Question 1

Which of the following theorists is most closely associated with behavioral theory?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning, a phenomenon with which B. F. Skinner is the psychologist most closely identified, is one of the three general trends within the behaviorist tradition.

Question 2

The text describes a study by Albert Bandura in which children watched an adult "beat up" a Bobo doll. The conclusions from this theory are best considered as supporting which of the following theoretical perspectives?

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory is a view that emphasizes the influence of the social behavior of others on learning. In this case, children were influenced by their exposure to adults' aggressive behavior toward the Bobo doll.

Question 3

Suppose that Peggy once became ill after eating pizza. Now anytime that she smells pizza she starts to feel queasy. Peggy's situation has most likely developed as the result of:

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, a naturally occurring reflex becomes associated with an environmental cue. In this case, the feelings of nausea that accompany illness have become associated with the smell of pizza. The smell of pizza is the environmental cue.

Question 4

William recalls a time when he was a child when he nearly drowned in a public swimming pool. It was a very frightening experience. Since that time, the smell of chlorine leaves him with feelings of dread. William's situation can be most easily explained by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, a naturally occurring reflex becomes associated with an environmental cue. In this case, the fright that naturally accompanies the experience of having nearly drowned has become associated with the smell of chlorine that was part of the environment at the time that William almost drowned. The smell of chlorine, then, is the environmental cue.

Question 5

Which of the following terms would be most closely associated with the field of operant conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning describes how rewards (also called reinforcements) and punishments influence the behavior they follow. Fixation is a Freudian term; assimilation describes cognitive development as it was described by Piaget; and systems is a term used most frequently in the context of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model.

Question 6

According to Erik Erikson, it is typical for individuals to consider their lives and to judge themselves. If they are satisfied with their lives, they have a sense of integrity. If they are not satisfied with their lives, they may have a sense of despair. At what age are adults most likely to experience this developmental conflict?

Accepted Answer

This item describes Erikson's psychosocial stage called integrity versus despair, which, according to the text, applies to individuals 65 years and older.

Question 7

Three-year-old Kayla has been seeing her pediatrician for checkups every six months and fears the shots she receives each time. Now, even though he does not administer the shots, Kayla cries when the pediatrician enters the room because she associates him with receiving shots. Her behavior is a result of:

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, a naturally occurring reflex becomes associated with an environmental cue. In this case, the fear that accompanies an impending shot has become associated with the pediatrician who has administered these shots in the past. The pediatrician is the environmental cue.

Question 8

David states that the appropriate subject matter for students of human development to study is how people act. He argues that scientists have no business studying how people think or feel, because thoughts and feelings cannot be directly observed. David's ideas are most similar to those advocated by:

Accepted Answer

The behaviorists, including Skinner and Pavlov, argued that the appropriate focus of psychology should be on observable behavior. Freud was the founder of the psychoanalytic (psychodynamic) perspective; Vygotsky focused on the importance of social contexts in the development of thinking, and hence would be considered a cognitive (or social-cognitive theorist, and Piaget is a cognitive theorist since his work centered on understanding the development of thinking.

Question 9

This researcher proposed that children between the ages of 3 and 6 years might develop feelings of guilt if they are severely criticized or punished for their own actions.

Accepted Answer

The proposal described refers to Erikson's third psychosocial stage, initiative versus guilt, which applies to children ages 3 years to 6 years.

Question 10

Jimmy notices that the time is twelve o'clock noon. After looking at his watch, he begins to feel hungry. His hunger response is best thought of as an example of:

Accepted Answer

In classical conditioning, a naturally occurring reflex becomes associated with an environmental cue. In this case, the feeling of hunger that accompanies not having eaten for several hours has become associated with the time twelve o'clock noon. The time is the environmental cue.

Question 11

Erik Erikson proposed that a person who was focused on resolving the conflict between developing trust versus mistrust would likely be about how old?

Accepted Answer

Trust vs. mistrust is Erikson's first stage of psychosocial development. In this stage, infants up to 1 year of age learn about the basic trustworthiness of their environment from their caregivers.

Question 12

Erik Erikson believed that human development proceeds through a series of planned, biologically programmed stages. He referred to this idea as:

Accepted Answer

As noted in the text, the epigenetic principle is a biological concept that there is a "plan" built into all living organisms that determines or at least sets the stage for development throughout the organism's lifespan. The concepts of evolution and natural selection are related to evolutionary theory and usually traced to Charles Darwin.

Question 13

Erik Erikson's psychosocial stages of development focus on:

Accepted Answer

Erikson's psychosocial stages of development propose that each stage of life presents a different psychosocial challenge or crisis that must be resolved, leading to a healthy or unhealthy outcome. These conflicts are believed to be predictable and recurring throughout the lifespan, making option C the correct answer. Options A, B, and D are incorrect because Erikson's theory focuses on psychosocial, rather than physical or personality-based development.

Question 14

According the B. F. Skinner, if you would like to get your child to keep his or her room tidy, which of the following is most likely to work?

Accepted Answer

B. F. Skinner is the psychologist most closely identified with the phenomenon operant conditioning, which refers to a type of learning that occurs when an organism is rewarded or punished.

Question 15

Which researcher believed that human behavior could be best understood in terms of how rewards and punishments exert an influence on people's actions?

Accepted Answer

As noted in the textbook, B. F. Skinner is the psychologist most closely identified with the phenomenon operant conditioning, which refers to a type of learning that occurs when an organism is rewarded or punished.

Question 16

A child who is just beginning first grade most likely would be entering which of Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development?

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson, children are in the industry versus inferiority stage of psychosocial development between the ages 6 years to 12 years.

Question 17

According to Erik Erikson, there are ____ stages of human development.

Accepted Answer

Erik Erikson proposed eight stages of human development, each with a unique psychosocial crisis or challenge that must be resolved for healthy psychological development. These stages span from infancy to old age and provide a framework for understanding how individuals grow and change over time.

Question 18

A child attempts to carry out a stunt involving a skateboard and a ramp that he has seen on television. The child's knowledge about how to do this stunt was most likely acquired through which of the following processes?

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory is a view that emphasizes the influence of the social behavior of others on learning. In this case, the child was influenced by his observation of others' social behavior (skateboarding) on television.

Question 19

Four-year-old Sasha watches carefully how her older brother unlocks the chest where her mother hides special toys. After her brother locks the chest and leaves, Sasha is able to remember the steps he used and she now unlocks the chest. Sasha's method of learning is best thought of as an example of:

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory emphasizes the influence of the social behavior of others on our learning. Because this example emphasizes that Sasha learned to unlock the chest by watching her brother, it is best considered an example of social learning. Operant conditioning emphasizes reward and punishment. Classical conditioning rests on learning associations between environmental stimuli that come to predict responses. Fixation is a Freudian term that describes how anxiety can cause a person to revert back to behavior characteristic of previous stages of development.

Question 20

What is the positive outcome of Erikson's stage of "autonomy versus shame and doubt"?

Accepted Answer

The positive outcome of Erikson's stage of "autonomy versus shame and doubt" is self-sufficiency. This means that young children develop a sense of independence and are able to take care of themselves to some extent. This is an important developmental milestone as it helps children to feel capable and competent in the world. It also lays the foundation for future stages of development, such as "initiative versus guilt".

Quiz 1: Understanding Human Development