Deck 3: Physical and Cognitive Development in Infancy

Question 1

The cephalocaudal pattern is the sequence in which the earliest growth always occurs at the:

A) center of the body and then moves toward the extremities.
B) spinal cord and then expands out to the limbs and head.
C) top (the head) with physical growth and differentiation of features gradually working their way down from top to bottom.
D) bottom (the feet) with physical growth and differentiation of features gradually working their way up to the head.

Answer 1

top (the head) with physical growth and differentiation of features gradually working their way down from top to bottom.

Question 2

In the first several days of life, most newborns lose _____ of their body weight before they adjust to feeding by sucking, swallowing, and digesting.

A) 5% to 7%
B) 15% to 20%
C) 1% to 2%
D) 35% to 40%

Answer 2

5% to 7%

Question 3

Rosie took her daughter in for a checkup. The nurse said her daughter is right on schedule for a ______, because she has doubled her birth weight.

A) one-month-old
B) one-year-old
C) four-month-old
D) eight-month-old

Answer 3

four-month-old

Question 4

At birth, the newborn's brain is about _____ of its adult weight.

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%

Question 5

One of the earliest signs of brain specialization is that newborns show greater electrical brain activity in the left hemisphere when:

A) encountering new smells.
B) listening to speech sounds.
C) trying to grasp a moving toy.
D) watching a toy that moves.

Question 6

Infants can see objects before they can control their torso, and they can use their hands long before they can crawl or walk. This would indicate that they have a _____ pattern of growth.

A) proximodistal
B) proximocaudal
C) cephalodistal
D) cephalocaudal

Question 7

Which of the following statements is TRUE about specialization of function in a hemisphere of the cerebral cortex?

A) Complex thinking is mostly carried out by the right hemisphere, while the left hemisphere typically deals with motor control.
B) Reading primarily occurs in the left hemisphere.
C) Creativity primarily occurs in the right hemisphere.
D) Complex thinking in normal people is the outcome of communication between both hemispheres of the brain.

Question 8

Infants nearly triple their birth weight by the age of:

A) two years.
B) one years.
C) four months.
D) six months.

Question 9

The _____ pattern of growth is the sequence in which growth starts at the center of the body and moves toward the extremities.

A) proximodistal
B) proximocaudal
C) cephalocaudal
D) cephalodistal

Question 10

The cerebral cortex has two _____, each of which is further divided into four _____.

A) neurons; divisions
B) divisions; neurons
C) hemispheres; lobes
D) lobes; systems

Question 11

Jerome weighed in at 4.5 pounds when he was born. Compared to other newborns in North America, his weight is:

A) less than the average.
B) average.
C) about average.
D) higher than the average.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is FALSE about shaken baby syndrome?

A) It affects hundreds of babies in the United States each year.
B) It can cause brain swelling and hemorrhaging.
C) Mothers are the most frequent perpetrators.
D) Child care providers are the second most set of perpetrators.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is TRUE about brain development?

A) The brain grows exponentially from conception to birth, causing the brain to be completely developed at birth.
B) The process of brain development continues through the first year after birth and then stops.
C) Extensive brain development continues after birth, through infancy and later.
D) Brain development continues after birth only among premature babies.

Question 14

Michael has been keeping a journal of his infant son's development. Looking back over the entries he sees that his son could wave his arms and hands to knock things over before he could pick up a toy. Michael is noticing the _____ pattern of growth.

A) proximodistal
B) cephalocaudal
C) proximocaudal
D) cephalodistal

Question 15

Your ability to process language in the left hemisphere and spatial thinking in the right hemisphere is due to:

A) linearity.
B) mastery.
C) lateralization.
D) learning.

Question 16

The most successful instrument used to assess infant's brain activity is a(n):

A) MRI.
B) PET scan.
C) EEG.
D) fMRI.

Question 17

The portion of an infant's brain that is farthest from the spinal cord that includes the cerebral cortex and several structures beneath it is the:

A) forebrain.
B) hindbrain.
C) midbrain.
D) topbrain.

Question 18

Infants control the muscles of their trunk and arms before they control their hands and fingers, and they use their whole hands before they can control several fingers. This indicates a _____ pattern of growth.

A) proximodistal
B) cephalocaudal
C) proximocaudal
D) cephalodistal

Question 19

By the second birthday, a toddler's brain is about _____ of its adult weight.

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 95%

Question 20

By two years of age, children have reached about _____ of their adult weight and about _____ of their adult height.

A) one-half; one-fourth
B) one-fifth; one-half
C) one-third; two-thirds
D) one-fourth; one-fourth

Question 21

If we were concerned with speed of electronic signals, which of the following would help information travel faster?

A) Perception
B) Lateralization
C) Myelination
D) Habituation

Question 22

At the end of the axon are terminal buttons, which release chemicals called _____ into synapses.

A) myelin
B) dendrites
C) neurotransmitters
D) neurons

Question 23

A _____ is a layer of fat cells that encases and insulates many axons and helps electrical signals travel faster down the axon.

A) myelin sheath
B) synapse
C) dendrite
D) placenta

Question 24

The _____ is the area of the brain where higher level thinking and self-regulation occur.

A) visual cortex
B) myelin sheath
C) prefrontal cortex
D) neural tube

Question 25

Which sequence best describes the way neurons pass along messages?

A) Synapses, nucleus, neurotransmitters, dendrites, axon
B) Neurotransmitters, myelin sheath, nucleus, dendrites
C) Terminal buttons, dendrites, axon, synapses, neurotransmitters
D) Axon, terminal buttons, synapses, neurotransmitters, dendrites

Question 26

_____ refers to the process of encasing axons with fat cells.

A) Myelination
B) Lateralization
C) Habituation
D) Transmission

Question 27

Parents can expect their newborn infant to sleep through the night starting at

A) two months.
B) four months.
C) six months.
D) eight months.

Question 28

The _____ view emphasizes the importance of interactions between experience and gene expression in the brain's development.

A) neuroconstructivist
B) dynamic systems
C) genetic
D) ecological

Question 29

When babies engage in physical activity or use language, some synaptic connections will be strengthened, while the unused ones are replaced by other pathways or disappear. A neuroscientist would identify this process as:

A) pruning.
B) myelination.
C) paring.
D) trimming.

Question 30

Lucy wants her son, Kyle, to have the best environment to help him reach his full potential. According to those who study early experiences and the brain, Lucy should:

A) expose him to a variety of stimuli.
B) keep him quiet while his neurons are developing.
C) expose him only to his family and culture.
D) provide interesting music but keep him as physically still as possible.

Question 31

Chemical interactions between ____ connect axons and dendrites, allowing information to pass from neuron to neuron.

A) nephrons
B) synapses
C) neurotransmitters
D) myelin sheaths

Question 32

The fiber that carries signals away from the neuron's cell body is called a(n):

A) axon.
B) dendrite.
C) neurotransmitter.
D) synapse.

Question 33

Children who grow up in a deprived environment are likely to show:

A) depressed brain activity.
B) active neural development.
C) accelerated development of the forebrain.
D) better decision-making skills in middle childhood.

Question 34

The peak of synaptic overproduction in the _____, involved in higher level thinking and self-regulation, occurs at just over three years old.

A) spinal cord
B) prefrontal cortex
C) visual cortex
D) parietal lobe

Question 35

The fiber that carries signals toward the neuron's cell body is called a(n):

A) axon.
B) dendrite.
C) neurotransmitter.
D) synapse.

Question 36

The _____ view emphasizes the interaction of the plasticity of the brain, genetic inheritance, and an enriched or impoverished environment.

A) neuroconstructivist
B) dynamic systems
C) genetic
D) ecological

Question 37

Myelination for _____ pathways occurs rapidly after birth and is completed in the first six months.

A) spatial pathways
B) spinal pathways
C) visual pathways
D) auditory pathways

Question 38

Which of the following statements is TRUE of early neuron development?

A) Synaptic connections begin to develop only after birth.
B) Myelination begins prenatally and stops at birth.
C) The synaptic connections that are used become strengthened and survive, while the unused ones are replaced by other pathways or disappear.
D) The human brain actually needs more than twice the neural connections made in the first years of life.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT true of the neuroconstructivist view?

A) The development of the brain and the child's cognitive development are closely linked.
B) The brain has plasticity.
C) Biological processes and environmental experiences influence the brain's development.
D) The brain is context independent.

Question 40

_____ are tiny gaps between neuron fibers.

A) Neurilemma
B) Myelin sheaths
C) Neurotransmitters
D) Synapses

Question 41

Which of the following conditions is one of the highest causes of infant death in the United States with nearly 2,000 infant deaths annually attributed to it?

A) Shaken baby syndrome
B) Sudden infant death syndrome
C) Down syndrome
D) Marasmus

Question 42

In which of the following circumstances should the mother NOT breast feed her baby?

A) If she has AIDS
B) If she is suffering from postpartum depression
C) If the baby has low birth weight
D) If the baby is overweight

Question 43

The view of development that sees motor skills developing as a solution to an infant's problems is known as the:

A) dynamic systems theory.
B) maturational theory.
C) neuroconstructivist view.
D) environmental sequential theory.

Question 44

Infants who spent most of their time sleeping during the night as opposed to during the day:

A) showed higher levels of executive function at age four.
B) were more likely to experience nightmares at age five.
C) had more reported sibling problems at age four.
D) showed language delays in early childhood.

Question 45

A recent study revealed that children who had done most of their sleeping at night during infancy had higher executive function at age four. Researchers hypothesized that this happened due to:

A) sleep's role in brain maturation and memory consolidation.
B) the fact that the infants' circadian rhythms were on point.
C) the finding that the night sleeping made the infants' parents happier.
D) decreased REM sleep.

Question 46

Of the following babies, who are between two and four months old, who is at the highest risk of SIDS?

A) Malachi, who shares a bed with his mother
B) Tyrell, whose mother smoked during pregnancy
C) Chaz, who sleeps on his stomach (prone sleeping)
D) Isaiah, who is Hispanic American

Question 47

Kenny is concerned that his baby daughter isn't sleeping through the night yet, so he asks the pediatrician about it. She says his daughter is really young to expect that, and that he shouldn't expect his daughter to sleep through the night until she is about:

A) two months old.
B) four months old.
C) six months old.
D) eight months old.

Question 48

In which of the following circumstances is it recommended that a mother NOT breast feed?

A) If the mother plans to return to full-time work soon
B) If the mother has active tuberculosis
C) If the mother is 40 or older
D) If the baby is overweight

Question 49

For years, debate has focused on whether breast feeding is better for the infant than bottle feeding. The growing consensus is that:

A) breast feeding is better for the baby's health.
B) bottle feeding is better for the baby's health.
C) breast feeding is better for bonding between mother and infant, whereas bottle feeding is better for the baby's health.
D) there are no differences in health outcomes for babies who are breast fed and babies who are bottle fed.

Question 50

Of the following infants, who is MOST at risk for SIDS?

A) Mimi, because her mother smokes
B) Grace, because she was born weighing more than most babies
C) Megumi, because she uses a pacifier when she goes to sleep
D) Sylvia, because she sleeps with a fan on

Question 51

Since 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended that _____ to reduce the risk of SIDS.

A) parents practice shared sleeping with their infants
B) infants be placed to sleep on their backs
C) babies be fed on demand instead of on schedule
D) all fans in the room be turned off while putting a baby down to sleep

Question 52

Kyle and Amy want their baby to walk early, so they take the baby's favorite toy and place it where the child cannot reach it from a crawling position. Kyle and Amy believe that this will motivate the baby to stand upright to retrieve the toy and will thus result in him walking sooner. Their belief is most consistent with the _____ systems view of development.

A) maturational
B) evolutionary
C) neuroconstructivist
D) dynamic

Question 53

A national study of more than 3,000 randomly selected 4- to 24-month-olds documented that:

A) many U.S. parents are feeding their babies too many fruits and not enough vegetables.
B) U.S. parents are feeding their babies fruits and vegetables, and very little junk food.
C) by one year, bananas were the most common fruit that babies ate.
D) by 15 months, French fries were the most common vegetable that babies ate.

Question 54

Choose the list that shows the predictors of SIDS, from the strongest to the least strong.

A) Maternal smoking, prone sleeping, not breast feeding, bed sharing
B) Prone sleeping, maternal smoking, bed sharing, not breast feeding
C) Prone sleeping, bed sharing, maternal smoking, not breast feeding
D) Maternal smoking, bed sharing, prone sleeping, not breast feeding

Question 55

Janelle, a college student volunteering at a local preschool, noticed that one child started to stand without holding on to furniture, then others quickly started to develop the same skills. This motivation to create new patterns of movement is best explained by the:

A) dynamic systems theory.
B) maturational theory.
C) neuroconstructivist view.
D) environmental sequential theory.

Question 56

Which of the following statements about infants and REM sleep is TRUE?

A) When infants are three months old, the amount of time they spend in REM sleep begins to increase.
B) Most infants spend about 70% of their sleeping time in REM sleep.
C) REM sleep might promote the brain's development in infancy.
D) Older adults are the only group that spends more time in REM sleep than infants.

Question 57

_____ are built-in reactions to stimuli; they govern the newborn's movements, which are automatic and beyond the newborn's control.

A) Instincts
B) Reflexes
C) Impulses
D) Urges

Question 58

Nutritionists recommend that infants consume approximately _____ per day for each pound they weigh, which is more than _______ an adult's requirement per pound.

A) 75 calories, three times
B) 75 calories, two times
C) 50 calories, three times
D) 50 calories, two times

Question 59

Amira is concerned about putting her baby on his stomach to sleep because of the risk that he might stop breathing, usually during the night, and die suddenly without an apparent cause. In other words, she is concerned about:

A) shaken baby syndrome.
B) sudden infant death syndrome.
C) Down syndrome.
D) marasmus.

Question 60

While some report difficulty going to sleep, the most common infant sleep-related problem reported by parents is:

A) nightmares.
B) night terrors.
C) night-time waking.
D) enuresis.

Question 61

_____ motor skills involve large-muscle activities, such as moving one's arms and walking.

A) Fine
B) Gross
C) Minor
D) Major

Question 62

Although the age ranges vary, which of the following is an accurate list of average ages these milestones develop, with the earliest listed first, next, and last?

A) Pull self to stand, roll over, walk alone easily
B) Prone, pull self to stand, sit without support
C) Prone, sit without support, stand alone easily
D) Sit without support, pull self to stand, prone with chest up

Question 63

Nadine's doctor is assessing her fine motor skills, thus he is going to look at her ability to:

A) coordinate large muscle activity like walking.
B) maintain fine balance on a beam.
C) perform finely tuned movements like using a pencil.
D) perform reflexive behavior like stepping.

Question 64

Which is a FALSE statement regarding reflexes?

A) Reflexes are lifelong reactions.
B) Some reflexes become incorporated in complex, voluntary actions.
C) Reflexes allow infants to respond to their environment prior to learning about their environment.
D) Infants can learn to take control over some of their reflexes.

Question 65

Jake, age 11 months, is able to pick up cereal and bits of fruit off the tray of his high chair by grasping them with his thumb and forefinger. Jake has developed the:

A) palmer grasp.
B) pincer grip.
C) Moro reflex.
D) fencing reflex.

Question 66

What is the foundation needed for gross motor skills to learn to walk?

A) Postural control and fine motor skills
B) Cognitive skills and locomotion
C) Locomotion and postural control
D) Locomotion and cognitive skills

Question 67

Whenever baby Beth hears a loud noise, she responds with a _____ reflex where she arches her back, throws back her head, flings out her arms and legs, and then rapidly closes her arms and legs.

A) Moro
B) rooting
C) grasping
D) fencing

Question 68

Cheyenne, a four-month-old, is learning to reach out and grab stuffed dolls out of a plastic bin. Her movements are guided by:

A) keeping her limbs in sight.
B) touch.
C) cues from muscles, tendons, and joints.
D) auditory cues.

Question 69

Griffin noticed her newborn was learning to move her arms and legs by swinging them around and slowly learning how to move them deliberately. Her daughter is developing _____ motor skills.

A) fine
B) gross
C) minor
D) major

Question 70

When Martha wants to feed her newborn son, she gently brushes her nipple against his cheek and he demonstrates a _____ reflex by turning his head toward the side that was touched and immediately latches on to her breast.

A) Moro
B) sucking
C) rooting
D) Babinski

Question 71

The theorists who actively promoted the ecological view of perceptual development in infancy are:

A) Arnold Gesell and Jean Piaget.
B) Virginia Satir and Jay Haley.
C) Eleanor and James Gibson.
D) Sigmund Freud and Anna Freud.

Question 72

When Zachary hears a joke and then laughs, he is first _____ the information and then _____ it.

A) studying; locating
B) locating; studying
C) sensing; perceiving
D) perceiving; sensing

Question 73

The interpretation of sensory information is called:

A) sensation.
B) reception.
C) perception.
D) transition.

Question 74

Leonard's daughter, at five months old, is able to sit independently without leaning on anything. She is:

A) severely behind the average age range.
B) behind the average age range, but only slightly.
C) within the average age range.
D) ahead of the average age range.

Question 75

When four-year-old Melanie ties shoelaces on her own and skillfully uses a fork and spoon, she is demonstrating her:

A) rooting reflex.
B) fine motor skills.
C) Moro reflex.
D) gross motor skills.

Question 76

When Anna took her infant daughter, Chloe, to the clinic for a checkup, it looked like the nurse was tickling Chloe's feet. Chloe would twist her foot and fan out her toes. The nurse was checking Chloe's _______ reflex.

A) Moro
B) stepping
C) Babinski
D) grasping

Question 77

In the "sticky mittens" research project, it was found that:

A) the infants in the mitten group developed grasping skills earlier than average.
B) the infants in the group without mittens developed stronger grips than average.
C) the infants in the mitten group developed language skills faster than average.
D) the group without mittens developed better than average object manipulation skills.

Question 78

_____ occurs when information interacts with receptors such as the eyes, ears, tongue, nostrils, and skin.

A) Sensation
B) Perception
C) Reception
D) Transition

Question 79

Your professor says that our perception brings us into contact with the environment in order to interact with and adapt to it, such as when you turn your body to get into a car or turn your head to see where a sound is coming from. This indicates that he holds a(n) _____ view on perceptual development.

A) ethological
B) ecological
C) evolutionary
D) genetic

Question 80

Jacob believes that we directly perceive information that exists in the world around us and that perception is designed for action. He is most likely holding a(n) _____ perspective.

A) ethological
B) ecological
C) evolutionary
D) genetic