Chapter 01
Introduction

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following statements about development is accurate?

A. The process of development ends during early adulthood.
B. The process of development starts during early childhood.
C. Most development involves growth, although it also includes decline.
D. Most of the physical development happens during late adulthood.

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Studying Children's Development

2. A researcher who wants to study the effect of parenting styles on development would need to take into consideration the socioeconomic status and cultural settings of the families being studied. These aspects are a part of the “_____” of development.

A. goals
B. environment
C. domain
D. context

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

3. Which of the following terms refers to the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a specific group of people that are passed on from generation to generation?

A. Associative context
B. Culture
C. Primary background
D. Social class

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

4. Madison grew up in a single-parent, poor, urban home with her mother and three siblings. This represents the _____ of Madison’s development.

A. context
B. reference
C. environment
D. domain

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Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

5. Miyako considers herself to be a member of the Ainu tribe because she speaks their language, follows their customs, practices their religion, and knows a lot about their history. Miyako’s membership in the Ainu tribe is an example of her

A. collective efficacy.
B. ethnicity.
C. dominant association.
D. primary conditioning.

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

6. Which of the following is a benefit of cross-cultural studies?

A. They allow researchers to determine if cultural differences are real or imagined.
B. They allow researchers to collect information from childhood through adolescence.
C. They encourage researchers to ignore genetic similarities across cultures and focus more individual differences.
D. They allow researchers to determine areas where development is similar across cultures or specific to only a particular culture.

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

7. A person’s position within society based on occupational, educational, and economic characteristics is referred to as

A. culture.
B. socioeconomic status.
C. marital status.
D. adjusted income status.

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

8. Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of resilient individuals?

A. Good intellectual functioning
B. Self-confidence
C. High self-esteem
D. High SES

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9. Bonds to caring adults outside the family, connections to positive organizations, and attending effective schools are all associated with

A. resilience.
B. declines in cognitive functioning.
C. social policy.
D. cultural differences.

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Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

10. Juanita is a homeless child living well below the poverty line. Despite her surroundings, Juanita is an intelligent young girl with multiple talents and self-confidence. Based on research by Ann Masten, we can predict that Juanita will

A. continue to struggle with personality issues and emotional problems for most of her life.
B. demonstrate resilience and find ways to make the best out of most situations.
C. succumb to her surroundings and become a juvenile delinquent.
D. probably join a gang when she reaches her adolescent years.

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Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

11. Which of the following represents a government’s course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens?

A. Socialized equity program
B. Welfare policy
C. Public advancement program
D. Social policy

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Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

12. The main goal of the Ascend two-generation education intervention is to

A. provide housing for the homeless.
B. insure that all members of a family are paid extra when they are employed.
C. emphasize increasing postsecondary education for mothers and improve the quality of their children’s early childhood education.
D. increase the likelihood that if a child has more than two siblings, at least one of those siblings will be placed in a middle- to upper-class household.

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Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

13. Heredity reflects the role of _____ processes in development.

A. biological
B. cognitive
C. socioemotional
D. individualistic

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Biological Processes

14. The development of the brain, height and weight gains, motor skills, and the hormonal changes of puberty all reflect the role of _____ processes in development.

A. biological
B. cognitive
C. assimilative 
D. socioemotional

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Biological Processes

15. Which of the following examples BEST reflects the role of cognitive processes in development?

A. Developing assertiveness
B. Height and weight gains
C. Development of the brain
D. Memorizing a poem

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Topic: Cognitive Processes

16. When Tamika solves a simple math problem involving additions and subtractions, she has shown development in the _____ processes.

A. biological
B. cognitive
C. socioemotional
D. integrative

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Topic: Cognitive Processes

17. Which process of development involves interactions with other people?

A. Integrative
B. Biological
C. Cognitive
D. Socioemotional

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Topic: Socioemotional Processes

18. Kwame became angry because Harry took his toy without asking, and he punched Harry in the arm. Kwame’s response reflects the role of _____ processes in his development.

A. biological
B. cognitive
C. socioemotional
D. assimilative

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Topic: Socioemotional Processes

19. Imagining what it would be like to be a movie star is an example of a(n) _____ process of development.

A. biological
B. socioemotional
C. cognitive
D. integrative

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Cognitive Processes

20. The developmental period of roughly nine months during which a single cell grows into an organism is known as the ________ period.

A. prenatal
B. infancy
C. early childhood
D. adolescent

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Periods of Development

21. The prenatal period extends from:

A. birth to the third month.
B. infancy to early childhood.
C. birth to the first year.
D. conception to birth.

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Topic: Periods of Development

22. The developmental period characterized by extreme dependence on adults is the ________ period.

A. infancy
B. early childhood
C. middle and late childhood
D. adolescent

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Topic: Periods of Development

23. The period extending from birth to about 18 to 24 months of age is called

A. the neonatal period.
B. early childhood.
C. youth.
D. infancy.

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Topic: Periods of Development

24. _____ is the developmental period that extends from the end of infancy to about 5 or 6 years of age.

A. Early childhood
B. Infancy
C. The prenatal period
D. Adolescence

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Topic: Periods of Development

25. The middle and late childhood period is sometimes referred to as:

A. adolescence.
B. the elementary school years.
C. the play years.
D. the transition years.

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Periods of Development

26. During which of the following developmental periods does achievement become a more central theme?

A. Adulthood
B. Early childhood
C. Middle and late childhood
D. Adolescence

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Topic: Periods of Development

27. The pursuit of independence and an identity are prominent features of

A. adulthood.
B. early childhood.
C. middle and late childhood.
D. adolescence.

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Topic: Periods of Development

28. Which of the following periods of development starts at approximately 10 to 12 years of age and ends at 18 to 22 years of age?

A. Middle childhood
B. Adolescence
C. Adulthood
D. Late childhood

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Topic: Periods of Development

29. The pursuit of independence and an identity are prominent features of the _____ period of development. During this period, thought becomes more abstract, idealistic, and logical.

A. infancy
B. adolescence
C. early childhood
D. late childhood

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Periods of Development

30. Which of the following periods of development is sometimes referred to as the preschool years?

A. Infancy
B. Middle childhood
C. Early childhood
D. Prenatal period

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Topic: Periods of Development

31. A group of people who are born at a similar point in history and share similar experiences are referred to as a

A. cohort.
B. group.
C. culture.
D. family.

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Age and Cohort Effects

32. The generation of individuals who rely heavily on technology, such as smart phones, and who show an increase in their ethnic diversity have been labeled

A. Baby Boomers.
B. Generation X.
C. Generation Y.
D. Millennials.

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Topic: Age and Cohort Effects

33. Susie has a tablet and smartphone that she carries everywhere. Right now she is texting four different friends at once, while updating her social media profile on her tablet. Susie would be described as a member of:

A. the Baby Boomers.
B. Generation X.
C. Generation Y.
D. the Millennials.

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Age and Cohort Effects

34. In developmental research, cohort effects include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Age
B. Time of birth
C. Era
D. Generation

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Age and Cohort Effects

35. Dr. Perry believes that who we are is mostly a result of who our parents are rather than how they brought us up. Dr. Perry would be considered a proponent of the _______ position.

A. nature
B. nurture
C. continuity
D. discontinuity

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Topic: Nature and Nurture

36. Psychologists who emphasize the importance of nature in development would typically focus on which of the following to explain development?

A. Good prenatal care
B. Genetic strengths and defects
C. Access to nutritious foods
D. Educational experiences

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37. Nature proponents argue that the most important influence on development of a child is its

A. access to nutrition.
B. education.
C. parent’s social status.
D. genetic makeup.

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Topic: Nature and Nurture

38. “It’s no use putting her in a special educational program,” Misha’s dad explained patiently. “She just can’t understand things very well. Her grandpa was the same way. We might as well get used to it now.” Misha’s dad seems to 
A. view development as a discontinuous process.
B. hold a nurture view of development.
C. view development as a continuous process.
D. hold a nature view of development.

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Topic: Nature and Nurture

39. Which of the following statements is MOST likely to be made by a nurture proponent?

A. No amount of teaching can make one write before one learns to speak.
B. One grows rapidly in infancy and less so in early childhood.
C. Individuals reach the peak of their physical strength in late adolescence.
D. A child’s diet affects how tall the child grows.

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Topic: Nature and Nurture

40. “The ability to engage in thoughtful reflection seems to happen all of a sudden. But if one carefully examines it, this ability is actually based on an accumulation of experiences across many years.” This statement supports a _____ view of development. 
A. nature-influenced
B. nurture-influenced
C. continuous
D. discontinuous

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Continuity and Discontinuity

41. A tadpole becoming a frog is an example of

A. cohesiveness in development.
B. nurture’s role in development.
C. discontinuity in development.
D. developmental stability.

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Topic: Continuity and Discontinuity

42. According to the _____ view of development, each person is described as passing through a sequence of stages in which change is qualitatively rather than quantitatively different.

A. nurture
B. discontinuity
C. sequential
D. nature

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Continuity and Discontinuity

43. How would a developmentalist who emphasizes continuity describe puberty?

A. It is an abrupt transition phase.
B. It is a gradual process occurring over several years.
C. It is a period of intense emotional stress.
D. It is an extended phase of psychosocial change.

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Topic: Continuity and Discontinuity

44. Insects go through egg, larval, and adult stages of development. These stages best illustrate the _____ of development.

A. nature view
B. later stages
C. nurture view
D. discontinuity

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Topic: Continuity and Discontinuity

45. José was abused as a young boy but did not grow up to become an abuser himself. Instead, he led a fulfilling family life. Which of the following views of development is illustrated in this example?

A. Later-experience view of development
B. Early-experience view of development
C. Discontinuity view of development
D. Continuity view of development

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Topic: Early and Later Experiences

46. Shawn is a psychologist from the United States. Lee is a psychologist from China. Which of the following statements is MOST likely to be correct about them?

A. Shawn is a proponent of early experiences, while Lee is a proponent of later experiences.
B. Shawn is a proponent of later experiences, while Lee is a proponent of early experiences.
C. Shawn believes in continuity in development, while Lee believes in discontinuity in development.
D. Shawn believes in discontinuity in development, while Lee believes in continuity in development.

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Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Early and Later Experiences

47. The first step in the scientific method is

A. collecting relevant data.
B. revising the working theory.
C. conceptualizing a problem.
D. using statistics to draw conclusions.

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Topic: Scientific Method

48. A researcher observes how a teacher’s leadership style affects classroom control. Which of the following steps of a scientific method is being carried out by the researcher?

A. Revising a theory
B. Drawing a conclusion
C. Conceptualizing the problem
D. Collecting the data

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Topic: Scientific Method

49. A(n) _____ is an interrelated, coherent set of ideas that helps to explain and to make predictions.

A. theory
B. doctrine
C. explanation
D. observation

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Topic: Scientific Method

50. A scientific hypothesis is MOST like a(n)

A. test.
B. prediction.
C. explanation.
D. observation.

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Topic: Scientific Method

51. If children from impoverished backgrounds are given individual attention by mentors, the children will spend more time studying and will, therefore, make higher grades. This statement is an example of a (n)

A. test.
B. doctrine.
C. explanation.
D. hypothesis.

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Topic: Scientific Method

52. A hypothesis should be

A. simple.
B. testable.
C. accurate.
D. predictable.

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Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Scientific Method

53. A researcher conducts an experiment to see which type of therapy is most successful in identifying marital problems. In this situation, the experiment is a part of the _____ step of the scientific method.

A. problem identification
B. theory revision
C. information collection
D. statistical analysis

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Topic: Scientific Method

54. After receiving feedback from colleagues on the results of her experiment, Dr. Chen determines that she must make some changes in her ideas about video games and their effects on children. Her decision reflects which step in the scientific method?

A. Revising a theory
B. Drawing a conclusion
C. Conceptualizing the problem
D. Collecting the data

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Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Scientific Method

55. Which of the following theoretical perspectives of development describes development as primarily unconscious and heavily colored by emotion?

A. Psychoanalytic
B. Cognitive
C. Ethological
D. Ecological

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Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Psychoanalytic Theory

56. The _____ is the Freudian structure of personality that consists of instincts and is totally unconscious.

A. superego
B. ego
C. id
D. subconscious

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Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Psychoanalytic Theory

57. Freud claimed that

A. genetics is far more important to a child’s development than are social and parental influences.
B. the primary motivation of human development reflects a desire to affiliate with other people.
C. early childhood experiences are important determinants of later personality development.
D. children move through a series of increasingly important stages of cognitive development.

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Topic: Psychoanalytic Theory

58. Ben watches his mother make chocolate-chip cookies and knows she does not want him to eat any of the cookies before dinner. He is seriously tempted to help himself to a cookie or two once his mother leaves the room but decides not to because it is not right to do so. Identify Ben’s Freudian structure of personality at work in this situation.

A. Superego
B. Ego
C. Id
D. Subconscious

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Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Freud’s Theory

59. According to Freud’s theory, as children experience the demands and constraints of reality, a new structure of personality emerges. It deals with the demands of reality and uses reasoning to make decisions. This structure of personality is known as the _____.

A. id
B. ego
C. subconscious
D. superego

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Topic: Freud’s Theory

60. Which psychoanalytic theorist believed that our adult personality is determined by the way we resolve conflicts between sources of pleasure and the demands of reality at different stages of life?

A. Erik Erikson
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Jean Piaget
D. John B. Watson

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Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Freud’s Theory

61. Which of the following is TRUE about Erikson’s psychosocial theory?

A. It states that our basic personality is shaped in the first five years of life.
B. It analyzes personality in terms of three structures: id, ego, and superego.
C. It places heavy emphasis on sexual instincts.
D. It emphasizes both early and later experiences.

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Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

62. Billy has begun to assert his independence by wanting to do things by himself. He is MOST likely in Erikson’s _____ stage of psychosocial development.

A. trust versus mistrust
B. autonomy versus shame and doubt
C. initiative versus guilt
D. industry versus inferiority

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Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

63. According to Erikson’s theory, during the _____ stage of psychosocial development, children are asked to assume responsibility for their bodies.

A. autonomy versus shame and doubt
B. initiative versus guilt
C. intimacy versus isolation
D. trust versus mistrust

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

64. Third-grader Beth is very enthusiastic about learning how to use the computer to find things on the Internet. According to Erikson’s theory, she is in the _____ stage of development.

A. autonomy versus shame and doubt
B. initiative versus guilt
C. industry versus inferiority
D. identity versus identity confusion

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

65. According to Erik Erikson, during adolescence, people are in the _____ stage of development.

A. autonomy versus shame and doubt
B. initiative versus guilt
C. industry versus inferiority
D. identity versus identity confusion

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

66. _____ is Erikson’s eighth and final stage of development, which individuals experience in late adulthood.

A. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
B. Initiative versus guilt
C. Industry versus inferiority
D. Integrity versus despair

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

67. Which of the following is a criticism of the psychoanalytic theories?

A. The conscious mind is given too much credit for influencing development.
B. These theories present an image of humans that is too positive.
C. The sexual underpinnings of development are not given adequate importance.
D. They treat Western culture and males as the measure for evaluating everyone.

APA LO: 1.2
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Evaluating Psychoanalytic Theories

68. Parenting strategies that focus on developing trust, encouraging initiative, promoting industry, and stimulating identity exploration are based on the theory of

A. Sigmund Freud.
B. Albert Bandura.
C. Erik Erikson.
D. Jean Piaget.

APA LO: 1.2
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

69. Erikson charged elementary school teachers to nourish children’s motivation for mastery and curiosity. Which stage of his psychosocial theory was Erikson hoping teachers would promote?

A. Trust versus mistrust
B. Autonomy versus shame and doubt
C. Initiative versus guilt
D. Industry versus inferiority

APA LO: 1.2
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

70. _____ theories emphasize the importance of conscious thought.

A. Sociocultural
B. Psychoanalytic
C. Cognitive
D. Ethological

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

71. Because Dr. Simon is a cognitive theorist, we know that she emphasizes the importance of _____ in development.

A. conscious thoughts
B. repressed memories
C. associative interactions
D. biologically determined critical periods

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

72. According to _____, we go through four stages in understanding the world. Each stage is age-related and consists of a distinct way of thinking, a different way of understanding the world.

A. James Mark Baldwin
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Jean Piaget
D. John B. Watson

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

73. According to Piaget, the _____ stage lasts from approximately two to seven years of age. In this stage, children begin to go beyond simply connecting sensory information with physical action and begin to represent the world with words, images, and drawings.

A. preoperational
B. concrete operational
C. sensorimotor
D. formal operational

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

74. Mark, who is 14 years old, spends a lot of time thinking about the world as it currently is and the world as it could be if everyone took a greater degree of personal responsibility for environmental and social conditions. According to Piaget theory, Mark is in the _____ stage of development.

A. sensorimotor
B. preoperational
C. concrete operational
D. formal operational

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

75. Lev Vygotsky contended that cognitive skills are

A. not affected by language.
B. developed subconsciously.
C. based on one’s genetic makeup.
D. affected by social interaction and culture.

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Cognitive Theory

76. _____ theory gave rise to the idea that knowledge is situated and collaborative.

A. Erikson’s
B. Freud’s
C. Vygotsky’s
D. Piaget’s

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Cognitive Theory

77. Dr. Baker-Finch considers early computers as the “founding fathers” of the developmental theory he supports. He is trying to draw analogies between a computer’s hardware and the brain and between computer software and cognition. Dr. Baker-Finch would be considered a(n) ________ theorist.

A. psychoanalytic
B. psychosocial
C. sociocultural
D. information-processing

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Information-Processing Theory

78. The work of Ivan Pavlov and _____ provided the foundations of behaviorism, which essentially holds that we can study scientifically only what can be directly observed and measured.

A. James Mark Baldwin
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Jean Piaget
D. John B. Watson

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning

79. _____ theorists believe that scientifically we can study only what can be directly observed and measured.

A. Behavioral
B. Psychoanalytic
C. Cognitive
D. Information-processing

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning

80. “Sit down, shut up, and respect your brother!” Mom shouts to Timmy. “Learn to talk, instead of fighting!” According to Bandura, Timmy is likely to 

A. sit down, shut up, and learn to respect his brother.
B. learn to yell in order to solve his problems.
C. learn to talk for resolving the conflicts he faces.
D. sit down and shut up, but never respect his brother.

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory

81. Pavlov discovered the principle of _____, in which a neutral stimulus acquires the ability to produce a response originally produced by another stimulus.

A. sociocultural modification
B. cognitive development
C. classical conditioning
D. social cognition

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning

82. _____ stresses that behavior is strongly influenced by biology, is tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods.

A. Ethology
B. Sociology
C. Necrology
D. Entomology

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Ethological Theory

83. John Bowlby’s view that the first year of human life is a sensitive period for the development of social relationships is an application of the _____ theory to human development. 
A. ethological
B. observational learning
C. behavioral
D. sociocultural

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Ethological Theory

84. In Urie Bronfenbrenner’s theory, the term “_____” refers to the setting in which the individual lives.

A. microsystem
B. mesosystem
C. exosystem
D. macrosystem

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Ecological Theory

85. According to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, when a wife’s or a child’s experience at home is influenced by the husband’s experiences at work, this situation serves as an example of the

A. microsystem.
B. mesosystem.
C. macrosystem.
D. exosystem.

APA LO: 1.2
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Ecological Theory

86. According to the ecological theory, the term macrosystem represents

A. the setting in which an individual lives.
B. indirect experiences that individuals have in their environment.
C. relationships between microsystems.
D. the culture in which individuals live.

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Ecological Theory

87. A social worker is trying to help Tina put her life back together, find housing and work, and finish her technical degree. The social worker uses Skinner’s theory to understand how to reward Tina for her efforts; uses Erikson’s theory to understand the identity and intimacy crisis Tina is now facing; and uses Bronfenbrenner’s theory to understand how the relations between family, school, and work will affect Tina’s development. The social worker is using a(n) _____ approach to developmental theory.

A. ethological
B. ecological
C. eclectic
D. ethnographic

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Eclectic Theoretical Orientation

88. A researcher uses a video camera to record children as they play on a school playground. The researcher plans to watch the video carefully to understand the children’s helping behaviors. Which of the following research methods is being used by the researcher for collecting data?

A. Case study
B. Observation
C. Standardized test
D. Multifactorial study

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Observation

89. Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding laboratory observations?

A. It allows a researcher to control most factors that influence behavior.
B. It permits a researcher to see behavior in a natural setting.
C. Virtually any aspect of development can be observed in such a setting.
D. People who are willing to come to a university laboratory fairly represent groups from diverse cultural backgrounds.

APA LO: 1.2
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Laboratory Research

90. Observing behavior in real-world settings and making no effort to manipulate or control the situation is called ________ observation.

A. non-intervention
B. naturalistic
C. real-world
D. social

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Naturalistic Observation

91. Professor Gonzalez is studying the interaction patterns of preschool children on the playground. He has set up hidden cameras in several locations and plans to analyze the recordings from a month’s worth of observation. Professor Gonzalez is utilizing

A. naturalistic observation.
B. the interview technique.
C. laboratory observation.
D. a sequential design.

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Naturalistic Observation

92. Sandra is taking a test with her classmates. All students must follow the same rules, have the same allotted time, and are not allowed to talk or leave the room until the test is finished. Sandra is taking a(n) ______ test.

A. standardized
B. informal
C. restricted
D. rules based

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Standardized Test

93. Tate has been the subject of a study for nearly 20 years. A psychologist identified Tate as being extremely intelligent at a very early age and has been evaluating Tate’s academic progress ever since. The psychologist’s approach would be described as

A. a case study.
B. a naturalistic observation.
C. an experiment.
D. a correlational study.

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Case Study

94. _____ measures are used by researchers to examine the influence of hormones on development.

A. Psychological
B. Physiological
C. Sociological
D. Emotional

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Physiological Measures

95. According to your text, the hormone Cortisol has been used by developmental researchers to study all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Temperament
B. Emotional reactivity
C. Peer relations
D. Intelligence

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Physiological Measures

96. Stephen is being exposed to violent and nonviolent images and researchers are using a technique that constructs images of his brain tissue and biochemical activity as he views the images. The researchers are using

A. electroencephaly (EEG).
B. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
C. habituation techniques.
D. diagnostic x-rays.

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Physiological Measures

97. Another physiological measure used in developmental research is eye movement. Eye-tracking equipment is being used to study all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Infant perception
B. Attention
C. Development of autism
D. Cognitive functioning in the elderly

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Physiological Measures

98. Cause-and-effect relationships can best be determined by _____ studies.

A. longitudinal
B. cross-sectional
C. correlational
D. experimental

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Experimental Research

99. Dr. Martin, a psychologist interested in studying children’s memory, gave a memory test to a group of six-year-olds in 1995 and repeated the tests with the same children in 1998 when they were nine-year-olds. The research strategy used here was the _____ approach.

A. sequential
B. longitudinal
C. correlational
D. cross-sectional

APA LO: 1.3
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Longitudinal Approach

100. The term “ethnic _____” refers to the use of an ethnic label, such as African American or Latino, in a superficial way that portrays an ethnic group as being more homogeneous than it really is.

A. homogenization
B. cover
C. gloss
D. standardization

APA LO: 1.1
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Cultural and Ethnic Bias

Short Answer Questions

101. Describe three ways that children’s lives can be made better.
Students’ answers may vary. The following are a few ways of making children’s lives better:

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

102. Define context, culture, and ethnicity and then explain why cross-cultural studies are necessary for a broader understanding of the development of children within a specific context.
Students’ answers may vary.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

103. Explain how differences in socioeconomic status lead to unequal opportunities.
Socioeconomic status (SES) refers to a person’s position within society based on occupational, educational, and economic characteristics. Socioeconomic status implies certain inequalities. Generally, members of a society have (1) occupations that vary in prestige, with some individuals having more access than others to higher-status occupations; (2) different levels of educational attainment, with some individuals having more access than others to better education; (3) different economic resources; and (4) different levels of power to influence a community’s institutions. These differences in people’s ability to control resources and to participate in society’s rewards produce unequal opportunities.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.1: Explain why it’s important to study children’s development.
Topic: Improving Children’s Lives

104. For the purposes of organization and understanding, a child’s development is commonly described in terms of periods, which are given approximate age ranges. What are the various periods of a child’s development? List out a few characteristics of each period.
The most widely used classification of developmental periods describes a child’s development in terms of the following sequence:

APA LO: 1.1
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remember
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Periods of Development

105. What sets apart specific groups of people like “Millenials” from others? What are such groups of people termed as?
Specific groups of people like “Millenials” were born at a similar point in history and share similar experiences as a result. These shared experiences may produce a range of differences among different such groups. For example, Millenials stand out primarily for their ethnic diversity and exposure to technology. Such groups of people are termed as “cohorts” and in research on development, cohort effects are due to a person’s time of birth, era, or generation but not due to actual age.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Age

106. The nature versus nurture controversy has been a longstanding issue in child development. Describe the main ideas of the nature versus nurture controversy.
Nature proponents claim that biological inheritance is the most important influence on development, while nurture proponents claim that environmental experiences are the most important. The reality is somewhere in between. An excellent genetic disposition of a child can be defeated by extreme environments (violence, lack of resources, or psychologically barren or hostile environments). On the other hand, best possible resources and facilities might not be able to help a child master a skill for which the child lacks the innate ability. Both nature and nurture components are equally important in a child’s development.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Nature and Nurture

107. In the following scenario, consider the early and later experience of Ginny. Which will influence her more as she moves into early adulthood, and why? What variables in her life are key factors?
Scenario: Ginny was born to two warm, loving parents who were killed in an auto accident when she was four. At that time she was placed in the care of an aunt, who was inconvenienced by her presence there. Her aunt left her at a local day care for most of the day. When Ginny entered school she was a quiet, withdrawn child, with poor motor skills, further hindered by an inability to read in the early grades.
Students’ answers may vary. In addition to considering her first years of life and their importance, the answer should evaluate the role of the extended family, the day care, and the quality of the school as to Ginny’s later childhood experiences. It is likely that both early experiences and later experiences will be important in Ginny’s development. If her teachers show extra care toward Ginny, that might be able to make up for the lack of care and support at her aunt’s home.

APA LO: 1.3
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.2: Identify the most important processes, periods, and issues in development.
Topic: Early and Later Experiences

108. Harry wants to study whether watching TV for several hours is linked with being overweight in children aged 9 to 13. “You think this is science? It most definitely is not,” ridicules his friend, who is majoring in physics. Do you agree with his friend? Why? Why not?
Students’ answers will vary. Harry’s friend is wrong. Child development is a science like any other because science is defined not by what it investigates, but by how it investigates. As long as Harry’s research is based on the scientific method, it will be deemed scientific research.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Scientific Method

109. Pete wants to study the effect of differences in parental nurturing styles on child development. What are the steps he must follow in order to base his study on the scientific method?
Scientific research is based on the scientific method, an approach that can be used to discover accurate information. In order to base his study on the scientific method, Pete must follow these steps:
Conceptualize the problem: It involves identifying the problem and then narrowing it down further to identify the specific aspects on which the researcher wants to focus.
Collect information: This might involve conducting experiments and collecting the results or observing behaviors in naturalized settings.
Draw conclusions: This involves first analyzing the collected data by, for example, subjecting it to statistical procedures. Then, the researchers try to draw conclusions based on this analysis.
Revise research conclusion and theories: This involves comparing findings with those of other researchers working on the same topic.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Scientific Method

110. Evaluate the psychoanalytic theories in terms of their contributions and criticisms.
The contributions of psychoanalytic theories include these ideas:
Criticisms of psychoanalytic theories include:

APA LO: 1.3
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Evaluate
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Studying Children's Development

111. Describe Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory.
Piaget’s theory states that children actively construct their understanding of the world and go through four stages of cognitive development. Two processes underlie the four stages of development in Piaget’s theory: organization and adaptation. To make sense of our world, we organize our experiences. For example, we separate important ideas from less important ideas, and we connect one idea to another. In addition to organizing our observations and experiences, we adapt, adjusting to new environmental demands. Piaget also proposed that we go through four stages in understanding the world. These stages are:

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory

112. Discuss Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Cognitive Theory.
Vygotsky’s theory is a sociocultural cognitive theory that emphasizes how culture and social interaction guide cognitive development. Vygotsky portrayed the child’s development as inseparable from social and cultural activities. He argued that development of memory, attention, and reasoning involves learning to use the inventions of society, such as language, mathematical systems, and memory strategies. According to Vygotsky, children’s social interaction with more-skilled adults and peers is indispensable to their cognitive development. Through this interaction, they learn to use the tools that will help them adapt and be successful in their culture. Vygotsky’s theory has stimulated considerable interest in the view that knowledge is situated and collaborative.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Cognitive Theory

113. Describe the salient features of the information-processing theory.
Early computers can be considered “founding fathers” of the information-processing theory of child development. Psychologists drew analogies between a computer’s hardware and the brain and between computer software and cognition. This line of thinking helped to generate information-processing theory, which emphasizes that individuals manipulate information, monitor it, and strategize about it. Unlike Piaget’s theory, but like Vygotsky’s theory, information-processing theory does not describe development as stage-like. Instead, according to this theory, individuals develop a gradually increasing capacity for processing information, which allows them to acquire increasingly complex knowledge and skills.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Information-Processing Theory

114. What is behaviorism? What do behavioral and cognitive theories of child development emphasize in terms of the continuity-discontinuity issue?
Behaviorism essentially holds that we can study scientifically only what can be directly observed and measured. Out of the behavioral tradition grew the belief that development is observable behavior that can be learned through experience with the environment. In terms of the continuity-discontinuity issue, the behavioral and social cognitive theories emphasize continuity in development and argue that development does not occur in stage-like fashion.

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Skinner's Operant Conditioning

115. Carol is a counselor for parents of toddlers and young children. She wants to base her advice on Bandura’s social cognitive theory. What advice is she likely to give parents for teaching young children good manners?
Because Carol wants to base her advice on Bandura’s social cognitive theory, she is most likely to focus heavily her advice on observational learning (also called imitation, or modeling), which is learning that occurs through observing what others do. More specifically, she is likely to advise parents to model their behavior in such a way that their children are able to learn good manners by following their behavior and not merely their words.

APA LO: 1.3
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apply
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory

116. Evaluate behavioral and social cognitive theories of child development in terms of their contributions and criticisms.
Contributions of the behavioral and social cognitive theories include:
Criticisms of the behavioral and social cognitive theories include:

APA LO: 1.3
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Evaluate
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory

117. Describe the five environmental systems discussed in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory.
The five environmental systems discussed in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory are:

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Ecological Theory

118. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of two of the following methods for collecting data: observation, surveys and interviews, standardized tests, and case study.
Students’ answers may vary.
Observation:
Surveys and interviews:
Standardized tests:
Case study:

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Research Methods

119. Describe the three main types of research designs. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these research designs?
The three main types of research designs are:

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Research Methods

120. James is planning to study the effect of violent images and videos on preschoolers. What are the four ethical issues he must take into account before and during this study?
James must protect the preschoolers who will participate in his study from physical and mental harm and keep their best interests foremost in his mind.

According to the ethics guidelines developed by the American Psychological Association (APA) for its members, James must take into account the following four ethical issues before and during this study:

APA LO: 1.2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Understand
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Objective: 1.3: Summarize why research is important, the main theories of child development, and research methods, designs, and challenges.
Topic: Research Methods