causing birth defects are known as

A) carcinogens.
B) teratogens.
C) chorions.
D) antigens.

Question 72

Regarding teratogens and birth defects,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Radiation, lead, and pesticides are considered teratogens.
B) Cystic fibrosis, PKU, and hemophilia are considered teratogens.
C) Pregnant women do have direct control over many teratogens.
D) Repeated heavy drinking during pregnancy is the most common cause of birth defects in the United States.

Question 73

Smoking during pregnancy causes all of the following EXCEPT

A) a reduction in oxygen to the fetus.
B) an increased risk of miscarriage and prematurity.
C) the occurrence of facial abnormalities.
D) lowering the children's language and mental ability scores.

Question 74

Which of the following teratogens tends to greatly reduce oxygen to the fetus,increase the risk of miscarriage,prematurity,and low birth weight with surviving children showing lower scores on language and mental abilities tests?

A) German measles
B) maternal stress
C) exposure to X-rays
D) smoking by the mother

Question 75

Regarding teratogens,which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) It is impossible for alcohol and drugs to be transmitted from mother to fetus since no direct intermixing of blood takes place between a mother and her unborn child.
B) Although no direct intermixing of blood occurs, some substances, like drugs, do reach the fetus.
C) A fetus may be exposed to drugs, but it cannot become addicted.
D) Pregnant women rarely have any direct control over teratogens.

Question 76

Regarding teratogens,which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) No direct intermixing of blood takes place between a mother and her unborn child.
B) If a mother is addicted to morphine, heroin, or methadone, her baby may be born with an addiction.
C) Children with fetal alcohol syndrome are born with fluid on the brain and an abnormally large head.
D) Children of smoking mothers score lower on tests of language and mental ability.

Question 77

Sickle-cell anemia,hemophilia,muscular dystrophy,and cystic fibrosis are considered

A) genetic disorders.
B) congenital problems.
C) teratogens.
D) endomorphic conditions.

Question 78

Fetal alcohol syndrome is characterized by

A) low birth weight, a small head, bodily defects.
B) an increased risk of developing albinism.
C) genetic defects.
D) the newborn having fluid on the brain and slight paralysis of the muscles of the extremities.

Question 79

Defects that originate during prenatal development in the womb due to environmental conditions are known as

A) congenital problems.
B) genetic disorders.
C) senescence disorders.
D) endogenomic problems.

Question 80

A teratogen is

A) another name for a genetic defect.
B) the cause of cystic fibrosis and sickle-cell anemia.
C) any substance capable of causing birth defects.
D) characterized by all of these.