Question 1

What term is used to describe changes in size, shape, and characteristics of the body?

Accepted Answer

A)  Psychological domain 
B)  Physical domain 
C)  Cognitive domain 
D)  Social domain

Question 2

Which of the following is a finding of Glen Elder, et al., on individuals who grew up during the Great Depression?

Accepted Answer

A)  The cohort born in 1920 suffered more than the cohort born in 1928. 
B)  Teenaged girls were more likely than teenaged boys to be forced into the work place prematurely because of economic hardship. 
C)  Teenagers whose families experienced severe economic difficulty assumed adult responsibility prematurely. 
D)  The adolescents who were forced prematurely into the work force were better adjusted as adults.

Question 3

Adults in London, England, who were teenagers living there during the bombings of World War II all report that their lives were changed by those events. This exemplifies which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Normative age-graded changes 
B)  Normative critical periods 
C)  Normative history-graded changes 
D)  Non-normative life events

Question 4

All children begin to smile and coo at approximately the same age. Identify at least two key concepts that you might use to explain these behaviors.

Accepted Answer

The answer of All children begin to smile and coo...

Question 5

Who was the philosopher who believed that children are born with a mind which is a blank slate?

Accepted Answer

A)  John Luc 
B)  Darwin 
C)  Jean-Jacques Rousseau 
D)  John Locke

Question 6

What term is used to describe changes in thinking, memory, problem solving, and other intellectual skills?

Accepted Answer

A)  Psychological domain 
B)  Physical domain 
C)  Cognitive domain 
D)  Social domain

Question 7

The two primary goals of cross-cultural research are to identify universal changes that cross cultures and to

Accepted Answer

A)  demonstrate cultural diversity in the social sciences. 
B)  nurture more culturally sensitive attitudes. 
C)  gain information that will help improve people's lives. 
D)  determine the effects that one culture has upon another.

Question 8

Which of the following best defines sensitive period?

Accepted Answer

A)  A time of psychological fragility, usually due to some type of loss such as the death of a spouse, termination of employment, deterioration due to aging, etc. 
B)  The period of time during which developmental norms for physical development are reached or achieved. 
C)  A specific period in development when an organism is particularly responsive to specific forms of experience or particularly influenced by their absence. 
D)  The time when the tension between nature and nurture is resolved in an organism's development.

Question 9

Which of the following developmental outcomes would be illustrative of the concept of vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

A)  Very low IQ scores are more common among children who were born with a low birth weight and who are reared in highly stressed, uninvolved families. 
B)  Normal birth weight infants born into upper socioeconomic status families invariably have superior levels of intelligence. 
C)  Children born into caring, facilitative families rarely have sufficient protective factors to overcome or offset all vulnerabilities that might potentially affect their development. 
D)  Positive developmental outcome is possible only for children with few vulnerabilities and many protective factors.

Question 10

After reading Chapter One, which of the following should you be able to apply to your daily life?

Accepted Answer

A)  You will be able to start your own research projects in developmental psychology once you have read chapter one. 
B)  You will have some tools to critically evaluate research and make an informed decision as to applying the research findings to your daily life. 
C)  You will be able to properly write a research report on your own. 
D)  You should always be skeptical of research and realize that most research is done with bias towards the desired results.

Question 11

Give at least three examples of normative age-graded changes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Give at least three examples of normative...

Question 12

Which of the following theorists is known for his emphasis on the positive aspects of aging?

Accepted Answer

A)  John Locke 
B)  Paul Baltes 
C)  Jean Piaget 
D)  Sigmund Freud

Question 13

Which domain of developmental psychology examines interactions with others?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cognitive 
B)  Physical 
C)  Biological 
D)  Social

Question 14

The basic idea that there may be significant periods in development when an organism is especially sensitive to the presence or absence of some particular kind of experience or influence is referred to as a

Accepted Answer

A)  cohort influence. 
B)  critical period. 
C)  collectivist cultural influence. 
D)  timing influence.

Question 15

Celia has an outgoing, friendly personality, while her best friend Chester is shy and reserved. We are describing Celia and Chester through the ________ domain of development.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Celia has an outgoing, friendly personality, while...

Question 16

Humans learn languages best in their childhood. In fact, some research indicates that if a child doesn't learn to speak a formal language before the age of 6, they may never learn to speak well at all. This would best illustrate which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Critical period 
B)  Normative age graded changes 
C)  Individual differences 
D)  Cultural specificity

Question 17

In which of the following research designs are subjects of different ages studied at the same time and the results compared?

Accepted Answer

A)  Longitudinal 
B)  Cross-sectional 
C)  Sequential 
D)  Cross-cultural

Question 18

In an experiment, what do we call the group of participants who receive a neutral treatment?

Accepted Answer

A)  Independent variable 
B)  Control group 
C)  Experimental group 
D)  Dependent variable

Question 19

Which of the following is a true statement about correlations?

Accepted Answer

A)  A correlation of zero indicates a strong relationship between two variables. 
B)  A correlation of -1.00 indicates a weak relationship between two variables. 
C)  A correlation of +1.00 provides clear evidence that one variable has a causative effect upon the other. 
D)  Correlations can range from -1.00 to +1.00 and describe the strength of a relationship between two variables.

Question 20

In Distinguishing Independent and Dependent Variables, which of the following was one of the options given as an independent variable?

Accepted Answer

A)  Changing the duration of the stimulus 
B)  Modifying the configuration of the shapes 
C)  Length of time that it takes to recognize the correct choice 
D)  Modifying the background color of the arrays

Exam 1: Basic Concepts and Methods