Question 1

Piaget used the term __________ to describe the guidelines individuals use to organize and adapt to their environments.

Accepted Answer

Piaget used the term "cognitive structures" to describe the mental frameworks or guidelines individuals use to organize and adapt to their environments.

Question 2

__________ is the strength associated with the psychosocial stage of middle adulthood.

Accepted Answer

Care is the strength associated with the psychosocial stage of middle adulthood, according to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.

Question 3

__________ refers to the realization that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard or touched.

Accepted Answer

Object permanence refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard or touched. This is an important cognitive milestone for infants and young children to develop a sense of stability and consistency in their environment. Choices B, C, and D are not relevant to this concept.

Question 4

Piaget referred to __________ as blueprints that enable us to organize and adapt to our world.

Accepted Answer

Piaget referred to "cognitive structures" as blueprints that enable us to organize and adapt to our world. These structures are mental frameworks that help individuals understand and interact with their environment.

Question 5

How many stages of development did Jean Piaget propose?

Accepted Answer

Jean Piaget proposed four stages of development, which are the sensorimotor stage, the preoperational stage, the concrete operational stage, and the formal operational stage. He did not propose transitional periods between the stages.

Question 6

Fox is 2½ and has just been introduced to snow for the first time. He will now develop a new mental category in which to house the concept of snow. In Piaget's theory this process is called:

Accepted Answer

Assimilation is the process of fitting new information into existing mental categories. In this case, Fox is creating a new mental category for snow, which is an example of assimilation.

Question 7

Many individuals of the "Boomer" generation chose not to marry or have children. Erikson argued that this generation will not achieve __________ now that they have reached middle age.

Accepted Answer

Erikson's theory of psychosocial development suggests that achieving "care" is a key challenge in middle adulthood, which involves nurturing the next generation. Without marriage or children, some may struggle with this aspect.

Question 8

Maggie can't seem to keep a relationship going. She was happy with Gil when they went camping and fishing until she met Matt. Then she found room service to be better. Then she met Harold, the professor, and suddenly it was better to be involved in academics. Maggie can't seem to decide how to eat her eggs in the morning, so settling on a life partner is overwhelming. Maggie has been engaged 8 times but never makes it to the altar. According to Erikson, Maggie hasn't achieved intimacy, because she did not gain __________ earlier in her life.

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, achieving intimacy in adulthood is dependent on having developed fidelity during the earlier stage of identity vs. role confusion. Fidelity involves being able to commit to others and oneself, which Maggie seems to struggle with.

Question 9

According to Piaget, human beings adapt to their environments through:

Accepted Answer

Piaget proposed that adaptation to the environment occurs through the processes of assimilation (integrating new information into existing schemas) and accommodation (modifying existing schemas to incorporate new information).

Question 10

Clarice is in her late seventies and lives in a retirement complex. She has a general disregard for her fellow residents and rarely socializes. She also feels a sense of self-loathing and bitterness about her life. In terms of psychosocial theory, Clarice has failed to develop:

Accepted Answer

According to Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, the final stage of development is "integrity vs. despair," which occurs in late adulthood. Clarice's self-loathing and bitterness suggest she has not achieved a sense of integrity, which involves reflecting on one's life with a sense of fulfillment and acceptance.

Question 11

If an individual has passed through his or her middle adulthood and successfully completed the relevant psychosocial crisis, that person will have achieved:

Accepted Answer

In Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, the crisis of middle adulthood is "generativity vs. stagnation." Successfully resolving this crisis leads to the achievement of generativity.

Question 12

Piaget's greatest legacy is thought to be the attention he brought to the role of ___________ in development.

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory focused on cognitive mechanisms, or mental processes, such as assimilation and accommodation that drive development. While he did acknowledge the importance of social factors, his emphasis was on the child's cognitive abilities and how they evolve over time.

Question 13

Forty-year-old Tamara sponsored a fundraiser to educate the community on innovative recycling techniques. She felt fulfilled in this as she was doing her part to make the world a better place for her children. Which psychosocial stage is Tamara in?

Accepted Answer

Tamara is in the "Generativity versus stagnation" stage, which typically occurs during middle adulthood (ages 40-65). This stage involves contributing to society and helping to guide future generations, which aligns with Tamara's actions in sponsoring a fundraiser for community education.

Question 14

Seventy-year-old Aaron feels as if he has lived a good life. Perhaps there are a few things he wishes he could change, but overall he is pretty sure he has left the world a better place than when he entered it. According to Erikson, Aaron has achieved:

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, the final stage is "Integrity vs. Despair," where achieving a sense of fulfillment and wisdom is the goal. Aaron's reflection on his life aligns with achieving wisdom.

Question 15

In the last stage of Erikson's developmental theory, if someone fails to achieve integrity, they are in danger of:

Accepted Answer

In Erikson's developmental theory, the last stage is "Integrity vs. Despair." If someone fails to achieve integrity, they may fall into despair, reflecting on their life with regret and dissatisfaction.

Question 16

Ebeneezer has stopped attending family functions, as he is sure people only pretend to like him for his money. He has no wife, no children, and no friends. According to Erikson, Ebeneezer is so obnoxious because:

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, in the later stage of life, individuals face the challenge of integrity vs. despair. Ebeneezer's fear of dying and feeling that he has wasted his life aligns with the despair aspect of this stage.

Question 17

Individuals who, during late-adulthood, look back on their lives and consider them as well spent have developed what Erikson referred to as a sense of:

Accepted Answer

In Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the final stage is "integrity vs. despair," where individuals reflect on their life and either develop a sense of integrity if they feel it was well spent, or despair if they feel it was not.

Question 18

Stacy chose not to have children so she could focus on her career. Now that she is 40, Stacy finds herself unfulfilled at her job but doesn't know what is missing in her life. Stacey is experiencing __________ according to Erikson.

Accepted Answer

Stacy is experiencing stagnation, which is a stage in Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. At this stage, individuals may feel unproductive or uninvolved in the world, often leading to feelings of unfulfillment.

Question 19

What, in Erikson's psychosocial theory, is the opposite characteristic of generativity?

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, the opposite characteristic of generativity is stagnation. Stagnation is a state of feeling unproductive or lacking a sense of purpose in life, whereas generativity is the desire to leave a positive legacy and contribute to society. Isolation and despair are stages in Erikson's theory, but they are not direct opposites of generativity. Identity confusion is a stage in Erikson's theory related to adolescence and young adulthood, but it is also not directly opposite to generativity.

Question 20

Jonathan is four months old and giggles uncontrollably every time his dad plays peek-a-boo with him. This game is fun for Jonathan because he lacks:

Accepted Answer

Object permanence refers to the understanding that an object continues to exist even when it is not visible or present. At four months old, Jonathan has not yet developed this understanding, which is why peek-a-boo is so entertaining for him.

Quiz 2: Theories of Development: Interpreting the Lifespan