Deck 1: The Study of Human Development

Question 1

The effect of Itard's work with Victor was that Victor:

A) made rapid progress and was later found to be developing normally.
B) made rapid progress at first but never learned to speak or interact with others normally.
C) never learned to communicate.
D) made rapid progress but could not develop affection for other people.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Families, peers, schools, and communities, are ____________ of children's development.

A) ethnographies
B) domains
C) contexts
D) descriptions

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The prevailing view of children prior to the sixteenth century was that children were:

A) born in original sin.
B) miniature adults.
C) rebellious in nature.
D) inherently good.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

By studying the wild boy of Aveyron, Itard hoped to learn something about the:

A) behavior of the mentally ill.
B) causes of mental retardation.
C) behavior of animals in their natural habitats.
D) role of the environment in shaping development.

Question 5

Developmentalists recognize four major domains of development, which are:

A) cognitive, physical, moral, and social.
B) cognitive, social, physical, and emotional.
C) moral, social, emotional, and physical.
D) social, physical, emotional, and language.

Question 6

Studies of the wild boy of Aveyron suggest that:

A) interaction with humans is critical for optimal development.
B) critical periods in development do not exist.
C) natural experiments should not be used to study development.
D) the effects of negative experience can be undone with instruction.

Question 7

Child development can be defined as:

A) a psychological rather than a physical process.
B) the preprogrammed unfolding of the body's genetic blueprint.
C) the process of physical growth that commences at birth and continues until adulthood.
D) the sequence of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes that children undergo.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a domain of development?

A) social
B) cultural
C) emotional
D) cognitive

Question 9

Technological advances have contributed to developmental research in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

A) video cameras allow for detailed analyses of human behavior.
B) brain imaging provides insight into the neural activity underlying behavior.
C) computers enable researchers to apply complex analytic strategies to data.
D) social media is used to devise therapies for children who have trouble controlling their anger.

Question 10

Itard worked with Victor to test what theory?

A) The social environment shapes children's development.
B) The French monarchy did not adequately educate peasants.
C) Victor was retarded since birth.
D) Victor suffered from autism.

Question 11

The field of study that focuses on the range of children's physical, intellectual, social, and emotional developments is referred to as:

A) ecology.
B) the clinical interview.
C) ethnography.
D) developmental science.

Question 12

Which of the following is true of the field of developmental science?

A) The biological basis of human development has already been well understood.
B) Cultural processes are not considered to play a large role in human development.
C) Intervening to promote children's health and well-being is beyond the scope of developmental scientists' activities.
D) Interdisciplinary and international efforts combine to contribute to existing knowledge about human development.

Question 13

Researchers interested in children's cognitive development would MOST likely study how children:

A) form friendships.
B) learn to walk.
C) learn language.
D) learn to control their frustration.

Question 14

Which of the following correctly describes the sequence of the periods of development?

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

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a part of the study of child development?

A) physical changes over the lifespan
B) intellectual changes over the lifespan
C) social changes over the lifespan
D) environmental stability through the lifespan

Question 16

Which of the following is not a psychological problem that can result from experiencing traumatic events as a child in a refugee family?

A) disrupted parent-child attachment
B) schizophrenia
C) anxiety or depression
D) sleep disturbances

Question 17

A major context of children's development is:

A) genetics.
B) health.
C) families.
D) age.

Question 18

Jamie is fascinated by children's ability to solve more complex problems as they get older. Her interest falls in the domain of:

A) physical development.
B) cognitive development.
C) social development.
D) emotional development.

Question 19

The wild boy of Aveyron:

A) eventually learned to speak fluent French.
B) displayed strong sexual and aggressive instincts.
C) learned to communicate simple needs, but never mastered speech.
D) never progressed beyond walking on all fours and making animal-like sounds.

Question 20

Itard believed that Victor behaved the way he did because he had:

A) been retarded since birth.
B) been malnourished from an early age.
C) been isolated from society.
D) a serious physical illness.

Question 21

In the wake of the industrial revolution, public schools were established, and 10-hour workdays recommended to provide children in the labor force with a(n):

A) academic education.
B) physical education.
C) technical education.
D) moral education.

Question 22

One of the first developmentalists to stress the importance of systematic observation was Wilhelm Preyer (1841-1897). In his view, careful observation was necessary to establish the ____________ of behavior and, hence, to see how behavioral patterns arose.

A) frequency
B) importance
C) sequence
D) goals

Question 23

Michael believes that his daughter is smart enough to do well in school without getting much help from her teachers. His view is consistent with the idea of:

A) the environment as a driving force of development.
B) biology as a driving force of development.
C) the plasticity of development.
D) the discontinuous nature of development.

Question 24

Which of the following statements regarding developmentalists is true?

A) They are active in applying their knowledge to promote healthy development.
B) They assess developmental status but do not prescribe measures for assisting those in trouble.
C) Little has been learned about the behavior of human beings in the last century.
D) They have not attempted to explain the developmental processes underpinning age-related changes.

Question 25

Jason is a graduate student who is studying developmental psychology. He wants to know how a person develops the characteristics that make them different than everyone else and how those characteristics remain stable through the lifespan. He is mostly concerned with which central issue of developmental science?

A) plasticity
B) continuity/discontinuity
C) sources of development
D) individual differences

Question 26

Dr. Psychology is conducting research to determine if development is a gradual, continuous process or one that involves rapid change. He is mostly concerned with which central issue of developmental science?

A) plasticity
B) continuity/discontinuity
C) sources of development
D) individual differences

Question 27

Why did the publication of Darwin's The Origin of Species stimulate interest in development?

A) People hoped to influence the direction of future human evolution.
B) People thought this study would prove that humans are not related to other animals.
C) People came to view children as imperfect adults who, without intervention, would behave like lower animals.
D) People thought that in studying children, they would see how human beings might have evolved from lower animals.

Question 28

What is the primary way that developmental scientists learn about historical beliefs about childhood?

A) by imagining what life was like in earlier times
B) by examining books, magazines, art, and other records from earlier times
C) by interviewing the elderly about what life was like when they were children
D) by exploring children's lives in developing countries

Question 29

A qualitatively distinct, coherent pattern of behavior that emerges during the course of development is referred to as _____.

A) a developmental stage
B) a sensitive period
C) plasticity
D) continuity

Question 30

According to the text, what is the most powerful source of development?

A) biology
B) environment
C) development itself
D) parents

Question 31

The belief that adultlike capacities, desires, interests, and emotions are present in early childhood is referred to as:

A) ethnography.
B) developmental science.
C) preformationism.
D) ecology.

Question 32

Professor Jones is interested in how biology, the environment, and the child's own activities interact to produce development. She is mostly concerned with which central issue of developmental science?

A) plasticity
B) media and technology
C) sources of development
D) individual differences

Question 33

Investigations of historical beliefs about childhood reveal that:

A) the ways that people think about childhood have remained consistent over time.
B) there have been many views about childhood over time.
C) childhood has always been viewed as a distinct period of development.
D) until modern times, children were viewed as innately good.

Question 34

Alfred Binet developed the first intelligence test to:

A) identify schoolchildren who could use special education instruction.
B) predict the likelihood that individual children would be productive members of society.
C) rank all citizens according to mental worth.
D) inform the assignment of duties to army recruits.

Question 35

The individual whose writings spurred interest in the study of human development as part of human evolution was:

A) Itard.
B) Darwin.
C) Preyer.
D) Piaget.

Question 36

How did the Industrial Revolution influence the discipline of developmental science?

A) It led the majority of scientists to be interested in proving how genetic factors drive development.
B) It led scientists to study how the transforming roles of children influenced their growth.
C) It led the majority of scientists to encourage parents to send their children to work for 12 hours each day.
D) It led scientists to examine the role that growing up on farms played in human development.

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental issue regarding the process of development?

A) plasticity
B) media and technology
C) sources of development
D) individual differences

Question 38

James Mark Baldwin (1861-1934) made an important theoretical contribution to developmental science by arguing that, to understand abilities in the adult, one first needs to see how an ability:

A) emerges and is transformed across stages of development.
B) is shaped by learning experiences.
C) is encoded in the genes.
D) is determined by cultural expectations.

Question 39

Prior to the twentieth century, developmental science mostly focused on

A) exploring basic developmental changes during infancy and childhood.
B) developmental delays in childhood.
C) intellectual giftedness during infancy and early childhood.
D) growth and change across the lifespan.

Question 40

Jane has started walking at the young age of eleven months. What can be expected regarding her language development?

A) She will experience a language delay.
B) She will learn to ask for objects she wants early.
C) She will likely learn to speak soon.
D) Nothing. There is no connection between gross motor skills and language development.

Question 41

Sensitive periods in development refer to times when:

A) a particular experience has a more pronounced effect on the organism than at other times.
B) particular events must occur for development to proceed normally.
C) development proceeds at a faster pace.
D) development slows to a near halt.

Question 42

Which of the following is a true statement about individual differences in development?

A) They are innate and stable.
B) Our nature is the strongest influence on our individual differences.
C) Our individual differences are the result of the influence of both nature and nurture.
D) Our individual differences are the result of the influence of our environment.

Question 43

Which of the following is not a way that theoretical perspectives in developmental science differ?

A) the domain of development that is being investigated
B) the research methodology being used
C) the developmental stage being examined
D) the central issues that are addressed

Question 44

A theory:

A) is a collection of evidence.
B) organizes evidence collected in the past, but it does not help in making predictions about the future.
C) is a specific statement about an expected relationship among two variables.
D) provides a framework for collecting and interpreting evidence.

Question 45

Which of the following is one of the central questions of developmental psychology?

A) In the first few years of life are children more sensitive to learning language or to developing attachments?
B) Why are genetic factors more influential than environmental processes in shaping development?
C) Exactly how many stages are there in human development?
D) Is development a gradual process of change, or is it punctuated by periods of rapid change?

Question 46

The function of a theory is to:

A) make a specific prediction within a single research study.
B) show how research fits into public policy.
C) guide the collection and interpretation of evidence.
D) avoid debate about scientific issues.

Question 47

Which of the following is an example of developmental continuity?

A) the qualitative reorganization of movement required for learning to walk
B) the gradual growth in memory capacity
C) the shift from babbling to talking
D) the stage-like transformations that occur as a plant grows from a seed

Question 48

Sensitive periods in development refer to times when:

A) particular experience has a more pronounced effect on the organism.
B) particular events must occur for development to proceed normally.
C) development proceeds at a faster pace.
D) development slows to a near halt.

Question 49

Which of the following represents a consensus of opinion among modern psychologists about human development?

A) Piaget's stage theory is an accurate description of development through adolescence.
B) Erikson's description of the challenges faced by individuals over the lifespan are sufficient to understand the process of development.
C) No single theoretical framework adequately characterizes all of development.
D) The sociocultural approach offers the optimal approach to understanding development.

Question 50

Stages of development involve changes that are:

A) slow.
B) small.
C) qualitative.
D) quantitative.

Question 51

Supporters of the stage perspective would say that a child has reached a new stage of development when:

A) the brain changes according to a biological timetable.
B) a gradual change in behavior appears.
C) qualitatively new patterns of behavior emerge.
D) previously acquired skills are applied to a new problem/situation.

Question 52

Which of the following supports a stage theory of development?

A) Children often appear to be in one stage on one occasion and in a different stage on another.
B) Children's thinking is continually changing, with most of these changes occurring gradually.
C) The processes by which people learn new behaviors remain the same at all ages.
D) As children develop, they proceed in a predictable order through a series of qualitatively different stages.

Question 53

Sensitive periods in development:

A) occur in some animals but not in humans.
B) are thought to regulate bonding in human infants.
C) are times during which particular events must occur for development to proceed normally.
D) have been observed in humans during psychological development but not during physical development.

Question 54

Qualitatively new patterns of behavior during development, such as the change from crawling to walking, are often referred to as:

A) stages.
B) breakthroughs.
C) passages.
D) differences.

Question 55

Which of the following summarizes what developmentalists believe about the stability of children's psychological characteristics over time?

A) Children's characteristics are never stable over time.
B) Children's characteristics are always stable over time because of genetic factors.
C) The stability of children's characteristics over time depends both on genetic factors and the stability of children's environment.
D) Physical traits, but not psychological traits, remain stable over time.

Question 56

Theories are important for understanding child development because they:

A) provide systematic organization of many different observations.
B) guarantee agreement among researchers about what they see.
C) make it appear that child development experts know everything.
D) allow immediate applications to help children.

Question 57

Mrs. Phelps has just read in a parenting magazine that if she does not begin reading to her daughter during her daughter's first year of life, Leanne will not learn to read well after beginning school. This parenting advice reflects the influence of which developmental concept?

A) sensitive periods
B) the biological-maturation framework
C) representative sampling
D) the constructivist framework

Question 58

Sensitive periods are times in an organism's development when:

A) a particular experience (or lack of it) has a more pronounced effect on development.
B) certain events must occur for development to proceed normally.
C) great emotional growth occurs.
D) a particular experience has an all-or-nothing effect on development.

Question 59

The degree to which development is open to change and intervention is called:

A) plasticity.
B) a sensitive period.
C) continuity.
D) a developmental stage.

Question 60

Discontinuous development is a view that regards development as a:

A) process in which new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at particular time periods.
B) cumulative process of adding on more of the same types of skills that were there to begin with.
C) process that is influenced solely by genetic factors.
D) process that is influenced solely by environmental factors and culture.

Question 61

What assumption did Piaget make about children's learning?

A) Children are like sponges and absorb knowledge from the world around them.
B) Children actively construct understandings of the world around them.
C) Children's learning is motivated by the satisfaction of biological drives.
D) Children are most likely to learn behaviors that contribute to the survival of the species.

Question 62

According to constructivist views, during ____________, children interpret experiences in terms of existing schemes.

A) accommodation
B) assimilation
C) equilibration
D) the sensorimotor stage

Question 63

Whose theories emphasize the fundamental role played by the sex drive in human development?

A) Freud's
B) Piaget's
C) Erikson's
D) Bandura's

Question 64

According to the ____________ perspective, unresolved traumatic experiences in childhood underlie adult psychological functioning.

A) psychodynamic
B) social learning
C) constructivist
D) sociocultural

Question 65

According to Piaget, a general framework that provides a model for understanding some aspect of the world is a(n):

A) schema.
B) id.
C) ego.
D) system.

Question 66

The theorist known for his appreciation of the active role that children play in their own knowledge construction is:

A) Freud.
B) Bandura.
C) Piaget.
D) Bronfenbrenner.

Question 67

Which of the following psychologists subscribed to a behaviorist framework?

A) Jean Piaget
B) John Watson
C) Arnold Gesell
D) Sigmund Freud

Question 68

____________ occurs when a child modifies an existing schema to account for new experiences.

A) Accommodation
B) Assimilation
C) Modeling
D) Replication

Question 69

According to the Law of Effect, behaviors that:

A) require little energy to produce are likely to be repeated.
B) develop gradually are likely to be long lasting.
C) produce uncomfortable effects are likely to be repeated.
D) produce a satisfying effect are likely to be repeated.

Question 70

An example of Piaget's concept of assimilation is an infant who:

A) knows how to grasp her mother's hair and uses the same grasping movements to grab a toy.
B) learns that her pacifier does not provide her with milk.
C) shares a toy with her father.
D) bangs blocks together rather than chewing on them.

Question 71

According to Freud, which mental structure of the personality begins to emerge in early childhood and is the rational component of the personality that attempts to mediate a practical resolution between the demands of biological drives and the constraints imposed by the outside world?

A) latency
B) id
C) ego
D) superego

Question 72

According to Freud, which mental structure of the personality is present at birth and consists of biological drives that demand immediate gratification?

A) latency
B) id
C) ego
D) superego

Question 73

Viewing children as individuals who are active constructors of their own development is a major contribution of:

A) Freud.
B) Piaget.
C) Erikson.
D) Bandura.

Question 74

The method of treatment used by proponents of a psychodynamic approach is called:

A) modeling.
B) behavior modification.
C) psychoanalysis.
D) assimilation.

Question 75

An example of Piaget's concept of accommodation is: an infant:

A) feeling more relaxed when in familiar rather than unfamiliar environments.
B) demonstrating a preference for classical music.
C) learning to suck on a rattle differently than she sucks on a pacifier.
D) making eye contact with her caregiver when she knocks over a toy.

Question 76

A researcher who states that the environment "shapes behavior as a sculptor shapes a lump of clay" would support which theoretical framework?

A) constructivist
B) psychodynamic
C) behaviorist
D) sociocultural

Question 77

In Erikson's theory, the main challenge of adolescence is:

A) establishing positive relationships.
B) contributing in meaningful ways to society.
C) avoidance of guilt.
D) the quest for identity.

Question 78

Erikson departed from Freud's basic ideas about development by arguing that:

A) biological drives motivate all human action.
B) social and cultural factors play critical roles in development.
C) the developmental process is essentially complete by the end of adolescence.
D) development proceeds through a series of stages.

Question 79

Behaviorist theory explains that learning occurs when individuals modify their behaviors as a result of:

A) receiving rewards and punishments.
B) establishing a sense of personal identity.
C) constructing higher levels of knowledge.
D) being challenged within their zone of proximal development.

Question 80

Which theorist developed the series of psychosexual stages of development?

A) Freud
B) Piaget
C) Erikson
D) Bandura