Deck 3: Human Development

Question 1

How many genes have been shown to play a role in determining one's height?

A) only two
B) four
C) approximately 10
D) almost 200

Answer 1

almost 200

Question 2

Identical twins are less alike as adults than they were as children, which demonstrates the influence of

A) heredity.
B) nature.
C) polygenic factors.
D) the environment.

Answer 2

the environment.

Question 3

Jeffery is 16 months old, and his mother has spent almost every waking moment of the last three weeks trying to toilet-train Jeffery. However, Jeffery has shown no improvement. Jeffery's mother should be told that toilet training as well as other milestones in development are governed by the

A) habituation of the child.
B) child's assimilation pattern.
C) child's readiness.
D) quality and quantity of the training.

Answer 3

child's readiness.

Question 4

Gabe, at first, holds the beach ball by pulling the ball to his body with his arms. With increasing age, he begins to hold the ball with his hands and later with his fingertips. This progression of development illustrates

A) the cephalocaudal pattern.
B) the proximodistal pattern.
C) habituation.
D) assimilation.

Question 5

Amy lifts her head, then learns to crawl, then to walk with the development progressing from her head to her feet. This progression illustrates

A) the cephalocaudal pattern.
B) the proximodistal pattern.
C) habituation.
D) assimilation.

Question 6

Regarding their visual capabilities, babies are able to tell the difference between dogs and birds or other groups of animals as early as the age of

A) two months.
B) six months.
C) nine months.
D) one year.

Question 7

The study of changes in behavior from conception to death encompasses the field known as

A) gerontology.
B) thanatology.
C) developmental psychology.
D) social psychology.

Question 8

The brain of a newborn baby is capable of being altered by experience, that is, it is highly

A) plastic.
B) polygenic.
C) anthropomorphic.
D) denotative.

Question 9

Jeremy is sitting in his high chair, when his big brother runs into the kitchen and slams the door. Little Jeremy reacts to this loud noise by throwing his arms out into a hugging motion. Little Jeremy's reaction illustrates

A) the Moro reflex.
B) the Babinski reflex.
C) an insecure ambivalent attachment to his brother.
D) a secure attachment to his brother.

Question 10

Regarding the grasping reflex, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) The grasping reflex is considered an adaptive infant reflex.
B) The grasping reflex aids survival by helping infants avoid falling.
C) The grasping reflex is elicited for the first time as a baby attempts to stand by holding onto objects.
D) The grasping reflex can be so strong that many infants can hang from a raised bar, like little trapeze artists.

Question 11

In the nucleus of every human cell, except for the sperm and ova, are __________ chromosomes.

A) 24
B) 36
C) 46
D) 60

Question 12

Regarding toilet training, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Parents may control when toilet training starts, but maturation tends to dictate when it will be completed.
B) Current guidelines suggest that toilet training goes most smoothly when begun between 10 and 16 months of age.
C) Parents are asking for failure when they try to force a child to learn skills too early or too late.
D) If toilet training begins much later than the recommended guidelines, a child will be more likely to fail to develop full bladder control and become a daytime "wetter."

Question 13

If you were to observe the development of psychomotor abilities in infants across cultures, you would find the most similarities in the

A) ages at which each ability appears.
B) child-rearing practices used to foster development.
C) sequence in which abilities appear.
D) relationship between intellectual and psychomotor development.

Question 14

Cephalocaudal means from

A) the center of the body to the extremities.
B) the past to the future.
C) the head to the toes.
D) birth to death.

Question 15

A major scientific milestone was reached with the completion of the entire sequencing of three billion chemical base pairs of human DNA. This project was known as the __________ Project.

A) Manhattan
B) Nature-Nurture
C) Human Genome
D) Polygenic Mapping

Question 16

Which of the following is an adaptive infant reflex that is elicited by pressing an object into the neonate's palm and aids the neonate's survival by helping him or her to avoid falling?

A) Moro reflex
B) rooting reflex
C) Babinski reflex
D) grasping reflex

Question 17

Carol is seven years old, and her brother is 10 years old. According to the human growth sequence, Carol and her brother are in the period known as

A) early childhood.
B) middle childhood.
C) pubescence.
D) senescence.

Question 18

Maturation is defined as the

A) physical growth and development of the body, brain, and nervous system.
B) organism's ability to adapt to changing conditions.
C) sum of all the external conditions affecting development.
D) transmission of physical and psychological characteristics from parent to offspring.

Question 19

Dianne is a psychologist who is interested in the progressive changes that people show in their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social abilities from conception to death. Dianne is most likely a __________ psychologist.

A) social
B) behavioral
C) comparative
D) developmental

Question 20

A gene whose influence will be expressed each time the gene is present is known as a __________ gene.

A) recessive
B) dominant
C) polygenic
D) sex-linked

Question 21

The brain of a newborn baby has more dendrites and synapses than an adult brain.

Question 22

Current guidelines suggest that toilet training goes most smoothly when it begins between 18 and 24 months of age.

Question 23

A time during which certain events must take place for normal development to occur is called a

A) prenatal stage .
B) sensitive period.
C) biological stage.
D) period of motor primacy.

Question 24

Dr. Santos conducts research involving the changes in the abilities and behaviors of humans from conception to death. Dr. Santos is most likely a(n) __________ psychologist.

Question 25

Psychologists testing the relationship between environment and development developed the "rat wonderland" experiment. The control group rats were placed in plain cages, and the experimental group rats were placed in enriched cages with colorful patterns, platforms, and ladders. Rats that were raised in the enriched cage environments

A) had smaller, lighter brains.
B) had brains with a thinner cortex.
C) were superior at learning mazes.
D) exhibited all of these characteristics.

Question 26

Abby's mother has watched Abby progress in her development from attempting to pick up a ball using her arms and torso, to using her whole hands, and finally to using her fingertips. This is an example of cephalocaudal development.

Question 27

Temperament refers to

A) the pattern of physical development from conception to death.
B) the inherited, physical core of one's personality.
C) the years of aging characterized by marked physiological and psychological deterioration.
D) a period of increased sensitivity to environmental influences.

Question 28

Joey's mother was amazed by her two-year-old son. He was a very friendly, agreeable child who always seemed to be relaxed and in a good mood. Thomas and Chess would describe Joey as a(n) __________ child.

A) easy
B) extroverted
C) positive
D) power assertive

Question 29

Poverty is to deprivation as early childhood stimulation is to

A) imprinting.
B) enrichment.
C) assimilation.
D) vicarious learning.

Question 30

When psychologists attribute development to nurture, they are referring to the effects of heredity.

Question 31

If an expectant mother is exposed to German measles, the child could be born with a

A) genetic defect.
B) congenital problem.
C) cephalocaudal pattern problem.
D) proximodistal pattern problem.

Question 32

A lack of normal stimulation, nutrition, comfort, or love is referred to as

A) abuse.
B) scaffolding.
C) deprivation.
D) rejection.

Question 33

Considering what is now known about the effects of smoking on the unborn, the best advice for the mother is to

A) smoke tobacco or marijuana in moderation.
B) smoke only tobacco, not marijuana.
C) smoke marijuana occasionally, but not tobacco.
D) discontinue smoking tobacco and marijuana.

Question 34

Regarding a sensitive period for language development, babies who don't hear normal speech during their first year may have impaired language abilities.

Question 35

Babies of mothers who smoked heavily during pregnancy do NOT show which of the following characteristics?

A) being overweight
B) having lower scores on tests of language and mental ability
C) being more likely to be miscarried or to die soon after birth
D) receiving significantly less oxygen during prenatal development

Question 36

At any stage of life, the three factors that combine to determine a person's developmental level are

A) heredity, cognitive style, and social grouping.
B) heredity, environment, and cognitive style.
C) environment, cognitive style, and the person's own behavior.
D) heredity, environment, and the person's own behavior.

Question 37

Ben touches his newborn brother's palm, and his little brother takes hold of Ben's finger and will not let go, illustrating the Babinski reflex.

Question 38

Impoverished children tend to be sick more often and show poorer school performance.

Question 39

When a gene is recessive, it must be paired with a second gene of the same type before its effect will be expressed.

Question 40

Because of the rapid growth of basic structures, the developing fetus is sensitive to a variety of diseases, drugs, and sources of radiation, especially during which part of the pregnancy?

A) first trimester
B) second trimester
C) third trimester
D) neonatal period

Question 41

Substances capable of causing birth defects are known as __________.

Question 42

A psychologist explaining differences between two individuals in terms of activity levels, irritability, and distractibility is describing aspects of the inherited part of one's personality known as __________.

Question 43

Muscular control spreads in a developmental pattern from the center of the body to the extremities, according to the __________ pattern.

Question 44

A time of increased susceptibility to both positive and negative environmental influences is called a(n) __________.

Question 45

At any stage of life, heredity, environment, and the person's individual behavior are the three factors that determine one's __________ level.

Question 46

Psychologist Carroll Izard thinks that infants can express several basic emotions as early as age

A) two weeks.
B) six weeks.
C) ten weeks.
D) six months.

Question 47

Which of the following psychologists described the three attachment styles of securely attached, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-ambivalent?

A) Mary Ainsworth
B) Diana Baumrind
C) Erik Erikson
D) Lawrence Kohlberg

Question 48

Discuss temperament, including the characteristics of the easy, difficult, and slow-to-warm-up child and how parenting can affect each of these temperaments.

Question 49

In development, deliberately making an environment more stimulating, nutritional, comforting, and loving is referred to as __________.

Question 50

To investigate mother-infant relationships, which of the following researchers separated baby rhesus monkeys from their mothers at birth and replaced them with wire and terry cloth surrogate (substitute) mothers?

A) B. F. Skinner
B) Harry Harlow
C) Jerome Kagan
D) Jean Piaget

Question 51

Describe four adaptive reflexes, and explain how each is elicited and how each aids survival of the newborn.

Question 52

Since even the basic human emotions of anger, fear, and joy appear to be unlearned and take time to develop, early emotional development must follow a pattern closely tied to

A) maturation.
B) habituation.
C) resiliency.
D) scaffolding.

Question 53

If you slam a door (making a loud noise), an infant is likely to be startled and show the __________ reflex.

Question 54

Regarding the affectional needs of infants, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) In part to meet their affectional needs, infants rapidly begin to form emotional attachments, or close emotional bonds, with their primary caregivers.
B) As infants form their first emotional bond with an adult, usually a parent, they also begin to develop self-awareness and to become aware of others.
C) An infant's earl y social development lays the foundation for subsequent relationships with parents, siblings, friends, and relatives.
D) A baby's affectional needs are not important or necessary to meet until an infant becomes self-aware.

Question 55

Distress displayed by infants separated from their parents or caregivers is called

A) separation anxiety.
B) social referencing.
C) imprinting.
D) insecure-avoidant attachment.

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT considered one of the unlearned basic emotions?

A) anger
B) fear
C) guilt
D) joy

Question 57

Contact comfort refers to the

A) instinctual bonding that occurs during the early stages of imprinting.
B) surrogate bonding that takes place between any adult and a child.
C) attention and support that one receives as part of the conditions of worth.
D) pleasant, reassuring feeling infants get from touching something soft and warm, especially their mother.

Question 58

Regarding early emotional development, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Experts agree that anger is the most common infant expression shown during the first year of life.
B) By the age of eight to 12 months, infants smile more frequently when another person is nearby.
C) Early emotional development follows a pattern closely tied to maturation.
D) When new parents see and hear a crying baby, they feel annoyed, irritated, disturbed, or unhap py.

Question 59

After the death of her grandmother, six-year-old Janie was reluctant to get out of the car when her mother dropped her off at school, refused to go over to her best friend's house to play, and tended to cling to her parents after school and on the weekends. Janie appears to be showing signs of

A) inappropriate social referencing.
B) an insecure-avoidant attachment.
C) separation anxiety disorder.
D) abnormal imprinting.

Question 60

Mary and Zeke have three children, all of whom have blue eyes. However, both Mary and Zeke have brown eyes. Using genetic principles, explain the probability of this situation occurring.

Question 61

The style and quality of mothering and fathering are very important

A) during the first few years of life.
B) during infancy and early childhood.
C) from infancy through early adolescence.
D) from infancy through to adulthood.

Question 62

Which parenting style tends to produce resilient children who are also independent, competent, self-controlled, assertive, and inquiring?

A) authoritarian
B) authoritative
C) permissive
D) submissive

Question 63

After being adopted, the children who were raised in severely overcrowded orphanages where they got little attention, showed all of the following characteristics EXCEPT for

A) wanting to be constantly held by their adoptive parents.
B) wandering off with strangers.
C) being poorly attached to their adoptive parents.
D) avoiding eye contact with others.

Question 64

In the United States, about two thirds of all children from middle-class families show a(n) __________ attachment.

A) secure
B) insecure-avoidant
C) insecure-ambivalent
D) insecure-disorganized

Question 65

Melissa is often described by her teacher as a "model" child or unusually "good." However, she also tends to have low self-esteem and is somewhat apprehensive, lacking in curiosity, and dependent on adults for approval. Melissa's parents are most likely using which parenting style?

A) authoritative
B) authoritarian
C) overly permissive
D) democratic

Question 66

In which ethnic culture does parenting tend to be lenient and permissive in the child's early years, but after the child turns 5 years old focuses more on instilling obedience and self-control ?

A) Asian-American
B) African-American
C) Hispanic
D) Arab-American

Question 67

In which parental style do parents enforce rigid rules and demand strict obedience to authority?

A) overly permissive
B) authoritarian
C) authoritative
D) autonomous

Question 68

Many researchers believe that our first attachments to our parents

A) influence how we relate to our friends and lovers.
B) occur during the first hours of life during a critical period.
C) are influenced by an evolutionary pattern that cannot be altered.
D) have little influence on our social behaviors as adults.

Question 69

Andy's teachers describe Andy as cold, somewhat defiant, and rigid. One teacher even overheard Andy say that he hates his parents. According to the research on child discipline techniques, Andy's parents are most likely using a harsh version of which discipline approach?

A) power assertion
B) withdrawal of love
C) management techniques
D) legalistic

Question 70

As a parent, you want your daughter to grow up to be a mature, independent adult, who will act responsibly and make good decisions. To accomplish this, you should

A) combine love and encouragement with very little guidance or criticism.
B) expect complete respect and obedience from your daughter at all times.
C) allow her to make her own decisions without interference from you, the parent.
D) provide love, explain your decisions, and expect her to take responsibility for her actions.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT one of the attachment styles described by Mary Ainsworth?

A) securely attached
B) insecure-agitated
C) insecure-avoidant
D) insecure-ambivalent

Question 72

Traditionally, African-American families tend to exhibit all of the following EXCEPT for

A) valuing an interdependence of family members and respect for elders.
B) emphasizing self-reliance, persistence, and a positive identity.
C) emphasizing persistence in the face of adversity.
D) showing an overly permissive discipline style.

Question 73

When interacting with their children, fathers tend to do which of the following more than mothers?

A) pay more visual attention to their young children
B) spend more time caregiving
C) speak more often to their infants
D) play more conventional games, such as peek-a-boo

Question 74

Martha is planning on enrolling her young son in "The Wee Care Learning Center" day care in town, which has been owned and staffed for the last six years by five former elementary teachers. According to research discussed in the textbook, which of the following can Martha expect concerning the effects of the day care on her son?

A) Her son's attachment to her will weaken.
B) Her son will begin to exhibit behavior problems that he did not previously have.
C) Her son will experience increases in social and cognitive skills.
D) Her son's language skills will decrease.

Question 75

The key to secure attachment involves parents

A) providing their child with as much stimulation as possible.
B) earning the respect of their child through a structured discipline style.
C) accepting and being sensitive to their child's signals and rhythms.
D) encouraging their child to be as independent as possible.

Question 76

Jordan seems very immature, unable to make his own decisions, and always seems to be getting into some kind of trouble. He was probably raised by __________ parents.

A) authoritative
B) authoritarian
C) overly permissive
D) democratic

Question 77

Which of the following statements concerning maternal and paternal influences is FALSE?

A) The different care giving styles of fathers and mothers have a major impact on children's gender role development.
B) Mothers pay more visual attention to their children and are more tactile in interacting with their children than fathers are.
C) Although fathers are spending more time with their children, mothers still do most of the nurturing and caretaking, especially of young children.
D) Young children who spend a lot of time playing with their fathers tend to be more competent in many ways than those who do not.

Question 78

Regarding the child-rearing practices of different cultures, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Child-rearing practices in different cultures reflect different customs and belief systems.
B) There is general agreement across cultures about which behaviors are considered "good" and "bad."
C) Many American child-rearing customs would be considered strange or inappropriate in other parts of the world.
D) Parenting can only be judged if we know what culture or ethnic community a child is preparing to enter.

Question 79

In which parental style is there a healthy and effective balance between the rights of parents and their children?

A) authoritarian
B) permissive
C) authoritative
D) collaborative

Question 80

Regarding Hispanic families, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Hispanic families generally value social skills more than cognitive skills.
B) Hispanic families generally value competition over cooperation.
C) Hispanic families tend to value loyalty and family pride.
D) Hispanic parents tend to have relatively strict standards of discipline.