Question 1

Alexia was born with cataracts in both eyes. What can you tell her parents about when she should have corrective surgery?

Accepted Answer

The longer cataract surgery is postponed beyond infancy, the less complete Alexia's recovery in visual skills. It is recommended that infants with cataracts undergo corrective surgery as early as possible, ideally within the first 2-3 months of life, to prevent severe and permanent vision impairment.

Question 2

Nicole is considering sending her 8-month-old son Austin to a new academic learning center where infants are trained with letter and number flash cards. You can advise Nicole that

Accepted Answer

It is not recommended to introduce flash cards and academic learning to infants as it can lead to overstimulation and stress, which may negatively affect their interest in learning. Infants learn best through play and exploration in a safe and supportive environment. It is suggested to wait until the child is at least two years old before introducing academic learning. Therefore, it would be best for Nicole not to send Austin to the academic learning center at this time.

Question 3

When a 1-month-old kitten is put in the dark and kept there during the fourth week of life and beyond, damage to visual centers of the brain is severe and permanent. This example provides evidence of

Accepted Answer

This example clearly demonstrates the concept of sensitive periods in brain development. Sensitive periods are specific time periods during development where the brain is particularly receptive to certain experiences or stimuli, and if those experiences or stimuli are not present during that window, there can be permanent negative effects on development. In this case, the sensitive period for visual development occurs during the first few weeks of life, and if a kitten is deprived of visual input during that time, the damage to the visual centers of the brain is severe and permanent.

Question 4

Sharon's 46-year-old husband suffered a traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident. What information about brain plasticity can you provide to Sharon?

Accepted Answer

Though brain plasticity is more limited in adulthood than in early childhood, research suggests that the adult brain is still capable of reorganizing and adapting to injury or deprivation. This means that there is still hope for Sharon's husband to recover some brain function, even if it may not be as extensive as during childhood.

Question 5

Studies using fMRI reveal that the right hemisphere is specialized for processing information in a(n) __________ manner.

Accepted Answer

Studies using fMRI have shown that the right hemisphere is specialized for processing information in a holistic, integrative manner, meaning that it processes information globally and simultaneously, rather than in a piece-by-piece or sequential manner.

Question 6

For most people, the left hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is largely responsible for

Accepted Answer

The left hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is largely responsible for verbal abilities, such as language production and comprehension. It is also involved in speech perception and processing.

Question 7

Experience-expectant brain growth

Accepted Answer

Experience-expectant brain growth refers to the natural, biologically driven changes in the brain that depend on typical experiences that are shared by most babies in most cultures. These experiences include things like social interactions, exposure to visual and auditory stimuli, and physical movement. Because these experiences are typically part of everyday life for babies, they do not necessarily require specific training or mastery of skills. Instead, they rely on the responsiveness of caregivers in engaging babies in enjoyable daily routines. Therefore, choice C is the best answer.  The other options - A, B, and D - don't accurately reflect the nature of experience-expectant brain growth.

Question 8

The cortical regions with the most extended period of development are the __________ lobes.

Accepted Answer

The frontal lobes are responsible for higher level cognitive processes such as decision making, planning, and impulse control. They continue to develop throughout adolescence and into early adulthood, which is why young people often struggle with decision making and risk-taking behavior.

Question 9

Experience-dependent brain growth

Accepted Answer

Experience-dependent brain growth relies on specific learning experiences that vary widely across individuals and cultures, as opposed to experience-expectant growth which depends on common experiences.

Question 10

A study of children who had spent their first eight months or more in Romanian institutions and were then adopted into Canadian homes found that the longer the children spent in orphanage care, the __________ their __________.

Accepted Answer

Children who spent more time in institutional care, such as orphanages, tend to have higher cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone, indicating elevated stress responses.

Question 11

Newborn Will is likely to show greater activation in the left hemisphere while

Accepted Answer

The left hemisphere is often associated with positive emotions and processing of rewarding stimuli, which is why a newborn would show greater activation in this hemisphere while displaying a positive state of arousal.

Question 12

Which of the following is an activity associated with experience-expectant brain growth?

Accepted Answer

Experience-expectant brain growth refers to the neural connections that are expected to form based on typical experiences that an infant or child would have in their environment, such as social interaction like playing peekaboo. Coloring a picture, learning to ride a bike, and playing the piano are activities that may contribute to brain development but are not necessarily associated with experience-expectant growth.

Question 13

The cerebral cortex

Accepted Answer

The cerebral cortex contains the highest number of neurons and synapses in the brain, which are responsible for complex cognitive processes such as perception, attention, language, memory, and consciousness.

Answer: D
 The cerebral cortex fully develops during the third trimester of pregnancy, which is the final stage of prenatal development before birth. This period is critical for the formation of the brain's structure and function, and any disruptions or abnormalities during this time may have long-lasting effects on the individual's cognitive and behavioral development.

B and C are incorrect as the cerebral cortex continues to grow and is also sensitive to environmental influences.

Question 14

A study of children who were transferred between birth and 3½ years from extremely deprived Romanian orphanages to adoptive families in Great Britain found that

Accepted Answer

The study found that most children were impaired in all domains of development, but those who were adopted before 6 months of age showed impressive cognitive catch-up. The longer children spent in orphanage care, the more likely they were to display developmental delays and attachment disorders. Adequate early nutrition did not fully alleviate the negative effects of early orphanage rearing, and serious mental health problems could still appear even in children who spent less than 2 years in an orphanage.

Question 15

In a large study of children with injuries to the cerebral cortex that occurred around the time of birth or in the first six months of life, researchers found that

Accepted Answer

The study found that undamaged areas (either in the left or right hemisphere) were able to take over vocabulary and grammatical skills by age 5, suggesting that language development delays did not persist into adolescence. Therefore, option A and B are incorrect. There is no information given in the study about spatial skills, so option D cannot be the correct answer.

Question 16

Compared to their U.S. agemates, Dutch babies

Accepted Answer

Dutch babies sleep, on average, 2 hours more per day than their U.S. counterparts.

Question 17

Which of the following is an activity associated with experience-dependent brain growth?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

In a highly plastic cerebral cortex,

Accepted Answer

A highly plastic cerebral cortex refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself in response to new experiences or changes in the environment. Therefore, if a part of the cortex is damaged, other parts can take over the tasks it would have handled, thus indicating that option B is the correct answer. Option A implies that the areas of the brain are strongly committed to specific functions, which contradicts the concept of a highly plastic cerebral cortex. Option C is incorrect because both spatial and language skills can develop and recover after injury, and there is no evidence that suggests one is easier than the other. Option D is incorrect because lateralization refers to the specialization of functions in the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which may or may not occur in a highly plastic cerebral cortex.

Question 19

The prefrontal cortex

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex undergoes especially rapid pruning of synapses during the preschool and school years, leading to increased cognitive control and executive functions. It does not reach an adult level of synaptic connections during the first two months of life, nor is it responsible for body movement over the first year of life. It also develops after other cortical regions.

Question 20

Between birth and 2 years,

Accepted Answer

The organization of sleep and wakefulness changes substantially during the first two years of life. Infants initially sleep for short periods throughout the day and night without any regular pattern. However, by the end of the first year, most babies have developed consistent sleep and wakefulness cycles, typically sleeping through the night and taking one or two naps during the day. This change in sleep organization is a key developmental milestone during the first two years of life. Fussiness and crying also tend to decrease during this time, and total sleep time gradually decreases rather than increases. Therefore, options A, B, and D are incorrect.

Quiz 5: Physical Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood