Deck 8: Early Childhood: Physical Development

Question 1

What is meant by "brain plasticity?"

A) Brain parts are flexible and can complete a variety of tasks
B) Certain brain areas have very specific functions
C) The brain can sometimes compensate for injuries
D) None of these is accurate

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In terms of height and weight gains during early childhood,

A) boys and girls increase their amount of "baby fat."
B) boys and girls become more slender and lose some baby fat.
C) girls become heavier and taller than boys.
D) the growth rate speeds up compared to growth in infancy.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In the classic research study by Vurpillot (1968),what was characteristic of the 9-year-olds,but not the 4-year-olds?

A) Systematic scanning of the features of the houses
B) Object permanence
C) Primarily right-brain thinking
D) Greater brain plasticity

Answer 3

A

Question 4

At age 6,Julia is able to focus on schoolwork.What brain developments promoted this?

A) Myelination of the pathways in the cerebellum
B) The parts of the brain that enable sustained attention became myelinated
C) The pathways that link the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex became myelinated
D) Increased visual acuity promoted this,not brain development

Question 5

Lea and Mia are both 2 years old.If they develop at an average rate,we would expect them to gain approximately _______ during early childhood.

A) 1 to 2 pounds per month
B) 1 to 2 pounds per year
C) 4 to 6 pounds per year
D) twice as much weight as boys of the same age

Question 6

By age 5,a child's brain

A) has reached 50% of its adult weight.
B) has reached 75% of its adult weight.
C) has reached 90% of its adult weight.
D) has acquired all the neurons it will ever acquire.

Question 7

Bradley's fine motor skills,such as being able to button his own coat,have improved dramatically across early childhood.Which aspect of brain development leads to this?

A) Myelination of pathways from the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex
B) Development of the brain stem
C) Hormones released from the pituitary gland
D) Maturation of the amygdala

Question 8

Annah argues that people are primarily "right-brained" or "left-brained." Ramona argues that whether you are right-or left-brained is primarily inherited.Kristin argues that there is some specialization in the right and left hemispheres,but not to the extent that has been popularly believed.Who is right?

A) Annah
B) Ramona
C) Kristin
D) None of the above; boys tend to be left-brained and girls tend to be right-brained

Question 9

When is brain plasticity at its peak?

A) Not until adolescence
B) Between the ages of 1 and 2
C) It varies greatly from individual to individual
D) It varies greatly between females and males

Question 10

Which of the following provides evidence that people are not simply left-brained or right-brained?

A) The functions of the hemispheres have been found to overlap
B) The hemispheres respond simultaneously when we focus on something
C) The myelination of the corpus callosum aids in integrating emotional and logical functioning
D) All of the above

Question 11

The functions of the left and right hemispheres tend to respond simultaneously when we focus our attention on one thing.The hemispheres are aided in their cooperation by

A) myelination of the cerebellum.
B) myelination of the corpus callosum.
C) the frontal lobe and the medulla.
D) the cerebrum and the limbic system.

Question 12

In comparison to physical development in infancy,

A) growth during the preschool years is slower.
B) growth during the preschool years is faster.
C) there is little,if any,growth for several years after infancy.
D) growth during the preschool years is more dependent upon nutrition.

Question 13

In terms of sex differences in growth during early childhood,

A) boys outgrow girls significantly.
B) boys tend to be slightly heavier and taller than girls.
C) boys get heavier while girls get taller.
D) girls get heavier while boys get taller.

Question 14

Increase in brain weight during the preschool years is due

A) primarily to the thickening of the skull.
B) in large part to increasing myelination.
C) primarily to increases in the size of the cerebellum.
D) to increases in the size of the muscles that support the skull.

Question 15

The child's ability to attend to and process visual information is important for

A) learning to read.
B) systematically scanning pictures and objects.
C) improving the speed at which the child can process information.
D) All of the above

Question 16

If Christopher is right-handed,we might expect the right hemisphere of his brain to be superior to the left hemisphere at

A) recognition of faces.
B) logical analysis.
C) language.
D) mathematical computation.

Question 17

Raina is a 2-year-old girl.If she develops at an average rate,we would expect her to gain approximately ____ throughout early childhood.

A) 1 inch in height per month
B) 1 inch in height per year
C) 2 to 3 inches in height per year
D) Gains in height vary considerably for girls and there is no average rate

Question 18

In right-handed individuals,the left hemisphere of the brain is slightly more involved in

A) discrimination of colors.
B) mathematical computation.
C) facial recognition.
D) None of the above

Question 19

The corpus callosum

A) does not begin to develop until the preschool years.
B) processes auditory information only.
C) connects the brainstem to the oldest and most primitive regions of the brain.
D) is largely myelinated by the age of 8.

Question 20

Research suggests that in right-handed individuals,

A) the left hemisphere is more involved in logical analysis and problem solving.
B) the right hemisphere is more involved in logical analysis and problem solving.
C) both hemispheres are equally involved in logical analysis and problem solving.
D) myelination of the corpus callosum is not complete until adulthood.

Question 21

Which of the following is TRUE about brain plasticity?

A) It is possible because of "sprouting"
B) It is possible because of "redundancy"
C) It becomes increasingly less likely to occur as we age
D) All of these are true

Question 22

Children who have early crawling experience perform better than those who do not on tests of motor skills in early childhood (Haywood & Getchell,2008).This implies that

A) experience makes no difference as these skills are based on maturation.
B) genetics makes no difference as these skills are based on experience.
C) early experience may affect development of motor skills.
D) boys begin utilizing motor skills earlier than girls.

Question 23

Sabrina wants to host a birthday party in her home for her 3-year-old son and six of his friends.Which design would best suit the children's needs?

A) A small space with lots of furniture,like an office
B) A large open space with desks and chairs,so they can sit and work
C) A large open space with few pieces of furniture and lots of things to grab and bang
D) A space that encourages quiet activities such as reading

Question 24

Which of the following is TRUE regarding motor activity in early childhood?

A) Motor activity declines after 2 or 3 years of age
B) Motor activity continues to increase after 2 or 3 years of age
C) Girls show a decline in motor activity after age 3,whereas boys show an increase in motor activity after age 3
D) Children become more restless and are less able to sit still over time

Question 25

When speaking of brain plasticity,redundancy means

A) increased myelination.
B) a surge in neurotransmitters.
C) damage to the corpus callosum.
D) similarity of function in two or more brain locations.

Question 26

If Lisa and Adam are typical 5-year-olds,given the research on sex differences in motor skills in early childhood,we would expect that

A) Lisa would perform better on tasks requiring balance; Adam would be better at throwing and kicking.
B) Lisa would be better at throwing and kicking; Adam would have better balance.
C) Lisa would perform well at throwing; Adam at kicking.
D) Lisa would perform well at hopping; Adam at skipping.

Question 27

Which group shows the HIGHEST level of physical activity?

A) Children under the age of 3
B) Children ages 3-5
C) Boys ages 1-3 and girls ages 3-5
D) Level of physical activity does not vary between the ages of 1 to 8 for boys or girls

Question 28

In terms of rough-and-tumble play,

A) there are no gender differences.
B) girls engage in this type of play more when young and less as they get older.
C) this form of play differs from culture to culture.
D) the amount of this type of play increases dramatically as children get older.

Question 29

Preschool children spend _______ in physical activity,about _______ per week.

A) little time; 5 hours
B) a moderate amount of time; 10 hours
C) quite a bit of time; 25 hours
D) most of their time; 40 hours

Question 30

Gross motor skills are to ________,whereas fine motor skills are to________.

A) large muscle groups; small muscle groups
B) small muscle groups; large muscle groups
C) nervous system development; instruction from peers
D) development during early childhood; development during adolescence

Question 31

Nhu and Joseph are chasing each other around the park and wrestling in the grass.This form of play is called

A) aggressive play.
B) cooperative play.
C) large-muscle-skill play.
D) rough-and-tumble play.

Question 32

By what age can most children pedal a tricycle?

A) By age 18 months to 2 years
B) By age 3
C) By age 4-5
D) Not before age 6 or 7

Question 33

What is meant by "brain specialization?"

A) Brain parts are flexible and can complete a variety of tasks
B) Certain brain areas have very specific functions
C) The brain can sometimes compensate for injuries
D) Certain brain areas remain dormant until they are needed

Question 34

Some sex differences in gross motor activity in early childhood have been found.However,these differences

A) are slight when compared to the differences between individual children.
B) disappear by age 7.
C) are attributed to genetics.
D) are attributed to environmental causes.

Question 35

What can be said about gross motor skills in early childhood?

A) They include standing on one foot and riding a tricycle
B) They allow for coordination of two tasks,such as singing and skipping
C) They can be improved by observing and playing with peers
D) All of the above

Question 36

Genetically,

A) some children are predisposed toward better coordination.
B) boys and girls are programmed differently when it comes to motor skills.
C) girls are likely to have stronger gross motor skills.
D) boys have a better sense of balance.

Question 37

Stewart,who is 2 years old,recently suffered a brain injury which resulted in him losing the ability to comprehend language.Given what we know about brain plasticity and age,we might assume that

A) Stewart may also lose the ability to speak language.
B) other parts of Stewart's brain may be able assume the functions lost due to injury.
C) Stewart may regain the ability to comprehend language when he reaches adolescence and his brain has greater plasticity.
D) due to redundancy of neural connections,Stewart will never recover from the injury.

Question 38

Rough-and-tumble play is found

A) only among children in the U.S.
B) in boys cross-culturally,but not among girls.
C) cross-culturally,but only in adolescents.
D) cross-culturally in same and mixed sex groups.

Question 39

Rough-and-tumble play

A) is simply an expression of aggression.
B) is important to the physical and social development of children.
C) increases as children get older.
D) is specific to American culture.

Question 40

In the Journal of Neuropsychology,you read a research article about a study of sprouting in the brains of young children.Sprouting means

A) the proliferation of connections between the brain hemispheres.
B) an increase in the types of neurotransmitters in the brain.
C) the growth of new dendrites.
D) the pruning back of neural connections.

Question 41

A proximodistal trend is BEST seen in the development of

A) brain redundancy.
B) fine motor skills.
C) gross motor skills.
D) language skills.

Question 42

Which fine motor skill is MOST sophisticated and develops last?

A) Builds a tower of six cubes
B) Copies letters
C) Uses pencil with correct grip
D) Laces shoes

Question 43

During a recent parent teacher conference,Mr.Charles explained to the parents of 3-year-old Cameron that he is in the shape stage of drawing.What does this mean?

A) That Cameron draws scribbles in various locations on the page
B) That Cameron draws circles,squares,Xs,and odd shapes
C) That Cameron combines shapes such as circles and squares in his drawings
D) That Cameron draws recognizable objects likes houses and airplanes

Question 44

Young children who are physically active

A) tend to have physically active parents.
B) are often diagnosed as hyperactive when they reach elementary school.
C) are less likely to get into trouble because they burn off excess energy.
D) outgrow it and become sedentary adults.

Question 45

By the age of 2,which of the following fine motor skills can a child accomplish?

A) Lacing one's shoes
B) Printing one's first name
C) Using a pencil with the correct hand grip
D) None of the above

Question 46

Two-year-old Samantha is drawing a picture.It consists of scribbles that she has carefully drawn along the border of the paper.Which stage of drawing is Samantha in?

A) Scribbles
B) Placement
C) Shape
D) Design

Question 47

The drawings of a 6-year-old

A) have no real meaning.
B) are symbolic rather than specific.
C) are random,but then are given meaning by the child.
D) represent complex inner emotions they cannot otherwise express.

Question 48

By age 3,children are drawing basic shapes.As soon as they draw shapes,they begin to combine them,thus entering the __________ stage.

A) placement
B) pictoral
C) interpretive
D) design

Question 49

Sedentary parents are more likely to have children who are

A) overactive.
B) cognitively delayed.
C) sedentary.
D) Parent activity level is not related to child activity level

Question 50

By what age do children begin drawing basic shapes?

A) 18 months
B) 3 years
C) 2 years
D) 1 year

Question 51

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding handedness?

A) Handedness is firmly established at birth
B) Grasping with a certain hand increases between 7-11 months of age
C) Preference for a certain hand is taught to infants by parents
D) Handedness can vary through adulthood

Question 52

Mr.Hollen teaches kindergarten.He wants to add a class to his curriculum that will help develop the fine motor skills of his students.Which of the following would you recommend?

A) Gymnastics
B) Arts and crafts
C) Soccer
D) All of these would develop fine motor skills

Question 53

How early can handedness emerge?

A) Not until late childhood
B) As early as 2-3 months of age
C) Prenatally
D) It varies greatly based upon sex of child

Question 54

!Kung girls and boys engage in rough-and-tumble play.Among the Pilaga Indians,girls are matched against the boys.Rough-and-tumble play is less common among girls in the United States.These examples demonstrate that

A) the tendency to participate in rough-and-tumble play is genetic.
B) children from lower socioeconomic status groups are more likely to engage in it.
C) this type of play is influenced by culture and environment.
D) it is a form of play that is new to the United States.

Question 55

Four-year-old Hunter draws lines coming down a sheet of construction paper.He then looks at it and decides it's the rain he sees coming down outside his window.This represents which feature of drawing in early childhood?

A) Drawings have no real meaning
B) Drawings are specific rather than symbolic of a category
C) Children ages 3 to 5 have difficulty interpreting what they have drawn
D) Children ages 3 to 5 usually see what they've drawn and then name it

Question 56

The development of drawing is linked to

A) motor development.
B) cognitive development.
C) enjoyment.
D) All of these

Question 57

Which of the following researchers has studied over 1 million children's drawings and found meaningful patterns in the scribbles?

A) Piaget
B) Kellogg
C) Ainsworth
D) Vygotsky

Question 58

The scribbling of young children

A) is random and meaningless.
B) shows a lack of cognitive development.
C) shows a lack of gross motor skills.
D) demonstrates meaningful patterns.

Question 59

Children of active mothers are twice as likely to be active as children of inactive mothers.What is TRUE regarding fathers?

A) Father activity level is unrelated to child activity level
B) As the father's activity increases,the child's activity level decreases
C) Children of active fathers are 3.5 times more likely to be active
D) The father's activity level is related to the activity level of boys,but not that of girls

Question 60

According to Kellogg,which is the correct sequence of stages of drawing?

A) Placement then shape stage
B) Shape then placement stage
C) Placement then design stage
D) Pictorial then design stage

Question 61

In terms of handedness,

A) there are only disadvantages to being left-handed.
B) left-handedness is associated with artistic creativity and success in athletics.
C) percentage wise,right-handed individuals are significantly more likely to develop schizophrenia.
D) left-handed individuals have been shown to be less intelligent.

Question 62

Which of the following is TRUE about being left-handed?

A) You are more likely to be female
B) It has been encouraged and even promoted throughout time
C) It is associated with reduced creativity
D) None of these are accurate

Question 63

Ultrasound shows that

A) fetuses have no preference for handedness.
B) a majority of fetuses suck their left thumbs.
C) about 95% of fetuses suck their right thumbs.
D) fetuses suck both right and left thumbs equally.

Question 64

O'Boyle and Benbow (1990)related handedness to scores on the math part of the SAT among 12- and 13-year-olds.What did they find?

A) 20% of the highest scoring group was right-handed
B) 20% of the lowest scoring group was right-handed
C) 20% of the highest scoring group was left-handed
D) The majority of girls who scored in the highest group were right-handed

Question 65

Jeremy stutters when he speaks.What might we guess about his handedness?

A) He is right-handed,as this is associated with stuttering
B) There is no relationship between handedness and challenges such as stuttering
C) He is likely to be left-handed
D) He has inherited damage to his medulla,which is associated with handedness

Question 66

When do strong food preferences typically first appear?

A) At birth
B) By age 6 months
C) Around 2 to 3 years of age
D) Usually not until 5 to 6 years of age

Question 67

Prenatally,girls developing with male co-twins are less likely than girls developing in the uterus alone or with female co-twins to be left-handed.This suggests the influence of

A) environment.
B) testosterone.
C) maternal prenatal diet.
D) teratogens.

Question 68

In a research study,20% of the highest scoring performers on the SAT were left-handed.This suggests

A) that fewer left-handers perform as well as would be expected based on percentages.
B) that the SAT measures visual-spatial ability.
C) that more left-handers perform as well as would be expected based on percentages.
D) that the SAT measures fine motor skills.

Question 69

Why might identical twins NOT have the same handedness?

A) Because some twins are "mirror opposites"
B) This is not possible
C) Because there is no genetic component to handedness
D) Because they only share 50% of their genetic heritage

Question 70

A father has noticed a decrease in the appetite of his 2-year-old son.As a child development expert,you tell the father that he should

A) take the child to a physician immediately,as this indicates a serious problem.
B) not worry,as decreased appetite at this age is normal.
C) offer the child a diet high in fat and sugar,as this will encourage eating.
D) offer the child only their favorite food,as this will encourage eating.

Question 71

Genetically,

A) handedness of the child is determined by the handedness of the parents.
B) handedness is entirely environmentally determined.
C) 100% of people are born to be right-handed.
D) 50% of people are born to become right- or left-handed.

Question 72

The average 4- to 6-year-old requires _________ calories per day.

A) 1,000
B) 1,400
C) 1,800
D) 2,400

Question 73

Jason feeds his infant son foods that are high in salt and sugar.What is likely to happen to his infant's preferences for these tastes?

A) The infant's preference for sweet and salty foods will increase
B) His son will begin to refuse these foods,as infants do not like sweet or salty foods
C) A preference for salty tastes will go up,but a preference for sweet tastes will decline
D) Food preferences are not developed until after age 5

Question 74

A taste preference for salty foods

A) is genetic.
B) comes from in-utero exposure to sodium.
C) is a learned preference.
D) is predominantly a male characteristic.

Question 75

When comparing the nutritional requirements of infants and preschoolers,it can be said that

A) infants and preschoolers have the same nutritional requirements.
B) preschoolers need significantly less vitamin intake than infants.
C) preschoolers need significantly more fat than infants.
D) preschoolers need to consume fewer calories per pound than infants.

Question 76

A 2-year-old

A) may have a decreased appetite in comparison to a 1-year-old.
B) needs about 2,300 calories per day.
C) needs about 1,800 calories per day.
D) typically has an increased appetite for salty foods.

Question 77

Left-handedness

A) causes people to be clumsier than right-handed people.
B) appears to have both positive and negative academic implications.
C) causes deficits that can be overcome by forcing people to use their right hand.
D) None of these is true of left-handedness

Question 78

In the research,left-handedness has been associated with

A) high blood pressure and epilepsy.
B) depression and conduct disorder.
C) ADHD
D) obesity.

Question 79

Which of the following is TRUE about handedness?

A) It is a uniquely human quality
B) Only species with opposable thumbs develop handedness
C) Even parrots demonstrate the tendency for handedness
D) It is determined largely by one's sex

Question 80

If you take a group of 100 successful athletes and measure handedness,what would you find?

A) That the majority of them will be left-handed
B) That the percentage of them who are left-handed is higher than in the general population
C) That more of them are women than men
D) None of these would be accurate