Deck 1: Introduction

Question 1

In the United States, most individuals begin school around age 5, whereas in Australia they start at 3.This is an illustration of how development is:

A)lifelong.
B)multidisciplinary.
C)multidirectional.
D)contextual.

Answer 1

contextual.

Question 2

Although the maximum life span of humans has not changed, during the twentieth century life expectancy in the United States has:

A)decreased for Hispanic individuals.
B)increased for women but not for men.
C)increased by 30 years.
D)decreased because of the numbers of individuals killed in war.

Answer 2

increased by 30 years.

Question 3

Kathy believes that life-span development cannot be studied without considering biological, social, and cognitive aspects.Kathy believes that development is:

A)lifelong.
B)multidirectional.
C)multidimensional.
D)plastic.

Answer 3

multidimensional.

Question 4

Researchers increasingly study the experiences and psychological orientations of adults at different points in their development.This implies that development is:

A)lifelong.
B)multidisciplinary.
C)multidirectional.
D)contextual.

Question 5

The psychology department is debating what to include in their Human Development course.Some professors want to teach about the life-span approach, whereas others want to deliver a traditional philosophy.They disagree about:

A)the plasticity of development.
B)the multidimensional nature of development.
C)whether most significant change occurs from birth to adolescence or well into later phases of life.
D)Freud's psychosocial theories.

Question 6

Baltes argues that compared to younger adults, older adults often show:

A)less interest in learning new things.
B)less capacity for learning something new.
C)greater rigidity in personality characteristics.
D)lower tendency to tolerate changes.

Question 7

Life-span development covers the period from __________ to __________.

A)birth; middle adulthood
B)conception; old age
C)infancy; early adulthood
D)conception; death

Question 8

Which of the following gives the BEST description of how life-span psychologists describe "development"?

A)growth and decline in skills and processes
B)how the fetus grows and develops in the womb
C)growth and improvement in skills and processes
D)growth in muscles that leads to improvement in skills

Question 9

Many older adults become wiser by calling on experiential knowledge, yet they perform poorly on cognitive speed tests.This is an example of how development is:

A)plastic.
B)contextual.
C)multidimensional.
D)multidirectional.

Question 10

Anna attributes her thriftiness to having been raised during the Great Depression.This is an example of a:

A)nonnormative life event.
B)normative history-graded influence.
C)normative age-graded influence.
D)nonnormative age-graded influence.

Question 11

Baltes describes development as multidirectional.What does this mean?

A)Development is not dominated by any single age period.
B)Development consists of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional dimensions.
C)Development is characterized by both growth and decline.
D)Development balances growth, maintenance, and regulation.

Question 12

The upper boundary of the human lifespan is approximately __________ years.

A)95
B)100
C)110
D)122

Question 13

Diana has returned to college after raising her children.She feels that her human development course overemphasizes the dramatic changes that occur from birth to adolescence and disregards the various developmental issues of adulthood.Which developmental theory might address her concerns?

A)traditional
B)life-span
C)ethological
D)ecological

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT one of Paul Baltes's seven characteristics of the life-span perspective on development?

A)contextual
B)multidimensional
C)plastic
D)unidirectional

Question 15

According to life-span development expert Paul Baltes, which age period dominates development?

A)infancy-childhood
B)adolescence-early adulthood
C)middle-late adulthood
D)No single age group dominates development.

Question 16

Life-span development is the study of human development from conception to death.Historically, however, most of the focus has been on which age group?

A)children
B)adolescents
C)middle-aged adults
D)the elderly

Question 17

Normative age-graded influences, normative history-graded influences, and nonnormative life events are all ways in which development can be classified as:

A)multidirectional.
B)multidimensional.
C)contextual.
D)plastic.

Question 18

The capacity for acquiring second and third languages decreases after early childhood, whereas experiential wisdom increases with age.This is an example of how development is:

A)lifelong.
B)multidisciplinary.
C)multidirectional.
D)contextual.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of how development is contextual?

A)Reasoning ability is biologically finite and cannot be improved through retraining.
B)Parents in the United States are more likely to rear their children to be independent than do parents in Japan.
C)Older adults call on experience to guide their decision making.
D)Intelligence may be studied by looking at genetics, anthropology, sociology, and other disciplines.

Question 20

The fact that I use e-mail virtually every day and my mother has never sent or received an e-mail is an example of a difference in:

A)normative history-graded influences.
B)nonnormative life events.
C)normative age-graded influences.
D)generational gaps in knowledge.

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT a concern related to children living in poverty?

A)increased likelihood of separation from a parent
B)increased exposure to violence
C)poorer performance in school
D)increased exposure to family turmoil

Question 22

Doctors measure and chart a baby's height, weight, and head growth at each medical check-up.What processes are being tracked?

A)abstract
B)biological
C)socioemotional
D)cognitive

Question 23

The developmental period during which changes are rapid and primarily biological is:

A)prenatal.
B)infancy.
C)adolescence.
D)late adulthood.

Question 24

Which of the following statements BEST describes the relationship between biological, cognitive, and socioemotional development?

A)These processes develop independently of one another.
B)The development of these processes is intricately interwoven.
C)Social development is independent of biological and cognitive development.
D)Cognitive development sets the upper limits for biological and social development.

Question 25

Biological processes such as puberty and menopause are:

A)nonnormative life events.
B)normative age-graded influences.
C)normative history-graded influences.
D)normative contextual influences.

Question 26

Of special consideration for social policy intervention are children who grow up:

A)in poverty.
B)in single-parent homes.
C)addicted to heroin.
D)as part of a minority group.

Question 27

At age 3, Jillian is beginning to participate in imaginary play.Identify the process of Jillian's life-span development.

A)ecological
B)biological
C)socioemotional
D)cognitive

Question 28

Which of the following is an example of the plasticity of development?

A)Intelligence has many components-nonverbal, abstract, social, and so on.
B)The potential and limits of one's IQ are set by heredity.
C)The same person may develop differently depending on environment.
D)Someone who goes blind may develop better hearing as a result.

Question 29

Neleh was a participant on a popular reality TV show.Months later, she still experiences the effects of this widespread exposure.This is an example of a:

A)nonnormative life event.
B)normative age-graded influence.
C)normative history-graded influence.
D)normative contextual influence.

Question 30

The laws, regulations, and government programs that are designed to promote the welfare of a country's citizens are part of _____ policy.

A)family
B)social
C)welfare
D)development

Question 31

The period of early childhood ends when the child:

A)is toilet trained.
B)learns to dress herself.
C)starts first grade.
D)is allowed to stay home alone.

Question 32

The U.S.percentage of children living in poverty is:

A)only half as much as some other industrialized nations.
B)almost twice as great as the percent in Canada.
C)at an all-time high.
D)of little concern to lawmakers.

Question 33

Kindergarten students spend much of their time learning how to negotiate peer relationships.What period of development are they in?

A)prenatal
B)infancy
C)early childhood
D)middle/late childhood

Question 34

Alec is almost completely dependent on his parents and is quietly developing many cognitive processes.What period of development is he most likely in?

A)prenatal
B)infancy
C)early childhood
D)middle/late childhood

Question 35

A primary concern in relation to social policy for older adults is the:

A)increasing numbers who live in poverty.
B)increase in elder abuse.
C)failure of the health care system to address their needs.
D)need for funding public pensions.

Question 36

According to Baltes, childhood and adolescence is marked by continuing growth, maintenance, and regulation, while adulthood and old age are characterized by:

A)slowing growth, no maintenance, and no regulation.
B)continuing growth and maintenance with no regulation.
C)slowing growth with an increase in maintenance and regulation.
D)slowing growth, maintenance, and regulation.

Question 37

Janice's childhood years were spent living in poverty.Which of the following statements is most likely NOT true?

A)Janice lived in a two-parent household.
B)Janice exhibited elevated levels of physiological stress.
C)Janice was frequently exposed to violence and crowding.
D)Janice lived in poor housing.

Question 38

Jen has found new independence in mastering how to read and write.What period of development is she most likely in?

A)middle childhood
B)late childhood
C)adolescence
D)primary years

Question 39

Lauro is 83 years old.Much of his development will now focus on:

A)growth and maintenance.
B)maintenance and regulation.
C)regulation and nonnormative influences.
D)growth and regulation.

Question 40

Diego beams as he holds his newborn child.What processes are developing?

A)abstract
B)biological
C)socioemotional
D)cognitive

Question 41

Paulo is struggling to juggle school, work, and relationships while he is beginning to become more independent and responsible.What period of development is he most likely in?

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

Question 42

In the nature/nurture debate, one's biology is related to "nature" while one's _____ is related to "nurture."

A)environment
B)age
C)behavior
D)genetics

Question 43

Most traditional college students are considered to be in what developmental period?

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

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT a commonly conceptualized way of viewing age?

A)biological age
B)cognitive age
C)social age
D)psychological age

Question 45

At what age do people enter the "oldest old" age group?

A)50 years
B)65 years
C)75 years
D)85 years

Question 46

What developmental period is marked by sizeable losses in cognitive potential, chronic stress, and frailty?

A)oldest old
B)young old
C)late adulthood
D)middle adulthood

Question 47

Leo is 65 years old and has just retired.He is coping well with his change of lifestyle and is highly motivated to learn new things.Leo is __________ young.

A)socially
B)biologically
C)physically
D)psychologically

Question 48

Henry's family and friends believe that he is too old to take up skydiving and urge him to "act more his age." These expectations are based on Henry's _____ age.

A)psychological
B)social
C)biological
D)socioemotional

Question 49

Due to modern-day medical advances, people may become parents well into middle or late adulthood.Those who choose to take on this role, despite chronological age, enter a younger:

A)biological age.
B)psychological age.
C)social age.
D)developmental maturity.

Question 50

Margaret spends a lot of time thinking about the choices that she has made in her life and the events that she has witnessed.She was recently diagnosed with diabetes and has made several lifestyle changes as a result.Margaret is most likely in:

A)late adolescence.
B)early adulthood.
C)middle adulthood.
D)late adulthood.

Question 51

Mrs.B is a 66-year-old widow in remarkably good health.She is financially comfortable and will retire soon.However, she dreads retirement, saying that she has no hobbies and no ideas about how she will structure her new abundance of time.She is experiencing difficulty with _____ age.

A)biological
B)cognitive
C)chronological
D)psychological

Question 52

Jerry is 60 years old and is training for his first marathon.He believes he is in the best shape of his life.Jerry feels _____ young.

A)chronologically
B)biologically
C)developmentally
D)socially

Question 53

Maria feels less pressure to achieve, has more time for leisure activities, and is highly adaptable to change.She is MOST likely in which period of development?

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

Question 54

The functional capacities of a person's vital organ system indicate _____ age.

A)chronological
B)biological
C)psychological
D)developmental

Question 55

Each fall, the choir teacher faces the task of retraining the deepening voices of some of his male students.What period of development are these students most likely in?

A)socially young
B)adolescence
C)physically young
D)late childhood

Question 56

Len feels greatly contented in his career.Now that his medical clinic is doing well, he has more time in hand to spend with his family.What period of development is he most likely in?

A)late adulthood
B)middle adulthood
C)early adulthood
D)stability and regulation

Question 57

A person's adaptive capacities compared with those of other individuals of the same chronological age are called _____ age.

A)psychological
B)social
C)biological
D)coping

Question 58

At what age do more people claim to be happiest?

A)19 years
B)25 years
C)42 years
D)88 years

Question 59

Becoming a grandmother is an example of _____ age.

A)biological
B)cognitive
C)social
D)psychological

Question 60

Brent has a son diagnosed with ADHD and believes that this is primarily due to genetics, as his father was ADHD as well.Brent most likely believes that ADHD is primarily influenced by:

A)nature.
B)nurture.
C)stability.
D)continuity.

Question 61

Psychoanalytic theories stress what in development?

A)continuity
B)genes
C)late experience
D)early experience

Question 62

Reactive Attachment Disorder is thought to be a lifelong condition caused by a lack of nurturing care during the early years of life.This diagnosis aligns with the developmental issue of:

A)stability.
B)change.
C)nature.
D)temperament.

Question 63

Professor Martin is a later-experience theorist.Which statement BEST reflects his view about development?

A)Later experiences are more important than earlier experiences.
B)Later experiences are less important than earlier experiences.
C)Later experiences are just as important as earlier experiences.
D)Later experiences are only important if they are significantly negative.

Question 64

Jesse was physically abused as an infant.He was taken away from his abuser and raised in a home with loving adults who adopted him.According to later-experience theorists, Jesse will:

A)continue to be psychologically scarred by his earlier abuse.
B)block out his abuse during childhood, but relive it during adulthood.
C)heal from the earlier abuse in his supportive environment.
D)suffer during adolescence because of his earlier abuse.

Question 65

Conceptualize a problem to be studied, collect data, analyze data, and draw conclusions.These steps describe:

A)discontinuity in development.
B)the scientific method.
C)a journal abstract.
D)a theory.

Question 66

In the final analysis, most developmentalists tend to believe that:

A)development is more continuous than discontinuous.
B)for the most part, people can't change.
C)nature is more important than nurture.
D)development is best explained by the interaction of nature and nurture.

Question 67

Ben has repressed his sexual urges and has started to develop social and intellectual skills.Ben is in the psychosexual stage called the _____ stage.

A)phallic
B)anal
C)latency
D)oral

Question 68

Although Angie was somewhat irresponsible as a teen, she changed her ways when she entered college and leased her first apartment.This example illustrates the developmental issue of:

A)stability.
B)change.
C)continuity.
D)biology.

Question 69

Psychoanalytic theories hold that development primarily depends on:

A)the unconscious mind.
B)thinking, reasoning, language, and other cognitive processes.
C)behavior's link to environment.
D)biology and evolution.

Question 70

Tammy was shy as a child but became more outgoing and confident when she attended a university far from her hometown.This is an example of which developmental issue?

A)multidirectionality
B)growth and regulation
C)nature and nurture
D)stability and change

Question 71

The controversy of stability versus change is closely linked to Paul Baltes's theory of:

A)plasticity.
B)contextualism.
C)multidimensionalism.
D)multidirectionality.

Question 72

Nala decides to explore teenage pregnancy prevention for her Master's thesis.According to the scientific method, what should be her first step in getting started?

A)analyze similarities and differences in the information she has gathered
B)draw conclusions to be studied
C)conceptualize the problem to be studied
D)begin to collect information

Question 73

The four stages of a butterfly's maturation-egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly-characterize which aspect of development?

A)plasticity
B)stability
C)discontinuity
D)continuity

Question 74

Which of the following statements is NOT true of a theory?

A)A theory is an interrelated, coherent set of ideas that helps explain phenomena and make predictions.
B)Different theories contain many ideas that may compliment as well as contradict other theories.
C)When studying a topic, it is advisable to choose one developmental theory and disregard all others.
D)No one theory will account for all aspects of life-span development.

Question 75

The life-span development concept of plasticity aligns most closely with which of the following?

A)stability
B)change
C)nature
D)nurture

Question 76

During her intake interview, Jody's psychiatrist asks for a familial history of mental disorders as well as for details about her childhood.The psychiatrist is gathering information related to the influence of _____ on development.

A)biology and environment
B)biology
C)environment
D)cognitive acuity and coping skills

Question 77

Erikson's theory emphasizes which of the following aspects of human development?

A)observational
B)sexual
C)psychoanalytic
D)social

Question 78

Each stage in Erikson's theory presents a crisis that must be resolved.These crises are:

A)opportunities to repair relations with others.
B)opportunities to further the healthy development of personality.
C)negative events that toughen the individual for future crises.
D)marker events that signal new stages but have little long-term effect on personality development.

Question 79

"A child's first word seems like an abrupt event but is actually the result of weeks and months of practice." This statement reflects a predominantly _____ view.

A)stage-based
B)nature-based
C)continuity-based
D)discontinuity-based

Question 80

Studies involving Romanian orphans have theorized that children will not develop optimally without warm, nurturing caregiving during the first year of life.This research explores the _____ aspect of the _____ issue in development.

A)early experience; stability and change
B)early experience; continuity and discontinuity
C)cumulative experience; stability and change
D)late experience; continuity and discontinuity