Test Bank for Exploring Lifespan Development 4th Edition by Berk 

Chapter 1
History, theory, and research strategies

Multiple Choice

1. Dr. Langley’s work is devoted to understanding constancy and change throughout the lifespan. Dr. Langley’s field of study is __________.

A) genetics

B) clinical psychology

C) adolescent development

D) developmental science

Answer: D

Page Ref: 3

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.1 What is developmental science, and what factors stimulated expansion of the field?

Topic: A Scientific, Applied, and Interdisciplinary Field

Difficulty Level: Moderate

2. Although great diversity characterizes the interests and concerns of investigators who study development, they share a single goal: to identify __________.

A) genetic factors that contribute to longevity

B) environmental factors that contribute to disease and illness

C) those factors that lead to abnormal development in children and adolescents

D) those factors that influence consistencies and transformations in people from conception to death

Answer: D

Page Ref: 3

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.1 What is developmental science, and what factors stimulated expansion of the field?

Topic: A Scientific, Applied, and Interdisciplinary Field

Difficulty Level: Moderate

3. Developmental science is __________ because it has grown through the combined efforts of people from many fields of study.

A) interdisciplinary

B) empirical

C) applied

D) theoretical

Answer: A

Page Ref: 3

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.1 What is developmental science, and what factors stimulated expansion of the field?

Topic: A Scientific, Applied, and Interdisciplinary Field

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. A theory of development __________.

A) illustrates the ultimate truth about human behavior

B) describes, explains, and predicts behavior

C) explains all aspects of human growth

D) does not require scientific verification

Answer: B

Page Ref: 3

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Moderate

5. According to the __________ view of development, the difference between the immature and mature being is simply one of amount or complexity.

A) nature

B) discontinuous

C) nurture

D) continuous

Answer: D

Page Ref: 4

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Moderate

6. The discontinuous view of development holds that __________.

A) infants and preschoolers respond to the world in much the same way adults do

B) growth is the process of gradually augmenting the skills that were present from the beginning

C) infants and children have unique ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving

D) development is a smooth process limited only by a lack of information and precision

Answer: C

Page Ref: 4

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Difficult

7. Dr. Kostel believes that development takes place in stages. This belief is consistent with the __________ perspective.

A) nurture

B) continuous

C) discontinuous

D) nature

Answer: C

Page Ref: 4

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Moderate

8. New evidence increasingly emphasizes that __________.

A) there is very little cultural diversity in human development

B) environmental, but not personal, contexts shape development

C) development occurs in a neat, orderly sequence of stages unaffected by distinct contexts

D) people not only are affected by but also contribute to the contexts in which they develop

Answer: D

Page Ref: 4

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Difficult

9. Tammy’s father is an exceptional gymnast. When Tammy was just a toddler, her father believed that Tammy already showed great promise as a gymnast. Tammy’s father probably believes that athletic ability is mostly determined by __________.

A) nurture

B) stages

C) nature

D) early experiences

Answer: C

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Moderate

10. Although Justin spent his first 18 months in an orphanage, his adoptive mother believes sensitive caregiving will help Justin overcome his early experiences. Justin’s mother emphasizes the role of __________ in development.

A) nurture

B) stages

C) stability

D) nature

Answer: A

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Moderate

11. Theorists who contend that powerful negative events in the first few years cannot be fully overcome by later, more positive ones emphasize __________.

A) plasticity

B) stability

C) nurture

D) discontinuity

Answer: B

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Difficult

12. Theorists who emphasize plasticity believe that __________.

A) change in response to influential experiences is possible

B) heredity, rather than environment, influences behavior

C) individuals who are high in anxiety as children will remain so at later ages

D) early experiences establish a lifelong pattern of behavior

Answer: A

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.2 Identify three basic issues on which theories of human development take a stand.

Topic: Basic Issues

Difficulty Level: Moderate

13. Increasingly, researchers view human development as __________.

A) taking place entirely before and during adolescence

B) declining in old age

C) influenced more by heredity than environment

D) a perpetually ongoing process

Answer: D

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

14. The lifespan perspective on human development assumes that development is __________.

A) static and stable

B) multidimensional and multidirectional

C) continuous, rather than discontinuous

D) largely the result of heredity

Answer: B

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

15. According to the lifespan perspective, __________ is supreme in its impact on the life course.

A) the prenatal period

B) early childhood

C) adolescence

D) no age period

Answer: D

Page Ref: 5

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. Max, age 65, learned to play the piano at a local senior center. Max demonstrates that __________.

A) aging is an eventual “shipwreck”

B) learning follows a predictable timetable

C) development is plastic at all ages

D) musical talent peaks in late adulthood

Answer: C

Page Ref: 6

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

17. Which statement provides an example of an age-graded influence?

A) Paul learned to play the violin at age 11.

B) Frank got his driver’s license at age 16.

C) Martina got married at age 34.

D) Jesse learned to use a computer at age 21.

Answer: B

Page Ref: 7

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

18. People born during the baby boom between 1946 and 1964 tend to be alike in ways that set them apart from people born at other times, due to __________ influences.

A) age-graded

B) history-graded

C) nonnormative

D) bio-historical

Answer: B

Page Ref: 7

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. __________ influences are irregular and do not follow a predictable timetable.

A) Nonnormative

B) History-graded

C) Age-graded

D) Bio-historical

Answer: A

Page Ref: 7

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. Although Betty grew up in a rundown neighborhood, had divorced parents, and rarely saw her father, she is a successful, happy, and healthy adult. Betty’s ability to adapt effectively in the face of threats to development is known as __________.

A) assimilation

B) resilience

C) age-graded development

D) multidimensional development

Answer: B

Page Ref: 8 Box: BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT: Resilience

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. The most consistent asset of resilient children is __________.

A) a strong bond with a competent, caring adult

B) high intelligence

C) an easygoing temperament

D) an association with a rule-abiding peer

Answer: A

Page Ref: 8 Box: BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT: Resilience

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

22. The baby boomers __________.

A) were more economically underprivileged than their counterparts in the previous generation

B) adopted their parents’ family- and marriage-centered lifestyles in early adulthood

C) embraced growing old far more than their predecessors

D) were labeled a narcissistic, indulged, “me” generation

Answer: D

Page Ref: 7, 10 Box: CULTURAL INFLUENCES: The Baby Boomers Reshape the Life Course

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

23. As a generation, the baby boomers are __________ than any previous mid- or late-life cohort.

A) healthier, but less educated

B) more educated, but less wealthy

C) more self-focused, but less healthy

D) healthier, better educated, and financially better off

Answer: D

Page Ref: 7, 10 Box: CULTURAL INFLUENCES: The Baby Boomers Reshape the Life Course

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.3 Describe the lifespan perspective on development.

Topic: The Lifespan Perspective: A Balanced Point of View

Difficulty Level: Moderate

24. __________ is regarded as the founder of the child study movement.

A) Charles Darwin

B) G. Stanley Hall

C) Alfred Binet

D) Sigmund Freud

Answer: B

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.4 Describe major early influences on the scientific study of development.

Topic: Scientific Beginnings

Difficulty Level: Easy

25. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution emphasized __________ and __________.

A) the normative approach; survival of the fittest

B) noble savages; physical maturation

C) the tabula rasa; natural selection

D) natural selection; survival of the fittest

Answer: D

Page Ref: 9

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.4 Describe major early influences on the scientific study of development.

Topic: Scientific Beginnings

Difficulty Level: Easy

26. G. Stanley Hall and his student Arnold Gesell __________.

A) discovered that prenatal growth is strikingly similar in many species

B) launched the normative approach

C) constructed the first standardized intelligence test

D) were the forefathers of psychoanalytic theory

Answer: B

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.4 Describe major early influences on the scientific study of development.

Topic: Scientific Beginnings

Difficulty Level: Moderate

27. Arnold Gesell __________.

A) was among the first to make knowledge about child development meaningful to parents

B) is generally regarded as the founder of the child study movement

C) foreshadowed lifespan research by writing a book on aging

D) constructed the first successful intelligence test

Answer: A

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.4 Describe major early influences on the scientific study of development.

Topic: Scientific Beginnings

Difficulty Level: Moderate

28. Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon __________.

A) wrote the first book of its time on aging

B) were among the first to make child development knowledge meaningful to parents

C) regarded development as a maturational process

D) constructed the first successful intelligence test

Answer: D

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.4 Describe major early influences on the scientific study of development.

Topic: Scientific Beginnings

Difficulty Level: Moderate

29. The first successful intelligence test was originally constructed to __________.

A) measure individual differences in IQ

B) document age-related improvements in children’s intellectual functioning

C) identify children with learning problems for placement in special classes

D) compare the scores of people who varied in gender, ethnicity, and birth order

Answer: C

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.4 Describe major early influences on the scientific study of development.

Topic: Scientific Beginnings

Difficulty Level: Moderate

30. Dr. Torrez believes that how conflicts between biological drives and social expectations are resolved determines a person’s ability to learn, to get along with others, and to cope with anxiety. Dr. Torrez accepts the __________.

A) psychoanalytic perspective

B) psychosocial theory

C) cognitive-developmental theory

D) social learning theory

Answer: A

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

31. Sigmund Freud constructed his psychosexual theory __________.

A) on the basis of his adult patients’ memories of painful childhood events

B) by conducting studies of animal behavior

C) on the basis of interviews with institutionalized children and adolescents

D) by carefully observing his own children

Answer: A

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

32. Psychosexual theory emphasizes that __________.

A) children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore the world

B) directly observable events—stimuli and responses—are the appropriate focus of psychological study

C) how parents manage their child’s sexual and aggressive drives in the first few years is crucial for healthy personality development

D) the ego makes a positive contribution to development, acquiring attitudes and skills that make the individual a useful member of society

Answer: C

Page Ref: 11

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

33. __________ theory was the first to stress the influence of the early parent‒child relationship on development.

A) Darwin’s

B) Freud’s

C) Erikson’s

D) Watson’s

Answer: B

Page Ref: 12

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. One criticism of Freud’s psychosexual theory was that it __________.

A) did not apply in other cultures

B) underemphasized the influence of sexual feelings

C) compared human development to the evolution of the human species

D) offered too narrow a view of important environmental influences

Answer: A

Page Ref: 12

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

35. Dr. Singh believes that a basic psychosocial conflict, which is resolved along a continuum from positive to negative, determines healthy or maladaptive outcomes at each stage of development. Dr. Singh’s beliefs are aligned with those of which theorist?

A) G. Stanley Hall

B) Sigmund Freud

C) Erik Erikson

D) B. F. Skinner

Answer: C

Page Ref: 12

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

36. Dr. Faulkner believes that directly observable events—stimuli and responses—are the appropriate focus of the study of development. Dr. Faulkner probably follows the __________ perspective of development.

A) psychosexual

B) psychosocial

C) behaviorist

D) cognitive-developmental

Answer: C

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

37. Ivan Pavlov discovered __________.

A) observational learning

B) classical conditioning

C) the ego’s positive contributions to development

D) the clinical method

Answer: B

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Easy

38. In a historic experiment with 11-month-old Albert, John Watson demonstrated that __________.

A) children cannot be conditioned to fear a formerly neutral stimulus

B) infants as young as a few months old will repeat a behavior to obtain a desirable reward

C) children can be conditioned to fear a formerly neutral stimulus

D) children have an innate, inborn fear of rats

Answer: C

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

39. According to operant conditioning theory, __________.

A) the frequency of a behavior can be increased through punishment, such as disapproval

B) normal development must be understood in relation to each culture’s life situation

C) the id develops as parents insist that children conform to the values of society

D) the frequency of a behavior can be increased by following it with a wide variety of reinforcers

Answer: D

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

40. Baby Gabriella claps her hands after her mother does. Gabriella is displaying __________.

A) reinforcement

B) classical conditioning

C) observational learning

D) adaptation

Answer: C

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

41. According to __________ theory, modeling is a powerful source of development.

A) reinforcement

B) operant conditioning

C) social learning

D) classical conditioning

Answer: C

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Easy

42. Today, Albert Bandura’s theory stresses the importance of __________.

A) behavior modification

B) punishment

C) cognition

D) reinforcement

Answer: C

Page Ref: 13

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Easy

43. Cindy tells her daughter, “I know you can do a good job on that homework” because she believes that if she encourages persistence, her daughter will start to view herself as hardworking and high-achieving. Cindy is applying the __________ approach.

A) behavior modification

B) psychosocial

C) cognitive-developmental

D) social-cognitive

Answer: D

Page Ref: 14

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

44. The goal of applied behavior analysis is to __________.

A) outline changes in temperament over the lifespan

B) eliminate undesirable behaviors and increase desirable responses

C) examine how we think about ourselves and other people

D) synthesize information from various sources into a detailed picture of a person’s personality

Answer: B

Page Ref: 14

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

45. Behaviorism and social learning theory __________.

A) overemphasize the plasticity of cognitive development

B) overestimate people’s contributions to their own development

C) offer too narrow a view of important environmental influences

D) overemphasize each individual’s unique life history

Answer: C

Page Ref: 14

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

46. According to Jean Piaget’s cognitive-developmental theory, __________.

A) children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world

B) children’s learning depends on reinforcers, such as rewards from adults

C) adult teaching is the best way to foster development

D) rapid development occurs during sensitive periods

Answer: A

Page Ref: 14

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

47. Central to Piaget’s theory is the concept of __________.

A) imitation

B) adaptation

C) self-efficacy

D) scaffolding

Answer: B

Page Ref: 14

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Easy

48. According to Jean Piaget, __________ is the balance between internal structures and information that children encounter in their everyday worlds.

A) imitation

B) adaptation

C) cognition

D) equilibrium

Answer: D

Page Ref: 14–15

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Easy

49. Four-year-old R’Monte engages in make-believe play. He stirs beads in a bowl and says, “Soup is ready!” According to Piaget, R’Monte is in the __________ stage of cognitive development.

A) sensorimotor

B) preoperational

C) concrete operational

D) sociocultural

Answer: B

Page Ref: 15

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

50. Sydney, when faced with a problem, starts with a hypothesis, deduces testable inferences, and isolates and combines variables to see which inferences are confirmed. Sydney is in Piaget’s __________ stage of development.

A) sensorimotor

B) preoperational

C) concrete operational

D) formal operational

Answer: D

Page Ref: 15

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

51. Piaget’s critics point out that __________.

A) he overestimated the competencies of infants and young children

B) his stagewise account pays insufficient attention to social and cultural influences

C) discovery learning rather than adult teaching is the best way to foster development

D) children’s performances on Piagetian tasks cannot be improved with training

Answer: B

Page Ref: 15

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.5 What theories influenced human development research in the mid-twentieth century?

Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

52. The information-processing approach views the human mind as a __________.

A) socially mediated process

B) collection of stimuli and responses

C) system of genetically programmed behaviors

D) symbol-manipulating system through which information flows

Answer: D

Page Ref: 16

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

53. Lillian uses flowcharts to map the precise steps individuals use to solve problems and complete tasks. Lillian is a(n) __________ theorist.

A) psychoanalytic

B) information-processing

C) psychosocial

D) social learning

Answer: B

Page Ref: 16

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

54. Like Piaget’s theory, the information-processing approach __________.

A) divides development into stages

B) views development as discontinuous

C) regards people as actively making sense of their own thinking

D) has much to say about nonlinear cognition, such as imagination and creativity

Answer: C

Page Ref: 16

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Difficult

55. The findings of information-processing researchers have important implications for __________.

A) the study of imagination

B) nonlinear cognition

C) education

D) childhood creativity

Answer: C

Page Ref:16–17

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

56. Dr. Rizvi studies the relationship between changes in the brain and the developing person’s cognitive processing and behavior patterns. She is part of a group of researchers from the fields of psychology, biology, neuroscience, and medicine. Their approach to development is known as __________.

A) behaviorism

B) cognitive-development theory

C) the information-processing approach

D) developmental cognitive neuroscience

Answer: D

Page Ref: 17

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Difficult

57. Developmental social neuroscience __________.

A) involves the design of flowcharts to map the precise steps individuals use to complete tasks

B) emphasizes that preschoolers’ thinking is full of faulty logic because they engage in hands-on exploration

C) is devoted to studying the relationship between changes in the brain and emotional and social development

D) involves the study of brain activity and the individual’s linear and logical cognitive processing patterns

Answer: C

Page Ref: 17

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

58. Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen laid the modern foundations for __________.

A) ethology

B) social learning theory

C) psychoanalytic theory

D) cognitive-developmental theory

Answer: A

Page Ref: 17–18

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Easy

59. Observations of imprinting led to which major concept in human development?

A) adaptation

B) equilibrium

C) the critical period

D) classical conditioning

Answer: C

Page Ref: 18

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Easy

60. What did John Bowlby believe?

A) Adults and more expert peers help children master culturally meaningful activities.

B) The infant‒caregiver bond has lifelong consequences for human relationships.

C) Parents and infants are both instinctively attached to each other.

D) Attachment patterns are difficult to study in humans.

Answer: B

Page Ref: 18

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

61. Evolutionary developmental psychology __________.

A) focuses on how the structures of the mind develop to better fit with, or represent, the external world

B) seeks to understand the adaptive value of species-wide competencies as those competencies change with age

C) views the human mind as a symbol-manipulating system through which information flows

D) brings together researchers from many fields to study changes in the brain and behavior patterns

Answer: B

Page Ref: 18

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

62. Dr. Whiren studies how culture is transmitted to the next generation. Dr. Whiren’s research best aligns with the perspective of which theorist?

A) Jean Piaget

B) John Bowlby

C) Lev Vygotsky

D) Erik Erikson

Answer: C

Page Ref: 18

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Difficult

63. Vygotsky’s emphasis on culture and social experience led him to __________.

A) neglect the biological side of development

B) overemphasize the role of heredity in cognitive change

C) emphasize children’s independent efforts to make sense of their world

D) place too much emphasis on children’s capacity to shape their own development

Answer: A

Page Ref: 19

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

64. Ecological systems theory views the person as __________.

A) a blossoming flower whose development is a genetically determined series of events that unfold automatically

B) developing within a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment

C) a social being influenced primarily by observational learning or adult modeling

D) a computer-like system that actively codes, transforms, and organizes information

Answer: B

Page Ref: 19

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

65. Dr. Redmund characterizes his view of development as a bioecological model. His perspective is aligned with that of which theorist?

A) Jean Piaget

B) Urie Bronfenbrenner

C) Lev Vygotsky

D) Niko Tinbergen

Answer: B

Page Ref: 19

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Difficult

66. According to ecological systems theory, interactions between Marina and her child, Tyler, occur in the __________.

A) microsystem

B) mesosystem

C) exosystem

D) macrosystem

Answer: A

Page Ref: 19–20

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

67. The outermost level of Bronfenbrenner’s model is the __________.

A) microsystem

B) macrosystem

C) exosystem

D) mesosystem

Answer: B

Page Ref: 20

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Easy

68. Toby moved with his family just before he entered fourth grade. In ecological systems theory, the move represents a change in Toby’s __________.

A) microsystem

B) mesosystem

C) exosystem

D) chronosystem

Answer: D

Page Ref: 20–21

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on human development.

Topic: Recent Theoretical Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Moderate

69. Piaget’s cognitive-developmental theory, information processing, and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory all stress __________.

A) nature over nurture

B) changes in thinking

C) unconscious motives and drives

D) the effects of punishment and reinforcement on behavior

Answer: B

Page Ref: 21

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.7 Identify the stand taken by each major theory on the three basic issues of human development.

Topic: Comparing and Evaluating Theories

Difficulty Level: Difficult

70. Dr. George predicted that positive reinforcement would increase prosocial behavior in preschoolers. Dr. George’s prediction is an example of a __________.

A) theory

B) research question

C) hypothesis

D) research design

Answer: C

Page Ref: 21

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

71. Which major theory of human development emphasizes plasticity at all ages?

A) psychoanalytic perspective

B) ethology

C) evolutionary developmental psychology

D) lifespan perspective

Answer: D

Page Ref: 21, 22

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.7 Identify the stand taken by each major theory on the three basic issues of human development.

Topic: Comparing and Evaluating Theories

Difficulty Level: Moderate

72. Taking tests and answering questionnaires are examples of __________.

A) research designs

B) theories

C) hypotheses

D) research methods

Answer: D

Page Ref: 21

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

73. Which statement describes a strength of naturalistic observation?

A) It allows investigators a view of participants’ everyday lives.

B) It permits comparisons of participants’ responses.

C) Great depth and breadth of information can be obtained in a short time.

D) It grants each participant an equal opportunity to display the behavior of interest.

Answer: A

Page Ref: 21–23

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

74. Dr. Wu observes children’s responses to bullying by watching them play in a park. This is an example of a(n) __________.

A) ethnographic study

B) naturalistic observation

C) structured observation

D) clinical interview

Answer: B

Page Ref: 21–23

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

75. In a __________, each participant has an equal opportunity to display the behavior of interest.

A) clinical interview

B) naturalistic observation

C) structured observation

D) case study

Answer: C

Page Ref: 23

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

76. One limitation of systematic observation is that it __________.

A) provides little information on how participants actually behave

B) tells investigators little about the reasoning behind behaviors

C) underestimates the capacities of individuals who have difficulty putting their thoughts into words

D) ignores participants with poor memories, who may have trouble recalling exactly what happened

Answer: B

Page Ref: 23

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

77. Self-reports __________.

A) use a flexible, conversational style to probe for the participant’s point of view

B) describe the entire stream of behavior—everything said and done over a certain time period

C) range from relatively unstructured interviews to highly structured interviews, questionnaires, and tests

D) bring together a wide range of information on one person, including interviews, observations, and tests

Answer: C

Page Ref: 23

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

78. One major strength of the clinical interview is that it __________.

A) makes comparing individuals’ responses very easy

B) can provide a large amount of information in a fairly brief period

C) is directed toward understanding a culture or distinct social group

D) allows researchers to see the behavior of interest as it occurs in natural settings

Answer: B

Page Ref: 24

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

79. The parents at Central Elementary School responded to a multiple-choice questionnaire that asked them what they considered the most important activity they do with their child. This questionnaire is an example of a __________.

A) structured interview

B) clinical interview

C) naturalistic observation

D) structured observation

Answer: A

Page Ref: 23, 24

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Difficult

80. Structured interviews __________.

A) do not yield the same depth of information as clinical interviews

B) are flexible because questions can be phrased differently for each participant

C) bring together a wide range of information on one person

D) tell researchers little about the reasoning behind participants’ responses

Answer: A

Page Ref: 24

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

81. Which research method is an outgrowth of psychoanalytic theory?

A) naturalistic observation

B) structured observation

C) ethnography

D) the clinical method

Answer: D

Page Ref: 24

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

82. Dr. Bigelow is interested in studying musical prodigies. Which method is best suited for this type of research?

A) naturalistic observation

B) clinical interview

C) case study

D) structured interview

Answer: C

Page Ref: 24

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

83. The clinical method __________.

A) allows investigators to see directly the everyday behaviors they hope to explain

B) must be conducted with large groups of people at the same time

C) provides little information on how children and adults actually behave

D) yields richly detailed case narratives that offer valuable insights

Answer: D

Page Ref: 24

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

84. Which statement describes a limitation of the clinical method?

A) It may not yield observations typical of a participant’s behavior in everyday life.

B) Researchers cannot control the conditions under which participants are observed.

C) The findings cannot be applied to individuals other than the participant.

D) It does not usually yield rich, descriptive insights into factors that affect development.

Answer: C

Page Ref: 24

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

85. Which research method was borrowed from the field of anthropology?

A) ethnography

B) clinical interview

C) structured interview

D) systematic observation

Answer: A

Page Ref: 24–25

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

86. Ethnographic research is directed toward understanding a culture through __________ observation.

A) naturalistic

B) participant

C) systematic

D) structured

Answer: B

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

87. Jade spent two years in a Mexican-American community studying communication between parents and children. Jade was using __________.

A) naturalistic observation

B) ethnography

C) self-reports

D) structured observation

Answer: B

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

88. What is one limitation of the ethnographic method?

A) Investigators’ cultural values sometimes lead them to misinterpret what they see.

B) It provides little information on how children and adults actually behave.

C) It relies on unobtrusive techniques, such as surveillance cameras and one-way mirrors.

D) It provides little information about the reasoning behind participants’ responses.

Answer: A

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

89. The two main types of designs used in all research on human behavior are __________ and __________.

A) observational; experimental

B) correlational; experimental

C) observational; correlational

D) variable; observational

Answer: B

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

90. In a correlational design, researchers __________.

A) gather information on individuals without altering their experiences

B) divide events and behaviors of interest into two types: dependent variables and independent variables

C) use an evenhanded procedure to assign people to two or more treatment conditions

D) directly control or manipulate changes in the independent variable

Answer: A

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

91. Students who are foreign-born or first-generation Americans __________ than students of native-born parents.

A) are more likely to commit delinquent and violent acts

B) are more likely to be obese

C) often achieve in school as well as or better

D) tend to report lower self-esteem

Answer: C

Page Ref: 25, 26 Box: CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Immigrant Youths: Adapting to a New Land

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

92. Ethnographies reveal that immigrant parents view __________ as the surest way to improve life chances.

A) learning English

B) education

C) close ties to an ethnic community

D) moving into an urban area

Answer: B

Page Ref: 25, 26 Box: CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Immigrant Youths: Adapting to a New Land

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.8 Describe methods commonly used in research on human development.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

93. Dr. Dias’s research shows that the death of a spouse in old age is correlated with a decline in the surviving partner’s physical health. Which conclusion is supported by this study?

A) The death of a spouse causes a decline in the surviving partner’s physical health.

B) The death of a spouse is related to a decline in the surviving partner’s physical health.

C) A decline in a surviving partner’s physical health can cause the death of a spouse.

D) A third variable, such as memory loss, causes a surviving partner’s decline in physical health following the death of a spouse.

Answer: B

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Difficult

94. In correlational studies, a(n) __________ can range in value from +1.00 to −1.00.

A) independent variable

B) dependent variable

C) cause-and-effect relationship

D) correlation coefficient

Answer: D

Page Ref: 25

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

95. Dr. Anodyne found a correlation of +.49 between illegal drug use and levels of adolescent delinquency. This correlation is __________ and __________.

A) moderate; positive

B) low; positive

C) high; negative

D) low; negative

Answer: A

Page Ref: 25–26

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

96. Dr. Anderson wants to conduct a study to determine the cause-and-effect relationship between domestic violence and anger in children. Dr. Anderson should use a(n) __________ design.

A) structured

B) observational

C) correlational

D) experimental

Answer: D

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

97. An experimental design __________.

A) allows researchers to gather information in natural life circumstances without altering the participants’ experiences

B) looks at relationships between participants’ characteristics and their behavior or development

C) permits inferences about cause and effect because researchers evenhandedly assign people to treatment conditions

D) has one major limitation: researchers cannot infer cause and effect

Answer: C

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

98. In an experiment, the independent variable __________.

A) is the one the investigator expects to be influenced by another variable

B) is the one the investigator expects to cause changes in another variable

C) cannot be manipulated or controlled by the researcher

D) is the number that describes how two measures are associated with each other

Answer: B

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

99. In an experimental study examining whether the way angry encounters end affect children’s emotional reactions, the dependent variable would be the __________.

A) way the angry encounters end

B) amount of unresolved anger

C) frequency of angry encounters

D) children’s emotional reactions

Answer: D

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Difficult

100. In an experimental study examining whether children who are read to more often score higher on vocabulary tests in first grade, the independent variable would be the __________.

A) frequency of read-alouds

B) type of books parents read

C) child’s vocabulary score

D) difficulty of vocabulary words

Answer: A

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Difficult

101. By using __________ assignment of participants to treatment conditions, investigators increase the chances that participants’ characteristics will be equally distributed across treatment groups.

A) sequential

B) random

C) systematic

D) correlational

Answer: B

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

102. Dr. McBride wants to know if a teacher’s use of encouragement in the classroom affects the children’s self-esteem. To assign children to treatment conditions, Dr. McBride should __________.

A) carefully distribute the children according to their test scores

B) divide the children so each group has an equal number of boys and girls

C) draw the children’s names out of a hat

D) assign the quieter children to the same treatment condition

Answer: C

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

103. In field experiments, researchers __________.

A) selectively assign participants to treatment conditions in natural settings

B) cannot use random assignment or manipulate treatment conditions

C) assign participants randomly to treatment conditions in natural settings

D) have stronger control over the treatment than in the laboratory

Answer: C

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

104. Researchers randomly assigned adolescents to either a single-grade classroom or a mixed-grade classroom. This is an example of a __________.

A) naturalistic observation

B) case study

C) natural experiment

D) field experiment

Answer: D

Page Ref: 27

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.9 Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

105. What is one strength of the cross-sectional design?

A) It provides evidence about individual trends.

B) It cannot be threatened by cohort effects.

C) It is not plagued with dropout or practice effects.

D) It permits longitudinal comparisons.

Answer: C

Page Ref: 28, 29

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

106. In a(n) __________ design, participants are studied repeatedly at different ages, and changes are noted as they get older.

A) cross-sectional

B) experimental

C) longitudinal

D) correlational

Answer: C

Page Ref: 28

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

107. Longitudinal research can identify common patterns as well as individual differences in development because the investigator __________.

A) studies groups of participants differing in age at the same point in time

B) randomly assigns participants to treatment conditions

C) tracks the performance of each person over time

D) conducts quasi-experiments, comparing conditions that already exist

Answer: C

Page Ref: 28

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

108. A major strength of the longitudinal design is that researchers can __________.

A) examine relationships between early and later behaviors

B) collect a large amount of data in a short time span

C) explore similarities among children of different cohorts

D) study participants differing in age at the same point in time

Answer: A

Page Ref: 28

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

109. What is one problem with longitudinal research?

A) It does not permit inferences about cause-and-effect relationships.

B) Participants may move away or drop out of the research.

C) Findings may not generalize to the real world.

D) It does not permit study of individual developmental trends.

Answer: B

Page Ref: 29

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

110. Bernadette, a participant in a longitudinal study, became quite familiar with the test over time and, as a result, her performance improved. This limitation of longitudinal research is known as __________.

A) biased sampling

B) practice effects

C) random assignment

D) cohort effects

Answer: B

Page Ref: 29

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

111. Professor Higgins is concerned about the findings of a longitudinal study on childhood depression that she conducted between 1985 and 2015 in New York because many of the participants witnessed the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Professor Higgins is concerned about __________ effects.

A) practice

B) cross-sectional

C) dropout

D) cohort

Answer: D

Page Ref: 29

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

112. In a cross-sectional design, researchers study __________.

A) the same group of participants repeatedly at different ages

B) groups of participants differing in age at the same point in time

C) groups of participants of the same age in different years

D) participants of the same age at the same point in time

Answer: B

Page Ref: 29

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

113. What is a major disadvantage of cross-sectional research?

A) Age-related changes cannot be examined.

B) Participants often drop out before the study is over.

C) Evidence about development at the individual level is not provided.

D) Practice effects often cause biased findings.

Answer: C

Page Ref: 29–30

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

114. Like longitudinal research, cross-sectional studies can be threatened by __________.

A) practice effects

B) participant dropout

C) sequential timing

D) cohort effects

Answer: D

Page Ref: 30

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

115. To overcome some of the limitations of traditional developmental designs, investigators sometimes use __________ designs, in which they conduct several similar cross-sectional or longitudinal studies.

A) sequential

B) experimental

C) correlational

D) quasi-experimental

Answer: A

Page Ref: 30

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Easy

116. A sequential design __________.

A) does not address diversity in developmental outcomes

B) permits researchers to check if cohort effects are operating

C) is less efficient than a longitudinal design

D) makes cross-sectional, but not longitudinal, comparisons

Answer: B

Page Ref: 30

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

117. Today, research that combines an experimental strategy with __________ approach is becoming increasingly common.

A) both a correlational and a sequential

B) either a correlational or a sequential

C) either a longitudinal or a cross-sectional

D) both a correlational and a longitudinal

Answer: C

Page Ref: 30

Skill Level: Remember

Objective: 1.10 Describe designs for studying development, noting the strengths and limitations of each.

Topic: Studying Development

Difficulty Level: Moderate

118. When children are research participants, __________.

A) investigators need to seek the opinion of others if in doubt about the harmful effects of research

B) they do not have the right to conceal their identity on information collected in the course of research

C) there is no need to inform them or their parents of the results of the research

D) informed consent of their parents as well as others who act on their behalf should be obtained

Answer: D

Page Ref: 31

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.11 What special ethical concerns arise in research on human development?

Topic: Ethics in Lifespan Research

Difficulty Level: Moderate

119. In his research study, Dr. Johnson gives participants false feedback about their performance. Consequently, Dr. Johnson should use __________ after the research session is over.

A) informed consent

B) a privacy statement

C) debriefing

D) a placebo

Answer: C

Page Ref: 32

Skill Level: Apply

Objective: 1.11 What special ethical concerns arise in research on human development?

Topic: Ethics in Lifespan Research

Difficulty Level: Moderate

120. Ethical standards permit deception in research studies if __________.

A) the participants are young enough that they would not understand the deception

B) investigators satisfy institutional review boards that such practices are necessary

C) researchers can observe participants from behind one-way mirrors

D) the participants give informed consent and the researchers never reveal the real purpose of the study

Answer: B

Page Ref: 32

Skill Level: Understand

Objective: 1.11 What special ethical concerns arise in research on human development?

Topic: Ethics in Lifespan Research

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Essay

121. Explain the difference between human development theories that view the course of development as continuous and those that see it as discontinuous.

Answer: If development is continuous—a process of gradually augmenting the same types of skills that were there to begin with—then infants and children respond to the world in much the same way as adults do. The difference between the immature and mature being is simply one of amount or complexity. If development is discontinuous—a process in which new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific times—then infants and children have unique ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving, ones quite different from those of adults. Theories that accept the discontinuous perspective regard development as taking place in stages—qualitative changes in thinking, feeling, and behaving that characterize specific periods of development. In stage theories, development is like climbing a staircase, with each step corresponding to a more mature, reorganized way of functioning. The stage concept also assumes that people undergo periods of rapid transformation as they step up from one stage to the next. In other words, change is fairly sudden rather than gradual and ongoing.

Page Ref: 4

122. Describe the role that Arnold Gesell played in the study of human development.

Answer: Inspired by the work of Charles Darwin, Arnold Gesell and his mentor, G. Stanley Hall, devised theories based on evolutionary ideas. They regarded development as a maturational process—a genetically determined series of events that unfold automatically, much like a flower. Hall and Gesell are remembered for their intensive efforts to describe all aspects of development. They launched the normative approach, in which measures of behavior are taken on large numbers of individuals, and age-related averages are computed to represent typical development. Gesell collected detailed normative information on the motor achievements, social behaviors, and personality characteristics of infants and children. He was also among the first to make knowledge about child development meaningful to parents. His books became central to a rapidly expanding child development literature for parents.

Page Ref: 11

123. Describe the criticisms of Jean Piaget’s cognitive-developmental theory.

Answer: Despite Jean Piaget’s overwhelming contributions to the field of human development, his cognitive-developmental theory has been challenged. Research indicates that Piaget underestimated the competencies of infants and preschoolers. When young children are given tasks scaled down in difficulty and relevant to their everyday experiences, their understanding appears closer to that of the older child and adult than Piaget assumed. Furthermore, children’s performance on Piagetian problems can be improved with training—findings that call into question Piaget’s assumption that discovery learning rather than adult teaching is the best way to foster development. Critics also point out that Piaget’s stagewise account pays insufficient attention to social and cultural influences on development. Finally, lifespan theorists—challenging Piaget’s conclusion that no new stages occur after adolescence—have proposed important transformations in adulthood.

Page Ref: 14–15

124. Describe the exosystem as it exists in Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory.

Answer: According to Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, human development takes place within a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment. Bronfenbrenner envisioned the environment as a series of nested structures, including but also extending beyond the home, school, neighborhood, and workplace settings in which people spend their everyday lives. Each layer joins with the others to powerfully affect development. The exosystem consists of social settings that do not contain the developing person but nevertheless affect experiences in immediate settings. These can be formal organizations, such as the management in the individual’s workplace, religious institution, or community health and welfare services. Flexible work schedules, paid maternity and paternity leave, and sick leave for parents whose children are ill are examples of ways that work settings can support child rearing and, indirectly, enhance the development of both adult and child. Exosystem supports can also be informal. Children are affected by their parents’ social networks—friends and extended-family members who provide advice, companionship, and even financial assistance.

Page Ref: 19–21

125. Compare and contrast naturalistic and structured observations.

Answer: Observations of the behavior of children and adults can be made in different ways. One approach is to go into the field, or natural environment, and record the behavior of interest—a method called naturalistic observation. The great strength of naturalistic observation is that investigators can see directly the everyday behaviors they hope to explain. Naturalistic observation also has a major limitation: Not all individuals have the same opportunity to display a particular behavior in everyday life. Researchers commonly deal with this difficulty by making structured observations, in which the investigator sets up a laboratory situation that evokes the behavior of interest so that every participant has equal opportunity to display the response. Systematic observation provides invaluable information on how children and adults actually behave, but it tells us little about the reasoning behind their responses. For that information, researchers must turn to self-report techniques.

Page Ref: 21‒23

126. Describe longitudinal design, and explain its strengths and weaknesses.

Answer: In a longitudinal design, participants are studied repeatedly, and changes are noted as they get older. The time spanned may be relatively short (a few months to several years) or very long (a decade or even a lifetime). The longitudinal approach has two major strengths. First, because it tracks the performance of each person over time, researchers can identify common patterns as well as individual differences in development. Second, longitudinal studies permit investigators to examine relationships between early and later events and behaviors. Despite their strengths, longitudinal investigations pose a number of problems. For example, participants may move away or drop out of the research for other reasons. This biases the sample so that it no longer represents the population to whom researchers would like to generalize their findings. Also, from repeated study, people may become more aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and actions and revise them in ways that have little to do with age-related change. In addition, their performance may improve as a result of practice effects—better test-taking skills and increased familiarity with the test—not because of factors commonly associated with development. The most widely discussed threat to the accuracy of longitudinal findings is cohort effects: Individuals born in the same time period are influenced by a particular set of historical and cultural conditions. Results based on one cohort may not apply to people developing at other times. But cohort effects do not just operate broadly on an entire generation. They also occur when specific experiences influence some groups of individuals but not others in the same generation.

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