Deck 11: A: Human Development Across the Life Span

Question 1

Chelsey is pregnant and she is concerned about taking an over-the-counter medication for her allergies. In which stage of prenatal development should she be most concerned?

A)fetal
B)germinal
C)embryonic
D)placental

Answer 1

embryonic

Question 2

What is the term for Betsy's concern about the "feelings" of the car?

A)conservation
B)animism
C)egocentrism
D)centration

Answer 2

animism

Question 3

Which of the following would you expect to find if you were to compare Brian's and Betsy's brains for age-related differences?

A)Brian has a fully developed prefrontal cortex.
B)Betsy has a fully developed prefrontal cortex.
C)Betsy has more white matter and less grey matter.
D)Brian has more white matter and less grey matter.

Answer 3

Brian has more white matter and less grey matter.

Question 4

What are developmental changes?

A)behavioural changes that take place as people mature
B)biological changes that are predetermined based on genotype
C)changes in social behaviour that indicate underlying cognitive abilities
D)biological and behavioural changes that occur across the lifespan

Question 5

What are the terms used to describe the cluster of developing human cells prior to implantation in the uterine wall, and then after implantation?

A)zygote, then embryo
B)fetus, then zygote
C)zygote, then fetus
D)embryo, then fetus

Question 6

What cognitive stage would Piaget suggest that Brian has achieved, based on his ability to systematically evaluate and plan the driving route?

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

Question 7

Which of Erikson's crises are Betsy's parents helping her to resolve when they give her a task to do in order to help plan the trip?

A)integrity versus despair
B)autonomy versus shame and doubt
C)industry versus inferiority
D)generativity versus self-absorption

Question 8

What aspect of development is included in the embryonic stage of prenatal development?

A)formation of a zygote
B)implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterine wall
C)second through eighth weeks of prenatal development
D)last seven months of the pregnancy

Question 9

What is the prenatal period of development?

A)the period immediately after birth
B)the nine months before birth
C)the period before conception takes place
D)the period from conception to implantation

Question 10

Avery is excited by the fact that she has begun to feel her baby kicking and moving in her uterus. In what stage must Avery's pregnancy be if she can feel her baby moving?

A)fetal
B)neonatal
C)germinal
D)embryonic

Question 11

What is the structure that allows oxygen and nutrients to pass from the mother to the fetus?

A)placenta
B)uterus
C)zygote
D)amnion

Question 12

At what stage does the developing human organism become capable of physical movement?

A)germinal
B)postnatal
C)fetal
D)embryonic

Question 13

Penny conceived a baby seven days ago, and does not yet know she is pregnant. In what stage is her pregnancy?

A)germinal
B)embryonic
C)placental
D)fetal

Question 14

During which stage of development do the heart, spine, and brain emerge?

A)placental
B)post-natal
C)embryonic
D)fetal

Question 15

During which stage of prenatal development are most miscarriages likely to occur?

A)zygotic stage
B)embryonic stage
C)fetal stage
D)germinal stage

Question 16

What stage of development is Diane's pregnancy at?

A)fetal
B)germinal
C)embryonic
D)conceptive

Question 17

What is the third stage of prenatal development, which lasts from two months through birth?

A)postnatal
B)postgerminal
C)fetal
D)embryonic

Question 18

What is the first stage of prenatal development?

A)germinal
B)fetal
C)embryonic
D)postnatal

Question 19

Traditionally, psychologists have been interested in development during childhood. What has changed about the focus of developmental psychology in recent decades?

A)The focus has shifted toward the prenatal period.
B)The focus has expanded to include adolescence.
C)The focus has expanded to include the whole lifespan.
D)The focus has shifted toward infancy.

Question 20

How do psychologists define development?

A)the sequence of age-related changes that occur as a person progresses from birth to adulthood
B)the sequence of age-related changes that occur as a person progresses from conception to death
C)changes across the lifespan that result due to learning and socialization
D)maturity associated with adulthood

Question 21

What is the age of viability?

A)when the fetus experiences no further cell division in the brain; between 36 and 38 weeks
B)when the fetus can first respond to stimulation; at about 9 weeks
C)when the fetus can survive if born prematurely; between 22 and 26 weeks
D)when the fetus first has a heartbeat; at about 16 weeks

Question 22

What is the longest stage of prenatal development?

A)embryonic
B)fetal
C)zygotic
D)germinal

Question 23

If someone experiences prenatal malnutrition, which of the following is more likely for that person?

A)schizophrenia
B)diabetes
C)gout
D)excessive alcohol use

Question 24

Which of the following causes the full-blown fetal alcohol syndrome?

A)heavy drinking during the first three months of pregnancy
B)heavy drinking during the final three months of pregnancy
C)a drunken binge at any time during pregnancy
D)heavy drinking throughout pregnancy

Question 25

In learning to crawl, children initially depend on their arms to propel them and later shift to using their legs. Which developmental trend is this motor development sequence an example of?

A)normative
B)cephalocaudal
C)proximodistal
D)maturational

Question 26

What is the primary factor that determines whether prenatal exposure to maternal illness will cause damage to a developing organism?

A)whether the unborn child is male or female
B)at what stage of pregnancy the mother contracts the disease
C)the severity of the mother's symptoms
D)the condition of the mother's overall health

Question 27

What does the cephalocaudal trend in physical development suggests about infants' control over their own bodies?

A)Hips and legs are under control before shoulders and arms.
B)Hands and fingers are under control before shoulders and arms.
C)Shoulders and arms are under control before hips and legs.
D)Shoulders and arms are under control before hands and fingers.

Question 28

Camille drank heavily during the first eight weeks of her pregnancy, but since that time she has abstained from all alcohol. Which of the following is most likely about Camille's baby?

A)He will have no physical deformities, but will have an increased risk of mental retardation.
B)He will have noticeable physical deformities, but no risk of mental retardation.
C)He will be unaffected by her drinking, because it occurred so early in the pregnancy.
D)He will have noticeable physical deformities, and an increased risk of mental retardation.

Question 29

What are the expected effects of moderate, rather than heavy, drinking during pregnancy?

A)Even normal social drinking by the expectant mother may be harmful to the fetus.
B)Most doctors recommend small amounts of alcohol throughout pregnancy.
C)Three drinks per day can be considered a safe level of alcohol consumption for most pregnant women.
D)Alcohol consumption by the mother poses almost no risk to the developing fetus in the last three months of the pregnancy.

Question 30

Of the countries listed below, which country has the lowest infant mortality rate?

A)United States
B)Great Britain
C)Canada
D)Sweden

Question 31

Felicia is pregnant and her blood pressure has become dangerously high. Her doctor wants to deliver her baby by Caesarean section, even though Felicia is only 27 weeks pregnant. What is the likelihood of survival if Felicia's baby is delivered at this point in her pregnancy?

A)approximately a 25 percent chance of survival
B)less than a 10 percent chance of survival
C)virtually a 100 percent chance of survival
D)at least a 75 percent chance of survival

Question 32

During which stage are genital herpes and AIDS typically passed from mother to offspring?

A)embryonic stage
B)childbirth
C)fetal stage
D)germinal stage

Question 33

Of the factors that may shape development prior to birth, which is the least understood?

A)tobacco use
B)rubella (German measles)
C)fluctuations in maternal emotions
D)excessive alcohol use

Question 34

Which of the following should you infer about the mother if a baby is born with a small head, heart defects, and retarded mental and motor development?

A)She smoked during pregnancy.
B)She had smallpox early in her pregnancy.
C)She continued to work during pregnancy.
D)She is an alcoholic.

Question 35

Of the countries listed below, which country has the highest infant mortality rate?

A)Hong Kong
B)Ireland
C)Singapore
D)United States

Question 36

Which of the following is a simple way of describing the proximodistal trend in the motor development of children?

A)a side-to-side direction
B)an outward-inward direction
C)a head-to-foot direction
D)a centre-outward direction

Question 37

If a baby is born prematurely and survives, then which of the following developmental stages must that baby have been in?

A)germinal
B)postnatal
C)fetal
D)embryonic

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT a risk associated with smoking cigarettes during pregnancy?

A)increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
B)increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, or prematurity
C)increased risk for microcephaly in the newborn
D)increased risk of attention deficit disorder in the child

Question 39

Angela and Dominique are best friends. Angela contracts rubella and Dominique catches it from her. At the time they are sick with the disease, Angela is four weeks pregnant and Dominique is eight months pregnant. What is the most likely outcome in this situation?

A)Neither baby will have physical defects as a result of their mothers' rubella.
B)Angelina's baby will be unaffected by the disease, but Dominique's baby will have physical defects.
C)Dominique's baby will be unaffected by the disease, but Angelina's baby will have physical defects.
D)Both babies will have physical defects as a result of their mothers' rubella.

Question 40

Systems in the body develop at different rates during pregnancy. At what pace of growth will any mechanical or chemical interference with prenatal development have the most serious impact on a developing system?

A)when it is not growing at all
B)when it is growing slowly
C)when it is growing at a constant pace
D)when it is growing rapidly

Question 41

Tucker is a graduate student who is studying identity formation. He selects a group of 5-year-olds, a group of 10-year-olds, and a group of 15-year-olds, and interviews each group, asking them what they plan to be when they finish school. What type of research design is Tucker using?

A)nested condition
B)multi-factorial
C)cross-sectional
D)longitudinal

Question 42

Ruby is an active infant who appears to be somewhat high strung, and who protests loudly every time her parents try to change her routine in any way. What type of temperament does Ruby have, using the temperament categories outlined by Thomas and Chess?

A)easy
B)difficult
C)uninhibited
D)slow-to-warm-up

Question 43

Which of the following body structures should take the longest to come under effective control, according to the basic sequences of progression of motor maturation?

A)fingers
B)torso
C)arms
D)shoulders

Question 44

Around what age does research suggest that a child's "temperamental individuality" is well established?

A)one year of age
B)two years of age
C)six to seven months of age
D)two to three months of age

Question 45

If an infant is temperamentally easy, what would be the best prediction to make about the child's temperament at age ten?

A)The child is likely to overcompensate by becoming "difficult" later on.
B)By the age of ten, the child is likely to develop whatever temperament the primary caregiver has.
C)No reasonable prediction can be made.
D)The child is fairly likely to retain the easy temperament.

Question 46

Gary is an active infant who always seems to be happy. He has a regular schedule, and his parents know that he will sleep through the night without waking, even when he stays overnight with his grandparents. Which type of temperament does Gary have, based on Thomas and Chess' categories?

A)difficult
B)easy
C)uninhibited
D)slow-to-warm-up

Question 47

What temperament category describes an infant who actively resists change, who fails to develop a regular sleeping and eating schedule, and who is generally irritable and unhappy?

A)slow-to-warm-up
B)mixed
C)easy
D)difficult

Question 48

Which of the following is most accurate regarding cross-cultural development of motor skills?

A)Rates vary somewhat across cultures, suggesting that genetic factors can slow or accelerate early motor development.
B)Rates do not vary across cultures, suggesting that genetic factors alone determine early motor development.
C)Rates do not vary within cultures, suggesting that environmental factors alone determine early motor development.
D)Rates vary somewhat across cultures, suggesting that environmental factors can slow or accelerate early motor development.

Question 49

Which of the following has been documented with respect to maturation?

A)While sequence varies a lot, rates are fairly universal across children.
B)The sequence of physical development varies from individual to individual.
C)The sequence of physical development varies from culture to culture.
D)All children go through roughly the same sequence of physical development.

Question 50

Mikaela is a quiet infant who doesn't seem to smile a lot, but who also seldom cries. She seems cautious and wary of changes in her surroundings, but eventually she adapts to the change. What type of temperament does Mikaela have, based on temperament categories outlined by Thomas and Chess?

A)difficult
B)slow-to-warm-up
C)uninhibited
D)easy

Question 51

In a healthy, normally developing child, which of the following is most likely to be due to cultural or social differences in childrearing?

A)developing a skill very late
B)developing a skill very early
C)developing a motor skill
D)developing a behavioural skill

Question 52

Which of the following pieces of evidence supports a more modern understanding of maturation?

A)Even babies who are born deaf will babble.
B)Children who are carried everywhere will walk later than average.
C)Children who were born premature are at risk for a variety of cognitive difficulties.
D)Development follows a cephalocaudal trend.

Question 53

Cheyenne is a graduate student who is studying the way in which selective attention develops during the preadolescent years. She selects a group of ten-year-olds, and she assesses their selective attention every six months over a two-year period. What type of research design is Cheyenne using?

A)cross-sectional
B)nested condition
C)multi-factorial
D)longitudinal

Question 54

Which of the following becomes increasingly critical as children grow older and acquire specialized motor skills?

A)experience
B)nutrition
C)genetic predisposition
D)maturation

Question 55

What is a developmental norm?

A)the age at which an average child achieves a skill
B)the mean age at which children achieve a skill
C)the median age at which children achieve a skill
D)the age at which most children achieve a skill

Question 56

What type of study is being used when groups of subjects of differing age are compared at a single point in time?

A)cross-cultural
B)longitudinal
C)cross-sectional
D)sequential

Question 57

What differs between the 'older' understanding of maturation and the 'newer' version?

A)We now know that maturation is simply the systematic unfolding of a genetic program.
B)We now know that maturation requires the active participation of the infant.
C)Recent evidence suggests that maturation is more of a 'blank slate' than previously believed.
D)Recent evidence suggests that developmental norms need to be revised to accommodate the effects of preschool and daycare.

Question 58

How do Thomas and Chess refer to a child who tends to be glum, erratic in sleep and eating, and resistant to change?

A)a slow-to-warm-up child
B)an easy child
C)a mixed temperament child
D)a difficult child

Question 59

If you hypothesize that children in different age groups will be influenced by the music that is popular when they started school, which of the following research methods would allow you to look at such cohort effects?

A)matched pairs condition
B)within-subject design
C)longitudinal design
D)cross-sectional design

Question 60

What does the proximodistal trend in physical development suggest about infants' control over their bodies?

A)Shoulders and arms will be under control before hands and fingers.
B)Hips and legs will be under control before shoulders and arms.
C)Shoulders and arms will be under control before hips and legs.
D)Hands and fingers will be under control before shoulders and arms.

Question 61

What type of temperament would Kagan and his colleagues use to describe infants who are shy, timid, and wary of unfamiliar persons?

A)mixed
B)slow-to-warm-up
C)uninhibited
D)inhibited

Question 62

Kara takes her 1-year-old son, Delaney, to visit a daycare centre where she plans to enrol him. Delaney appears very anxious and is unwilling to explore the playroom, even though Kara is close by. When his mom leaves the room to fill out some forms, Delaney becomes extremely upset. When Kara returns he clings to her leg, but does not calm down and continues to sob. What type of attachment relationship does this example illustrate?

A)secure
B)undeveloped
C)avoidant
D)anxious-ambivalent

Question 63

What is the adaptive value of attachment processes, according to evolutionary theorists?

A)Children learn the social and emotional skills needed for survival and reproduction.
B)Attachment itself is not an adaptive process, but it is a byproduct of other adaptive learning processes.
C)Parents ensure that their infants stay close to them at all times, which enhances survival.
D)Innate mechanisms ensure that parents and children cooperate.

Question 64

Three-month-old Wade and 15-month-old Macy are left with a babysitter while their mother runs a few errands. Which of the following is most likely, according to the research on separation anxiety?

A)Macy will show more distress than Wade when she realizes that her mother has gone.
B)Neither child is likely to show separation anxiety as long as the babysitter is responsive and caring.
C)Both Wade and Macy will show about the same degree of separation anxiety.
D)Wade will show more distress than Macy when he realizes that his mother has gone.

Question 65

Imagine that you have just read the results from a research study that investigated patterns of attachment during infancy. In 100 parent-infant dyads, none of the infants showed evidence of an avoidant attachment pattern. Where should you expect that this study took place, based on Cole's research?

A)Japan
B)the United States
C)Germany
D)Canada

Question 66

Which of the following factors seems to be most important for attachment, based on evidence from Harlow's studies of attachment between infant monkeys and their substitute mothers?

A)providing protection
B)providing food
C)providing auditory feedback
D)providing comfort

Question 67

At what age does an infant typically first exhibit separation anxiety?

A)one to two weeks
B)one to two months
C)around one year
D)six to eight months

Question 68

Which of the following characteristics do preschool children who had secure attachments during infancy tend NOT to display?

A)greater curiosity
B)more self-reliance
C)better peer relationships
D)higher levels of moral reasoning

Question 69

In the middle childhood years, which of the following tends to be associated with the children who have the best social skills and the richest friendship networks?

A)They have no same-sex siblings.
B)They had secure attachments during infancy.
C)They had several siblings close to their own age.
D)They started full-time day care before the age of two.

Question 70

Erik Erikson's developmental stages are organized around potential turning points. What are these turning points called?

A)fixation points
B)psychosocial crises
C)psychosexual crises
D)developmental tasks

Question 71

Jasmin takes her 1-year-old son, Randy, to visit a daycare centre where she plans to enrol him. Randy eagerly explores the playroom, and when his mom leaves the room to fill out some forms he shows no signs of concern. When Jasmin returns, he shows little interest and continues to play with the toys he has collected. What type of attachment relationship does this example illustrate?

A)undeveloped
B)anxious-ambivalent
C)avoidant
D)secure

Question 72

Why are infants so cute and appealing to adults, according to Bowlby?

A)because we are attached to them, we perceive them as appealing
B)because we reinforce their actions that we find appealing
C)so that we will become attached to them and provide care
D)so that we are rewarded for our caring behaviours

Question 73

Laura takes her one-year-old son, Jake, to visit a daycare centre where she plans to enrol him. Jake eagerly explores the playroom as long as Laura is present. When his mom leaves the room to fill out some forms, Jake becomes somewhat upset, but when Laura returns, he quickly calms down. What type of attachment relationship likely exists between mother and son in this example?

A)avoidant
B)secure
C)undeveloped
D)anxious-ambivalent

Question 74

What is the term for the close, emotional bond of affection between infant and caregiver?

A)identification
B)imprinting
C)dependency
D)attachment

Question 75

Which of the following is assumed by stage theories of development?

A)Progress through the sequence of stages is not related to age.
B)There are few, if any, discontinuities in development.
C)Environmental circumstances can sometimes cause individuals to skip stages early on and return to them later.
D)Individuals progress through specified stages in a particular order because each stage builds on the previous stage.

Question 76

Ross is a shy, timid child who is uncomfortable around unfamiliar people. What type of temperament does Ross have, using the temperament categories outlined by Kagan?

A)inhibited
B)slow-to-warm-up
C)uninhibited
D)easy

Question 77

One-year-old Tommy is extremely distressed whenever his mother leaves him, yet resists her attempts to comfort him when she returns. What type of attachment does Tommy likely have with his mother?

A)avoidant
B)none
C)anxious-ambivalent
D)secure

Question 78

Imagine that you have just read the results from a research study that investigated patterns of attachment during infancy. In 100 parent-infant dyads, nearly half the infants showed evidence of an avoidant attachment pattern. In which of the following countries did the study likely take place, based on Cole's research?

A)the United States
B)Germany
C)Japan
D)Canada

Question 79

Dr. Gevy explains that a secure attachment develops when the child experiences a predictable relationship with parents that includes plenty of loving behaviour. The child learns that the world is a safe place, and learns to trust easily. If a child experiences an unpredictable, dangerous, or unloving environment, then the child learns to be wary and less connected to other people. Dr. Gevy suggests that either style helps a child to survive to reproductive age in its particular environment. What type of theorist is Dr. Gevy?

A)humanist
B)evolutionary theorist
C)cognitive theorist
D)developmental theorist

Question 80

There are differences in parenting styles among various cultures and these differences appear to be reflected in rates of different attachment styles. What does this suggest about the process of attachment?

A)It is best observed within a North American style of parent-child interaction.
B)It is influenced by racial differences.
C)It is expressed differently, depending on what is allowed by parents.
D)It develops as a result of the style of interactions between parent and child.