Question 1

What is the term for changes that result from unique, unshared events?

Accepted Answer

Nonnormative change refers to changes that are unique to an individual, such as unexpected life events or personal experiences, and are not part of the general pattern of development experienced by most people.

Question 2

Periods of development describe which aspect of developmental theories?

Accepted Answer

Periods of development refer to age-related changes, such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.

Question 3

Qualitative is to quantitative as

Accepted Answer

Qualitative and quantitative are opposites, just as continuous and discontinuous are opposites. Therefore, D is the best choice as "discontinuous" is the opposite of "continuous", just as "quantitative" is the opposite of "qualitative".

Question 4

Which of the following terms best describes a change in amount?

Accepted Answer

A change in amount is best described as a quantitative change, which refers to a change in quantity or amount. Qualitative change refers to a change in the nature or kind of something, significant change refers to a change that is important or meaningful, and metric change refers to a change in the unit of measurement used.

Question 5

Not all cultures define the boundaries of adolescence in the same way. For example, if you grew up in Great Britain you could do which of the following?

Accepted Answer

In Great Britain, one can join the military at the age of 16 with parental consent. The legal drinking age is 18 and the legal driving age is 17, and one can vote at the age of 18.

Question 6

Juanita's father died when she was just a baby, but her family insists that she not only looks like him, she acts like him as well. This might indicate that which of the following had a large impact on her development?

Accepted Answer

The similarities between Juanita and her father, in both appearance and behavior, despite him dying when she was a baby, suggest that genetic factors (nature) had a significant impact on her development.

Question 7

Developmental psychologists have observed that babies seem to be born predisposed to respond to people in certain ways, such as crying or smiling, in order to elicit attention from a caregiver. Psychologists call these inherent tendencies

Accepted Answer

The statement describes inherent tendencies that babies are born with, indicating that they are in-born biases. Option A is incorrect because cultural biases are learned behaviors specific to a particular culture. Option B, maturational patterns, refers to predictable sequences of physical and behavioral growth in typical children, but is not relevant to the topic being discussed. Option C, nature and nurture tensions, refers to the ongoing debate about the relative influence of biological factors (nature) versus environmental factors (nurture) on human development, which is relevant to the overall field of developmental psychology but not specifically to the topic of inborn biases in babies.

Question 8

Which of the following are central to the nature-nurture controversy?

Accepted Answer

The nature-nurture controversy involves the debate over the relative importance of biological processes (nature) and experiential factors (nurture) in shaping human development. Therefore, option D, which includes both biological processes and experiential factors, is central to this controversy. Option A (environmental continuity and psychological comfort) and B (change triggered by social processes or change caused by cultural influences) do not directly relate to the nature-nurture debate. Option C (inborn biases and genetic predispositions) is somewhat related, as it touches upon the role of genetics in development, but it is not as comprehensive as option D.

Question 9

Our sense of "the right time" to go to college, marry, have children, or retire is determined by our

Accepted Answer

Our sense of "the right time" for important life events is largely shaped by societal expectations and norms, which is known as the social clock. This includes things like when we're expected to go to college, get married, have children, and retire. These expectations can vary based on culture and generation, but they still play a large role in influencing our decisions about when to engage in these life milestones.

Question 10

The basic idea that there may be significant periods in development when an organism is especially sensitive to the presence or absence of some particular kind of experience or influence is referred to as a

Accepted Answer

The concept of a critical period suggests that there are specific times in an organism's development when certain experiences or influences are particularly important for the development of particular skills or abilities. During these periods, the organism may be especially sensitive or responsive to these experiences, whereas at other times it may be less so.

Question 11

Which of the following terms best describes a change in kind or type?

Accepted Answer

A qualitative change refers to a change in the nature or essence of something, often involving a change in kind or type. In contrast, a quantitative change refers to a change in quantity or amount, while a significant change may refer to any change deemed meaningful or important. Metric change is not a commonly used term in this context.

Question 12

If puberty begins for girls with the onset of menstruation, puberty could be considered a matter of

Accepted Answer

Puberty marks a distinct and significant change in physical development, representing a clear point of discontinuity from childhood to adolescence. It is not a gradual, continuous process but rather a series of rapid changes.

Question 13

The three broad categories that are used to classify changes over the lifespan are called

Accepted Answer

The three broad categories used to classify changes over the lifespan are domains of development. These domains include physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development.

Question 14

According to your text, when does middle childhood occur?

Accepted Answer

Middle childhood typically occurs between the ages of 6 and 12, which is when most children begin formal schooling. Therefore, choice C is the best answer.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example from your text of an inborn bias?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an example...

Question 16

What is the term for a general negative attitude about aging, typified by the belief that older persons are incompetent or unable to complete required job functions?

Accepted Answer

Ageism is a term used to describe negative attitudes and beliefs about aging and older adults. It can manifest in many ways, including stereotypes that older adults are incompetent or unable to perform job functions. The other options, social clock and dotage pathway, are not related to negative attitudes about aging. Maturity is a concept related to personal growth and development, but not specifically to attitudes about aging.

Question 17

"Mom, he's looking at me! Make him stop!" These remarks imply that the very act of being looked at is offensive to this child. Mom, on the other hand, doesn't see the problem. This typical family dilemma illustrates

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Mom, he's looking at me! Make him...

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a normative age-graded change?

Accepted Answer

Normative age-graded changes are changes that occur in a predictable and orderly way as a person ages. Getting taller as you age is an example of a normative age-graded change. The other options (A, C, D) are not examples of normative age-graded changes.

Question 19

Roberta married for the first time at age 39, and at age 40 she is pregnant for the first time. She is now considering starting college to become a computer systems engineer. When Roberta laughingly tells her friends, "I have never done anything when I was supposed to!" what is she referring to?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Roberta married for the first time at...

Question 20

What is the term for changes that occur in most members of a cohort as a result of factors at work during a specific, well-defined historical period?

Accepted Answer

Normative history-graded changes refer to changes that occur in most members of a cohort as a result of factors at work during a specific, well-defined historical period. Examples of normative history-graded changes include the Great Depression and World War II, which had significant impacts on the life experiences of those who lived through those events. Nonnormative changes are those that are unique to an individual or a small group and may not be experienced by the larger community. General normative changes and normative age-graded changes refer to changes that occur in most individuals at predictable points in the lifespan (e.g. puberty, retirement), but they are not necessarily tied to specific historical events.

Quiz 1: Basic Concepts and Methods