Deck 1: Introduction

Question 1

According to Paul Baltes's perspective of life-span development, which of the following statements is true?

A) Development stops during adolescence.
B) Development is multidimensional.
C) Development is unidirectional.
D) Development occurs independent of context.

Answer 1

Development is multidimensional.

Question 2

According to Paul Baltes, which of the following statements most likely supports the view that development is plastic?

A) Early adulthood is not the end point of development; rather, no age period dominates development.
B) The cognitive skills of older adults can be improved through training and acquisition of effective strategies.
C) Development has biological, cognitive, and socioemotional dimensions.
D) All development occurs within a context, or a setting that changes.

Answer 2

The cognitive skills of older adults can be improved through training and acquisition of effective strategies.

Question 3

Development can be defined as the pattern of movement or change that

A) begins at childhood and continues until adulthood.
B) begins at conception and continues until adulthood.
C) begins at birth and continues through the human life span.
D) begins at conception and continues through the human life span.

Answer 3

begins at conception and continues through the human life span.

Question 4

As people enter adolescence, they start focusing more time on romantic relationships and spend less time with friends as a result. This illustrates how development is

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

Question 5

Many individuals become wiser as they age, but their performance on tasks that require speed in processing information starts to decline. This illustrates how throughout life some dimensions or components of a dimension expand and others shrink, or how development is

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

Question 6

According to Paul Baltes's life-span perspective, which of the following is true of contexts?

A) They have a biological impact on development.
B) They are influenced by genetic factors.
C) They remain constant over time.
D) They refer to the capacity for change.

Question 7

The ________ approach to the study of development emphasizes extensive change from birth to adolescence, especially during infancy, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in old age.

A) prescriptive
B) constructivist
C) traditional
D) evolutionary

Question 8

In the context of Laura Carstensen's view on life expectancy, which of the following statements is true?

A) There has been a remarkable decrease in the number of people living to an old age.
B) The conception of work as a full-time endeavor ending in the early 60s is well suited for long lives.
C) Science, technology, and behavioral changes have not kept pace with the increase in the number of people living to an old age.
D) There should be a change from a world constructed mainly for the elderly to a world that is more compatible for young people.

Question 9

________ means the capacity for change.

A) Elasticity
B) Plasticity
C) Contextuality
D) Tenacity

Question 10

Who among the following is most likely taking the traditional approach to the study of development?

A) Daren who emphasizes developmental change throughout adulthood as well as childhood
B) Nick who emphasizes extensive change in adulthood
C) James who emphasizes extensive change from birth to adolescence, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in old age
D) Gregory who emphasizes development as lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual

Question 11

Which of the following is true of life expectancy in the United States?

A) It decreased by 15 years in the beginning of the 21st century.
B) It has remained unaffected by improvements in sanitation and nutrition.
C) It increased by 30 years in the 20th century.
D) It has remained unpredictable and has confused demographers.

Question 12

The maximum life span of humans

A) has increased over time.
B) has not changed since the beginning of recorded history.
C) has matched their life expectancy in recent times.
D) is about sixty-five years as the first decade of the twenty-first century draws to a close.

Question 13

On your first day of class, Professor Red-Elk claims that for too long we have focused on the development of young children, especially infants. She argues that the development of adults and elderly people is just as important. This professor is articulating a(n) ________ approach.

A) evolutionary
B) constructivist
C) normative
D) life-span

Question 14

Divya is 65 years old. She undergoes training and uses effective strategies to improve her memory. As a result, her memory does not decline but rather improves as she ages. According to Paul Baltes's view, which of the following aspects of the life-span perspective most likely explains the improvement in Divya's memory?

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

Question 15

Dr. Tepper-Harmon believes that life-span development cannot be studied without considering biological, socioemotional, and cognitive dimensions. Dr. Tepper-Harmon believes that development is

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

Question 16

Jeremy becomes fluent in English at the age of 4. At the age of 6, he becomes fluent in French. However, when Jeremy's parents try to teach him Spanish when he is 8 years old, they find that Jeremy's capacity to acquire a new language has decreased. This scenario most likely illustrates Paul Baltes's view that development is ________.

A) plastic
B) contextual
C) multidisciplinary
D) multidirectional

Question 17

When taking his psychology class, Professor Sharma emphasizes that developmental change occurs through out adulthood as well as childhood. Professor Sharma is taking a(n) ________ approach to developmental change.

A) life-span
B) evolutionary
C) normative
D) constructivist

Question 18

The life expectancy in the United States is currently

A) 60 years.
B) 79 years.
C) 85 years
D) 53 years.

Question 19

Bruce Chan, a 57-year-old accountant, decides to enroll in a short-term course on creative writing. He performs well in the course and is surprised that he does so despite not having engaged in creative writing for over 25 years. This scenario most likely illustrates Paul Baltes's view that development is

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

Question 20

The idea that no age period dominates development highlights the life-span perspective that development is

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

Question 21

According to a study that analyzed the exposure to six stressors among poor children and middle-income children in the United States, which of the following is a difference between children in poor families and children in middle-income families?

A) Unlike children in poor families, children in middle-income families were much more likely to separate from a parent.
B) Unlike children in poor families, children in middle-income families were much less likely to have a peaceful home.
C) Unlike children in middle-income families, children in poor families were much more likely to be exposed to violence.
D) Unlike children in middle-income families, children in poor families were much less likely to be exposed to family turmoil.

Question 22

Thomas is a teenager who lives with his parents in an American city. During one of his high school years, Thomas's house gets destroyed in a fire, forcing his family to relocate to a rural area. According to Paul Baltes, this incident is likely to affect Thomas's development and life and is most likely an example of a

A) normative history-graded influence.
B) nonnormative life event.
C) minority influence.
D) cohort effect.

Question 23

________ processes refer to changes in the individual's thought, intelligence, and language.

A) Cognitive
B) Biological
C) Socioemotional
D) Cultural

Question 24

________ processes involve changes in the individual's relationships with other people, changes in emotions, and changes in personality.

A) Cognitive
B) Biological
C) Socioemotional
D) Polycentric

Question 25

By age 51, most women enter menopause. This is an example of how a biological process can exert a ________influence on development.

A) normative history-graded
B) nonnormative multidirectional
C) normative age-graded
D) nonnormative age-graded

Question 26

________ is a government's course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens.

A) Social policy
B) Generational policy
C) Cultural legislation
D) Equity policy

Question 27

Agatha is 83 years old. According to Baltes and his colleagues, ________ and ________ in her capacities will take center stage.

A) growth; maintenance
B) maintenance; regulation of loss
C) regulation of loss; augmentation
D) growth; regulation of loss

Question 28

"Individuals are changing beings in a changing world." Which characteristic of development is reflected in this statement?

A) Development is multidisciplinary.
B) Development is contextual.
C) Development is multidimensional.
D) Development is multidirectional.

Question 29

Dr. Wilman is researching the place women occupy in families in Japan and the United States. Dr. Wilman is conducting a(n) ________ study.

A) longitudinal
B) ethnocentric
C) cross-cultural
D) decentralized

Question 30

When she was a child, Anna's home was wrecked by a tornado and her neighbor was killed. More than 30 years later, she is still terrified of storms. This is an example of how a ________ event can influence a person's development.

A) normative age-graded
B) normative generational
C) nonnormative life
D) normative history-graded

Question 31

Wang Ying is a clinical psychologist who specializes in counseling young adults. She helps her clients cope with depression, anxiety, and life transitions. In this scenario, Wang is most likely to

A) work individually with clients.
B) instruct clients to resolve their problems without seeking outside help.
C) refrain from referring clients to medical facilities.
D) conduct research on the effects of specific policies on children's well-being.

Question 32

The cultural makeup of the U.S. population has changed over the past few years because of immigration and other factors. Such long-term changes in the genetic and cultural makeup of a population are part of

A) nonnormative multidirectional change.
B) normative historical change.
C) nonnormative life events.
D) nonnormative demographic change.

Question 33

Changes in motor skills, nutrition, exercise, the hormonal changes of puberty, and cardiovascular decline are all examples of ________ processes that affect development.

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

Question 34

Socioeconomic status (SES) refers to

A) the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation.
B) a person's position within society based on occupational, educational, and economic characteristics.
C) the degree to which development is similar or universal across cultures.
D) a social label placed on a similar group of people based on their heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language.

Question 35

Psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, neuroscientists, and medical researchers all share an interest in unlocking the mysteries of development through the life span. This indicates how development is

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

Question 36

In the context of technology, which of the following was invented in the 1950s and contributed to changing human life permanently?

A) bluetooth
B) smartphones
C) global positioning system (GPS)
D) television

Question 37

According to Paul Baltes, which of the following is true of nonnormative life events?

A) They do not happen to all people.
B) They are similar for individuals in a particular age group.
C) They do not influence the lives of individual people.
D) They are usual occurrences.

Question 38

According to Paul Baltes, which of the following do normative age-graded influences include?

A) sociocultural factors and environmental processes
B) economic, political, and social upheavals
C) long-term changes in the cultural makeup of a population
D) long-term changes in the genetic composition of a population

Question 39

Influences that generally affect a generation (for example, the effect of the Vietnam War on the baby boomers) are considered ________ influences.

A) nonnormative multidirectional
B) normative age-graded
C) nonnormative age-graded
D) normative history-graded

Question 40

________ encompasses the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation.

A) Culture
B) Genotype
C) Phenotype
D) Ethnocentricity

Question 41

The ________ period is the time from conception to birth.

A) perinatal
B) prenatal
C) neonatal
D) postnatal

Question 42

Alex is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade; his main focus is success in school, as he is gradually exposed to more and more information about the world at large. The developmental period Alex is currently in is

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

Question 43

Which of the following is true of the period of development known as late adulthood?

A) It involves rapid physical changes and the development of sexual characteristics.
B) It is a time of establishing economic independence and advancing in a career.
C) It begins in the early 20s and lasts through the 30s.
D) It is a time of life review, retirement, and adjustment to new social roles.

Question 44

Ramada, 69, an avid golfer and fitness enthusiast, recently got a comprehensive health exam done, and her physician remarked that her vital organs were in such good shape that her ________ age was about 10 years less than her chronological age.

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

Question 45

Daniel is 10 months old and is completely dependent on his parents. He is just beginning to acquire language and develop symbolic thought. In this scenario, which of the following developmental periods is Daniel most likely in?

A) adolescence
B) middle childhood
C) early childhood
D) infancy

Question 46

The connection across biological, cognitive, and socioemotional processes is most obvious in the two rapidly emerging fields of

A) developmental cognitive neuroscience and developmental social neuroscience.
B) developmental biological neuroscience and developmental social neuroscience.
C) developmental socioemotional pharmacology and developmental biological pharmacology.
D) developmental cognitive biology and developmental cognitive biology.

Question 47

Travis spends a great deal of time working and trying to establish his career. He is also wondering if he should move in with his girlfriend and about their long-term prospects. Travis is most likely in the ________ period of development.

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

Question 48

Which of the following is a characteristic of the developmental period known as early childhood?

A) extreme dependency on adults
B) development of school readiness skills
C) formal exposure to the larger world
D) development of sexual characteristics

Question 49

Joey has shot up in height over the past year, has developed a deeper voice, and is starting to grow facial hair. He is preoccupied with the pursuit of independence and identity and is spending more time with friends and less with family. Which of the following periods of development is Joey in?

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

Question 50

Katie-Lou is 88 years old. Katie would most likely be characterized as

A) young-old.
B) old-old.
C) oldest-old.
D) late-old.

Question 51

Which of the following statements about the "young-old" is true?

A) They are people between 60 and 65 years of age.
B) They have little potential for physical and cognitive fitness.
C) They show considerable loss in cognitive skills.
D) They can develop strategies to cope with the gains and losses of aging.

Question 52

Jenny is 4 years old. She becomes self-sufficient and develops school readiness skills. In this scenario, identify the developmental period that Jenny is most likely in.

A) infancy
B) early childhood
C) prenatal period
D) late childhood

Question 53

Late adulthood is a time of

A) life review, adjustment to new social roles, and diminishing strength and health.
B) expanding personal and social involvement and responsibility.
C) establishing personal and economic independence and advancing in a career.
D) selecting a mate, learning to live with that person in an intimate way, starting a family, and rearing children.

Question 54

The developmental period, when one is an infant, adolescent, or middle-aged person, refers to

A) a historical circumstance common to people of a particular generation.
B) a time frame in a person's life that is characterized by certain features.
C) a time frame in which a person experiences maximum change.
D) a time frame in a nation's history that is characterized by rapid development.

Question 55

________ is a time of establishing personal and economic independence, career development, and for many, selecting a mate, learning to live with that person in an intimate way, starting a family, and rearing children.

A) Early adulthood
B) Late adolescence
C) Middle adulthood
D) Late adulthood

Question 56

Johnathan and his wife, Tracy, are in their mid-50s. They are expanding their personal and social responsibilities and assisting their children in becoming competent, mature individuals. Which of the following developmental periods are Johnathan and Tracy currently in?

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

Question 57

Brittany is preoccupied with the pursuit of independence and identity and is spending more time with friends and less with family. Her thoughts are more logical, abstract, and idealistic. She is also experiencing rapid physical changes such as gaining height and weight. Which of the following periods of development is Brittany most likely in?

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

Question 58

Jessica spends a lot of time thinking about the choices she has made in her life and the events she has witnessed. She is adjusting to decreasing strength and health, and she has made several lifestyle changes as a result. Jessica is most likely in the ________ period of development.

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

Question 59

Determining ________ age involves knowing the functional capacities of a person's vital organs.

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

Question 60

Peter is a senior partner at his law firm and is an important member of his church and community. Both his children are in college. Peter's situation is most representative of which period of development?

A) early adulthood
B) middle adulthood
C) late adulthood
D) retirement

Question 61

In the continuity-discontinuity issue in development, continuity refers to ________, while discontinuity implies ________.

A) abrupt change; stability
B) gradual change; distinct stages
C) qualitative change; quantitative change
D) discrete stages; gradations

Question 62

The developmental pattern experienced by most people in which psychological functioning peaks in early middle age and starts to decline in the early eighties is called

A) normal aging.
B) pathological aging.
C) everyday aging.
D) successful aging.

Question 63

Most contemporary psychoanalytic theorists believe that Sigmund Freud

A) proposed a theory that has stood the test of time and needs no revisions.
B) overemphasized sexual instincts.
C) overemphasized cultural experiences as determinants of an individual's development.
D) underestimated the role of the unconscious mind in determining development.

Question 64

In predicting an adult woman's behavior, it may be more important to know that she is the mother of a 3-year-old child than to know whether she is 20 or 30 years old. This reflects the concept of

A) chronological age.
B) social age.
C) psychological age.
D) biological age.

Question 65

Which of the following statements is true of chronological age?

A) It has become a less accurate predictor of life events in American society when compared with other conceptions of age.
B) It is the sole component of the overall age profile of an individual from the life-span perspective.
C) It is determined by knowing the functional capacities of a person's vital organs, which may be better or worse than those of other people of comparable age.
D) It refers to connectedness with others and the social roles individuals adopt.

Question 66

Identify the correct sequence of the five stages of psychosexual development described in Freud's theory of development.

A) genital, oral, anal, phallic, and latency
B) oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital
C) anal, genital, oral, phallic, and latency
D) oral, phallic, anal, latency, and genital

Question 67

________ age is an individual's adaptive capacities compared with those of other individuals of the same chronological age.

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

Question 68

Who among the following most likely exhibits the developmental pattern of successful aging?

A) Khalid who is 79 years old and has started experiencing a modest decline in his psychological functioning
B) Shyam who is 81 years old and frequently forgets where he places his belongings
C) Carlo who is 78 years old and suffers from Parkinson's disease, which impairs his daily functioning
D) Selena who is 80 years old and capable of walking without the support of a cane

Question 69

The concept of discontinuity is characterized by

A) qualitative change.
B) quantitative change.
C) collective change.
D) measured change.

Question 70

According to Sigmund Freud, which of the following statements is true?

A) Children's social interaction with more-skilled adults and peers is indispensable to their cognitive development.
B) Children go through four stages of cognitive development as they actively construct their understanding of the world.
C) The primary motivation for human behavior is social in nature.
D) People's basic personality is shaped during the first 5 years of their life.

Question 71

________ theories describe development as primarily unconscious and heavily colored by emotion.

A) Behavioral
B) Social cognitive
C) Evolutionary
D) Psychoanalytic

Question 72

Andrew is 60 and is starting to have memory lapses and struggling to complete things that used to take him no time at all. He finds himself forgetting driving routes that he used to know. Andrew might be experiencing the developmental pattern called ________.

A) normal aging
B) pathological aging
C) everyday aging
D) successful aging

Question 73

In the nature-nurture issue, nature refers to an organism's ________, nurture to its ________.

A) personality traits; abilities
B) attributes; ecological heritage
C) biological inheritance; environmental experiences
D) acquired traits; heredity

Question 74

The question of whether a fun-loving, carefree adolescent is bound to have difficulty holding down a 9-to-5 job as an adult most likely reflects the

A) epigenetic view.
B) stability-change issue.
C) nature-nurture issue.
D) continuity-discontinuity issue.

Question 75

One of the differences between Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson is that

A) Freud underestimated the role of the unconscious mind in determining the life-span development of an individual.
B) Erikson believed that development lasted only until the age of 20.
C) Erikson emphasized the importance of both early and later experiences.
D) Erikson overemphasized the role of sexuality in the life-span development of an individual.

Question 76

Dr. Perkins predicts that children who spend years playing a musical instrument are smarter than children who do not play music. This testable prediction is known as a(n)

A) hypothesis.
B) classification.
C) variable.
D) axiom.

Question 77

Dr. Berenstein holds the view that behavior is merely a surface characteristic and that a true understanding of development requires analyzing the symbolic meanings of behavior and the deep inner workings of the mind. Dr. Berenstein can be described as a(n)

A) psychoanalytic theorist.
B) evolutionary theorist.
C) cognitive theorist.
D) behavioral theorist.

Question 78

Gina's therapist attributes her delinquent behavior to heredity and to the gross neglect she suffered as a baby at the hands of her alcoholic mother. Gina's therapist appears to be emphasizing the ________ aspect of her development.

A) personality
B) lifelong learning
C) discontinuity
D) stability

Question 79

According to an increasing number of studies in the United States, compared with younger people, older people

A) are more pressured to achieve.
B) have better relationships with people they care about.
C) are less content with what they have in their lives.
D) have less time for leisurely pursuits.

Question 80

Lisa is a clinical psychologist. She decides to conduct a study on whether the progression of memory loss in older adults with Alzheimer's disease can be slowed down. According to the scientific method, which of the following describes the sequence Lisa should follow?

A) Collect data, conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, analyze data, and draw conclusions.
B) Conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, collect data, analyze data, and draw conclusions.
C) Collect data, analyze data, conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, and draw conclusions.
D) Conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, draw conclusions, collect data, and analyze data.