Question 1

Child development __________.

Accepted Answer

Child development involves the scientific study of the patterns of growth, change, and stability that occur from conception through adolescence. Although large groups of children may be studied, they are not studied exclusively, nor are child development researchers concerned only with the period from adolescence to adulthood. Child development does use theory, but findings are grounded in scientific research, not philosophical beliefs.

Question 2

Child development is divided into which of the following groups of topical areas?

Accepted Answer

The major topics of child development are physical, cognitive, and social and personality development.

Question 3

A developmental psychologist conducting research on language development is focused on __________.

Accepted Answer

The major topics of child development are physical, cognitive, and social and personality development. The study of language development is included in the cognitive development topic area.

Question 4

In addition to topical areas, child development is organized by chronological periods based on __________.

Accepted Answer

In addition to the topical divisions, the discipline is also focused on particular time periods of development. These time periods (prenatal, infant and toddlerhood, early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence) are determined by arbitrary, but agreed on, designated age ranges, biological events (i.e., sexual maturity not digestion) and environmental events (beginning of formal school not obtaining a legal document).

Question 5

__________ is to social construction as __________ is to cultural factors.

Accepted Answer

Race is a social construct, something defined by people and their beliefs. Ethnicity, or ethnic group, is a broader category that refers to cultural background, nationality, religion, and language.

Question 6

Which of the following is considered to be an age-graded influence?

Accepted Answer

All of the answers represent influences that the developmental researcher must consider, but only menopause is an age-graded influence.

Question 7

A child's ability to think about objects symbolically represents a qualitative change in cognitive development. The achievement of this step is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

A defining feature of discontinuous change is the qualitative change that occurs in each stage or step.

Question 8

Sandy is pregnant and is concerned about the impact of illness during particular periods of prenatal development. She consults her doctor as to the __________ period during which exposure to certain illnesses would result in irreversible consequences.

Accepted Answer

Sandy is concerned about the critical period, a specific time when the illness would have its greatest consequences. During this time, the concern is that there would be permanent, irreversible harm done to the fetus. This is contrasted with the sensitive period, which is a specific time when an organism is particularly susceptible to certain kinds of stimuli in the environment.

Question 9

Oscar's room is always a mess. "You must have been raised in a pig pen," said Felix. "No way," responded Oscar, "I was born this way!" The friends are debating the issue of __________.

Accepted Answer

The debate between Oscar and Felix best represents the nature-versus-nurture debate. Nature represents the belief that the cause is genetic or hormonal, while nurture represents environment or experience. So, the friends' debate becomes upbringing (nurture) or heredity (nature).

Question 10

"Every day I read another article with advice about raising my children," says one new parent. "How can I know what is true?" One piece of good advice for this new parent is __________.

Accepted Answer

Although there is much conflicting advice available for new parents, it is always a good idea to apply skepticism to child development advice. Consumers are advised to (1) consider the source of the information, (2) evaluate the credentials of the person providing the advice, (3) understand the difference between anecdotal and scientific evidence, (4) keep in mind cultural context, and (5) don't assume that because many people believe something is true, it must be true.

Question 11

Child development is defined as the scientific study of the patterns of growth, change, and stability that occur from __________.

Accepted Answer

The definition of child development is that it is a field that involves the scientific study of the patterns of growth, change, and stability that occur from conception through adolescence.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true of the discipline?

Accepted Answer

The definition of child development is that it is a field that involves the scientific study of the patterns of growth, change, and stability that occur from conception through adolescence. Psychologists use scientific methods to examine developmental change.

Question 13

Development involving the body's physical makeup, including the brain, nervous system, muscles, and senses and the need for food, drink, and sleep, is called __________.

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of physical development, which is one of the major topics in child development.

Question 14

Gaby is interested in studying how social relationships of children change over the course of development. Gaby is interested in studying __________.

Accepted Answer

This question would be considered within social development and the social relationships of children.

Question 15

Dr. Rodriguez is conducting research on the problem-solving capacities of young children. She most likely is interested in studying __________.

Accepted Answer

This question would be considered within cognitive development, or the growth and change in intellectual capabilities and the influence on the individual's behavior.

Question 16

Dr. Spratt studies gross motor development in children; specifically, Dr. Spratt is interested in how children's ball throwing changes over the course of development. He is interested in studying __________.

Accepted Answer

This question would be considered within physical development-specifically, gross motor skill development.

Question 17

Cheyanna, a child-care provider, often wonders whether the shy children in her program will grow up to be shy adults. Cheyanna is interested in __________.

Accepted Answer

This question would be considered within personality development, including the characteristic of shyness.

Question 18

Patsy, a third-grade teacher, often finds herself commenting on the improvement of fine motor skills of the students in her classroom, especially their handwriting. She has noted that at the beginning of the school year the children's writing tends to be large, requiring a lot of writing space. Toward the end of the school year, their writing tends to be smaller and requires very little writing space. Patsy is referring to what aspect of development?

Accepted Answer

The skills referred to in this question represent physical development-specifically, fine motor skills development.

Question 19

Mr. Espinoza, a first-grade teacher, tells his student teacher that when the children begin school they seem very immature; that is, they cannot yet read, write, or do simple calculations, nor can they maintain attention for long periods of time. However, at the end of the school year they seem more mature; that is, they can read, write, and do simple calculations, and they can maintain attention for long periods of time. Mr. Espinoza is referring to what aspect of development?

Accepted Answer

The skills referred to in this question represent cognitive development; reading, writing, calculations, and attention all are a part of cognitive development.

Question 20

Dr. Arcia studies the development of emotions. He has observed that children do not develop a sense of guilt until they are in preschool. Dr. Arcia is interested in __________.

Accepted Answer

Development of emotions is part of social development.

Quiz 1: An Introduction to Child Development