Deck 2: Theories of Human Development

Question 1

After her mother says,"No,you may not eat any cookies" Sandra takes some cookies from the cookie jar and eats them when her mother isn't looking.Later,she feels bad because she knows this was not a good thing to do.Sandra's attitude indicates that her

A)id is in control.
B)ability to delay gratification is strong.
C)superego is reasonably well developed.
D)logic includes the concept of stagnation.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which defense mechanism involves removing unacceptable thoughts from consciousness?

A)Reaction formation
B)Projection
C)Regression
D)Repression

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Marcus believes that his daughter Anita acts the way she does because of the unconscious workings of her mind.This belief best matches with the _____ theory of development.

A)cognitive-developmental
B)contextual
C)behavioral
D)psychoanalytic

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The statement,"change is different from person to person because cultures differ from person to person," best fits with the _____ approach to development.

A)discontinuity
B)passivity
C)context-specificc
D)universality

Question 5

Jerome believes that development proceeds through a series of developmental stages,each of which represents distinct changes.He might best be called a(n)_____ theorist.

A)discontinuity
B)learning
C)activity
D)context-specificity

Question 6

A parent who falls on the "activity" side of the "activity-passivity" issue is most likely to believe that

A)if a child is aggressive,the parents were not active enough in parenting.
B)if new skills are not regularly used,they will disappear.
C)we are naturally more active when young and become more passive with age.
D)children play an important role in shaping their own development.

Question 7

A reasonable criticism of Freudian psychoanalytic theory is that it puts too little emphasis on the

A)biological instincts or urges that underlie behavior.
B)collection of hard data to support his findings.
C)emotional side of development.
D)effects of early life experiences on development.

Question 8

Brynn is three years old.She has been out of diapers for over a year.When her mother comes home from the hospital with a new baby brother,Brynn begins to suck her thumb and wet the bed at night.According to Freud,Brynn is experiencing

A)reaction formation.
B)regression.
C)repression.
D)sublimation.

Question 9

The universality-context-specificity issue is concerned with whether

A)we all follow the same or different developmental paths.
B)environmental or biological factors are more influential in development.
C)we pass through abrupt developmental stages or develop in small,gradual steps.
D)we all participate in our developmental outcomes or not.

Question 10

One strength of Freud's approach to development is his description of how

A)early experience can influence later development.
B)children learn through observation.
C)reinforcement and punishment determine behavior.
D)conscious motivations underlie most decision-making.

Question 11

A theory guides all of the following EXCEPT

A)what is most important to study.
B)what can be hypothesized about.
C)how many times an issue should be studied.
D)how an issue should be studied.

Question 12

To control anxiety,the ego is most likely to

A)fulfill all of the id's desires.
B)turn over control to the superego.
C)progress through different psychosexual stages.
D)adopt defense mechanisms.

Question 13

Qualitative changes are best thought of as changes in _____,while quantitative changes are best thought of as changes in _____.

A)amount;type
B)size;shape
C)kind;degree
D)continuity;discontinuity

Question 14

According to Freud,the primary mission of the ego is to

A)help the child learn right from wrong.
B)raise the child's self-esteem.
C)help the child find realistic ways to get needs met.
D)provide for immediate gratification.

Question 15

With regard to the nature-nurture debate,a strong believer in nature would suggest that

A)environmental influences are more important than genetic makeup in determining human behavior.
B)maturation forces are more influential than environmental experiences in determining human behavior.
C)teaching and enrichment of the environment are often more influential than genetics in determining human behavior.
D)humans are basically good.

Question 16

In comparison to Freud,Erikson placed greater emphasis on

A)infantile sexuality.
B)development after adolescence.
C)operant conditioning principles.
D)biological determinants of behavior.

Question 17

Lindsey argues that she is not responsible for any of her bad behavior as she is driven by biological and environmental factors over which she has no control.This belief best exemplifies the _____ position on development.

A)discontinuity
B)continuity
C)passivity
D)activity

Question 18

Because Dr.Patel falls on the "nurture" side of the nature-nurture controversy,she is most likely to believe that

A)if infants are given normal opportunities to move about,their motor skills will naturally unfold in a universal sequence.
B)teachers' expectations for their students' success will have little effect on how they actually achieve.
C)while a child's experiences in school will have an impact on his or her intellectual development,what the child is "born with" matters more.
D)a mother's care can greatly impact the development of a child.

Question 19

The Oedipus complex is successfully resolved through the process of

A)regression.
B)identification.
C)reaction formation.
D)projection.

Question 20

Lisa and Lyle both want to stay up past their bedtimes to watch a show on TV.When their parents say "No," Lisa throws a fit,while Lyle says,"Please? I'll brush my teeth and get into PJs so that I can just pop into bed the minute the show is over!" From a Freudian perspective,Lisa is responding from her _____,while Lyle is communicating through his _____.

A)id;ego
B)ego;superego
C)id;superego
D)ego;id

Question 21

Miguel is currently questioning himself.Which question would indicate that Miguel is currently in Erikson's integrity versus despair stage of life?

A)Can I raise happy children?
B)Should I marry Luisa?
C)Has my life been worthwhile?
D)Will my job as a comedian help the younger generation?

Question 22

The basic premise of operant conditioning is that

A)most learning occurs when a person mimics an observed model.
B)learning takes place over a series of qualitatively different stages.
C)the consequences that follow a behavior impact the likelihood of the behavior being repeated.
D)pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus will lead to a conditioned stimulus.

Question 23

Watson and Raynor's experiment is important because it demonstrated that

A)infants are unable to learn.
B)humans cannot be classically conditioned.
C)fear can be learned.
D)operant conditioning is more important than classical conditioning.

Question 24

Watson believed that

A)most children progress through a predictable series of stages that are programmed by biological maturation.
B)children have many inborn tendencies.
C)how a person turns out depends entirely on the environment in which he or she grows up.
D)elements of the unconscious mind are responsible for moral thought.

Question 25

In operant conditioning terms,a positive consequence is to a negative consequence as

A)good is to bad.
B)adding is to removing.
C)reinforcement is to punishment.
D)operant is to classical.

Question 26

An unconditioned stimulus is best described as a(n)

A)learned behavior acquired through conditioning.
B)event that automatically leads to a response.
C)unconscious motivation involving the id and ego.
D)experience that leads to a relatively permanent change in behavior.

Question 27

The preschool-aged child is typically in which of Erikson's psychosocial stages?

A)Intimacy versus isolation
B)Identity versus role confusion
C)Initiative versus guilt
D)Integrity versus despair

Question 28

Chenelle wants her daughter Lisa to improve her study skills.How could Chenelle use positive reinforcement to achieve this goal?

A)She could give Lisa candy (something Lisa likes)every time she studies.
B)She could take candy from Lisa (something Lisa likes)every time Lisa does not study.
C)She could give Lisa spinach for dinner (something Lisa hates)every time she studies.
D)She could take spinach (something Lisa hates)from Lisa's dinner every time she studies.

Question 29

After Davio brings home a report card with all As,his parents (who want to make sure this behavior continues in the future)give him a new car (something that he really wanted).It appears that Davio's parents are attempting to use _____ to keep his grades up.

A)positive reinforcement
B)negative reinforcement
C)positive punishment
D)negative punishment

Question 30

Jiao is 15 years old.She spends countless hours alone and in conversation with her peers trying to figure out what it is she wants to do with her life.Jiao is in which of the following of Erikson's psychosocial stages?

A)Identity versus role confusion
B)Industry versus inferiority
C)Initiative versus guilt
D)Intimacy versus isolation

Question 31

In operant conditioning terms,_____ occurs when something unpleasant is removed and the result is an increased response rate.

A)positive reinforcement
B)negative reinforcement
C)positive punishment
D)negative punishment

Question 32

Ruth is 80 years old and terminally ill with cancer.As she reflects back on her life,she comes to the conclusion that she has lived a full and productive life,and that it could not have been better lived in any other way.Ruth has successfully mastered the developmental task of

A)intimacy versus isolation.
B)generativity versus stagnation.
C)industry versus inferiority.
D)integrity versus despair.

Question 33

Inez tells her daughter Rosa,"I will stop this nagging,which you find unpleasant,as soon as you clean your room today and continue to clean it in the future." This description indicates that Inez is trying to use

A)positive reinforcement.
B)negative reinforcement.
C)positive punishment.
D)negative punishment.

Question 34

Joy comes home from work exhausted and is surprised to find that her daughter,Michelle,has set the table and started dinner.Joy is thrilled.She praises Michelle and spends an extra half-hour reading with her before bed (something that Michelle likes).The same thing happens the next day,and soon this has become a daily event.This is an example of

A)classical conditioning.
B)observational learning.
C)operant conditioning.
D)modeling.

Question 35

Which of the following is a key criticism of Erikson's theory of personality development?

A)He is pessimistic regarding one's ability to overcome problems that have their roots in early childhood experiences.
B)He portrays adulthood as a period of little growth and change.
C)His theory is rather vague and difficult to test.
D)His theory focuses too strongly on formal operations in thinking.

Question 36

When describing her theory of development,Candice says,"The basic idea is that I take a stimulus that at first has no effect on an individual.Then I pair that stimulus with a second stimulus that does elicit some response.After the two have been paired together a few times,I test to see if the initial stimulus now elicits a response similar to the one elicited by the second stimulus." Given this description,Candice would be best classified as a(n)_____ conditioning theorist.

A)operant
B)instrumental
C)social
D)classical

Question 37

Which question provides the best example of the concept of generativity versus stagnation?

A)Will my work benefit the next generation?
B)Do I know who I am?
C)Should I get married?
D)Will my choice of college major lead to a career in which I will make a lot of money?

Question 38

Erikson's theory is different from Freud's because it

A)places greater emphasis on biological influences.
B)describes development in terms of stages.
C)focuses on possibilities for growth beyond adolescence.
D)involves the resolution of crises.

Question 39

Maya has recently given birth to a healthy baby boy,Jason.Whenever Jason cries,Maya goes to him,tries to figure out the reason for his crying,and then promptly does all she can to meet his needs.According to Erikson's theory,Jason is well on his way toward mastering the conflict of

A)autonomy versus shame and doubt.
B)initiative versus guilt.
C)industry versus inferiority.
D)trust versus mistrust.

Question 40

Rather than a sense of inferiority,eight-year-old Zeke has developed a sense of mastery in all his academic endeavors.Erikson would say that Zeke has a strong sense of

A)generativity.
B)integrity.
C)autonomy
D)industry.

Question 41

In operant conditioning,which statement best exemplifies the process of extinction?

A)Just do it.
B)Just keep the rewards coming.
C)Just ignore it.
D)Just keep the punishments coming.

Question 42

Self-efficacy is best defined as

A)feeling great about who you are.
B)the belief that you can effectively accomplish a specific outcome.
C)the ability to make fun of one's self.
D)your self-concept concerning gender,intellect,and sexual orientation.

Question 43

A major criticism of Piaget's theory is that it

A)has few practical applications.
B)focuses too heavily on the importance of social relationships in determining the course of development.
C)portrays children as passive learners.
D)underestimates the cognitive abilities of young children.

Question 44

In operant conditioning terms,a negative consequence

A)reinforces an action.
B)punishes an action.
C)occurs when something is removed.
D)occurs when something is added.

Question 45

Constructivism proposes that children learn best

A)by doing.
B)when an adult completes a task for them.
C)when genetics determine a behavior.
D)through vicarious reinforcement.

Question 46

How did Bandura demonstrate the existence of "observational learning" in the famous "Bobo" doll study?

A)He showed that children would model an adult they saw in a film.
B)He showed that children scared by a loud noise would cry when they heard a bell.
C)He showed that boys liked dolls as much as girls.
D)He showed that children regress when they know a new sibling is about to be born.

Question 47

Which type of theorist would be most likely to describe the human mind in terms of "mental hardware and software"?

A)Psychoanalytic
B)Constructivist
C)Information-processing
D)Operant conditioning

Question 48

A theorist with a(n)_____ perspective would be most likely to focus on the interaction between a changing environmental context and a person who is producing changes in the environment.

A)psychoanalytic
B)systems
C)discontinuity
D)operant conditioning

Question 49

What is vicarious reinforcement?

A)When a person's behavior changes based on consequences received directly
B)When a person's behavior changes based on consequences that happen to an observed model
C)When a person's behavior changes based on the influence of a collective unconscious
D)When a person's behavior changes based on the effect of inborn,unfolding genetic factors

Question 50

Who would be most likely to believe that the horrible-sounding music his band is playing actually sounds good,just because he wants the band to sound good?

A)John,a preoperational thinker
B)Paul,a concrete operational thinker
C)George,a formal operations thinker
D)Ringo,a postformal operations thinker

Question 51

Rhondella really likes jewelry.Her parents want Rhondella to stop talking on the phone every night after school.In order to accomplish this task,they take away her new watch and tell her that she will lose more jewelry if she does not decrease her phone use.In this situation,Rhondella's parents are attempting to use _____ to alter her behavior.

A)positive reinforcement
B)negative reinforcement
C)positive punishment
D)negative punishment

Question 52

What is a common criticism of learning approaches to human development?

A)Placing too little emphasis on genetic factors
B)Failing to account for the fact that experiences appear to affect behavior
C)Placing too much emphasis on unconscious factors
D)Failing to describe any types of consequences that influence development

Question 53

Olga goes along with her brother Gustav to his gymnastics class and watches closely while he works on the balance beam.One day,Olga's mom finds her out in the back yard,with a board spread across two big boxes,doing some of the same maneuvers that she has seen Gustav do in class.This is an example of

A)observational learning.
B)operant conditioning.
C)passivity.
D)formal operations.

Question 54

Molly has just entered the stage of formal operational thought.Something she can do now that she could not do before is to

A)engage in trial-and-error problem-solving.
B)mentally classify objects in her head.
C)think symbolically.
D)deal effectively with purely hypothetical situations.

Question 55

Hector is watching his first soccer match on television.Despite the fact that he has learned to kick the ball like the players while watching the event,he does not demonstrate this skill in his backyard later that afternoon.Bandura would refer to this situation as demonstrating

A)repression.
B)classical conditioning.
C)identification.
D)latent learning.

Question 56

Reciprocal determinism refers to a continuous back and forth interaction between

A)a want and a desire.
B)genes and environmental experience.
C)a person,his or her behavior,and the environment.
D)a reinforcement and a consequence.

Question 57

During the _____ stage of development,individuals lack the ability to use symbols.

A)concrete operations
B)formal operations
C)preoperational
D)sensorimotor

Question 58

What best describes the problem-solving approach of the concrete operational thinker?

A)Systematic
B)Scientific
C)Trial and error
D)One-step analysis

Question 59

In operant conditioning terms,_____ occurs when something unpleasant is added and the result is a decreased response rate.

A)positive reinforcement
B)negative reinforcement
C)positive punishment
D)negative punishment

Question 60

Lakesha watches as her mom puts a couple of drops of red food coloring into her glass of water.Although Lakesha tasted the water just before her mom put in the drops,she now believes that her water will taste like fruit punch.Piaget would most likely argue that Lakesha is in the _____ stage of development.

A)concrete operations
B)formal operations
C)preoperational
D)sensorimotor

Question 61

The greatest weakness of the systems theory of development is that it

A)places too great an emphasis on genes.
B)shows no appreciation for development during adulthood.
C)fails to provide a coherent picture of development.
D)views conscious factors as being as influential as unconscious factors.

Question 62

As a human development researcher,Thuy prefers working with learning theories because she believes they are more ________ than other theories.

A)testable
B)realistic
C)ordered
D)emotional

Question 63

Dr.Leung believes that no one theory can explain human development and has developed an approach that incorporates elements from many of the major theories.Given this description,Dr.Leung is best classified as a(n)_____ theorist.

A)psychodynamic
B)ethological
C)eclectic
D)sociocultural

Question 64

In Bronfenbrenner's theory,linkages involving social settings that individuals do not experience directly but that can still influence their development are called the

A)chronosystem.
B)exosystem.
C)macrosystem.
D)mesosystem.

Question 65

Clayton's friends have been known to call him a bit of a control freak.He has no problem with that label;he prefers to be the master of his own universe - even when it comes to his developmental journey through life.Which theorist would Clayton consider as his champion?.

A)Skinner
B)Erikson
C)Bandura
D)Watson

Question 66

Some theorists believe that humans are more passive in development,while others believe they are more active.Which of the following correctly lists the theorists from a highly passive perspective to a highly active perspective?.

A)Erikson,Bandura,Skinner,Freud
B)Bandura,Skinner,Erikson,Freud
C)Freud,Erikson,Skinner,Bandura
D)Freud,Skinner,Bandura,Erikson 

Question 67

The ability of a theory to provide researchers with a sense of the "big picture" reflects which benefit of scientific theories? 

A)validity
B)continuity
C)prediction
D)organization

Question 68

In Bronfenbrenner's theory,the interrelationships between microsystems form the 

A)chronosystem.
B)exosystem.
C)macrosystem.
D)mesosystem.

Question 69

Erikson's psychosocial theory is more useful than Freud's psychosexual theory because

A)it is easily testable.
B)it emphasizes cognition.
C)it is more comprehensive.
D)it is more contextual. 

Question 70

Chou's mother had a terrible day at work and when she got home,snapped at him because he had not finished his homework.This illustrates the impact of the

A)chronosystem.
B)exosystem.
C)macrosystem.
D)mesosystem.

Question 71

Anthony has been refusing to go to school.Anthony's culture places great emphasis on academic achievement and expects that young people will get no grade lower than an A,and his teacher wonders whether that may be influencing Anthony's school refusal.This illustrates operation of the

A)chronosystem.
B)exosystem.
C)macrosystem.
D)mesosystem.

Question 72

As a strong believer in learning theory,Dr.Sanchez would be most likely to describe parents as _____ of their children.

A)trainers
B)supporters
C)partners
D)genetic-precursors

Question 73

Terrell has been refusing to go to school.Bronfenbrenner suggests that the problem has been aggravated by poor communication between the school and Terrell's parents.This illustrates the operation of the

A)chronosystem.
B)exosystem.
C)macrosystem.
D)mesosystem.

Question 74

People and their environments and the relations between the two change over time and unfold in particular patterns or sequences over a person's lifetime.This illustrates the

A)chronosystem.
B)exosystem.
C)macrosystem.
D)mesosystem.

Question 75

Marisol is a strong supporter of the learning theories,so she believes that human development is 

A)individualistic.
B)systemic.
C)sequential.
D)conflicted.

Question 76

DeShaun prefers to focus his developmental research on things he can observe in a laboratory setting.He avoids conducting research into Freud's developmental theories because they are too ________ 

A)sexual.
B)contextual.
C)unconscious.
D)universal

Question 77

Which statement best exemplifies the perspective held by most 21st century developmentalists?

A)Extreme black-and-white positions are in vogue.
B)Freudian ideas (especially those concerning the issues of child sexual fantasy)are more accepted than ever.
C)Learning approaches are effective at describing the development of thoughts but not effective at explaining the acquisition of behaviors.
D)Humans and their environments mutually interact to influence development.

Question 78

Sheldon proudly proclaims himself to be a man of science,who is guided by facts.Would Sheldon support Freud's theories on human development?

A)Yes,they are easily observed.
B)No,they are not sequential.
C)Yes,they are highly rational.
D)No,they are too ambiguous.

Question 79

Donna sometimes gets overwhelmed even thinking about research on human development,because there is so much data out there to consider.She is grateful that others have developed theories,because it helps her to determine which data is

A)logical.
B)relevant.
C)proven.
D)ethical.

Question 80

Erikson's theory offers value to scientists because it ________ a key aspect of human development.

A)explains
B)delineates
C)validates
D)justifies