Question 1

Which of the following statements best represents the prevailing view among developmentalists?

Accepted Answer

The prevailing view among developmentalists is that physical, social, and cognitive development are interrelated. This means that advances in one area of development can influence progress in the other areas. For example, motor skills development can enhance cognitive abilities and social interactions can promote language development. Therefore, it is important to consider all three aspects of development when examining a child's overall growth and well-being.

Question 2

The continuity-discontinuity issue addresses the question of whether

Accepted Answer

The continuity-discontinuity issue specifically addresses the question of whether there are consistent and gradual changes in development over time (continuity) or whether development is marked by abrupt shifts and changes (discontinuity). The option D reflects this idea that development in early years is related to later years, indicating continuity. Therefore, it is the best choice. The options A, B, and C do not directly relate to the continuity-discontinuity issue.

Question 3

Michael and Lisa are new parents and they believe that their actions will influence their new son. They don't think that their son's behaviour will influence their parenting. Michael and Lisa's views of parenting are consistent with the ________ position of the ________ issue.

Accepted Answer

Michael and Lisa's belief that their actions will influence their son, but not vice versa, aligns with the passive position of the active-passive child issue, where the child is seen as a passive recipient of environmental influences.

Question 4

Which of the following is not true of G. Stanley Hall, the earliest researcher to empirically study and describe children's development?

Accepted Answer

G. Stanley Hall based his work on evolutionary theory and not solely on the physical sciences.

Question 5

The idea of continuity in development

Accepted Answer

Continuity in development refers to the idea that early development is related to later development. This means that the skills and abilities developed during early childhood have a significant impact on later development. Therefore, choice C is the best answer. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not fully capture the meaning of continuity in development. Choice A suggests that behaviour during the preschool years does not relate to behaviour during later childhood, which is not consistent with the idea of continuity. Choice B suggests that development in one domain is related to development in other domains, but it does not specifically address the notion of continuity. Choice D suggests that heredity and environment jointly influence development, which is also true, but it does not fully capture the meaning of continuity.

Question 6

Jackie feels that superior genes are the primary reason her daughter Jacqueline is intellectually gifted. Jackie believes in the importance of

Accepted Answer

Jackie's belief in superior genes as the primary reason for her daughter's giftedness aligns with the perspective that asserts the importance of nature in shaping human development. This perspective proposes that genetics play a dominant role in determining our psychological and physical characteristics.

Question 7

Darwin's ideas had the most dramatic impact on scientists who took which approach to understanding development?

Accepted Answer

Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection heavily influenced the development of biological theories and approaches to understanding development.

Question 8

Piaget is to information-processing theorists as

Accepted Answer

Piaget and information-processing theorists both approach cognitive development from a perspective that views the whole as made up of parts. Piaget's theory emphasizes the stages through which children's thinking and understanding of the world progress, while information-processing theorists focus on more specific cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and problem-solving. Therefore, the best choice to complete the analogy is "the whole is to the parts."

Question 9

John Locke's views are consistent with

Accepted Answer

The answer of John Locke's views are consistent with
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Question 10

Unlike Piaget, information-processing approaches focus on ________ changes.

Accepted Answer

Information-processing approaches focus on quantitative changes, specifically how the brain processes and stores information. These changes involve increasing efficiency, capacity, and speed of cognitive processes. Unlike Piaget, information-processing approaches do not necessarily propose specific stages of development or qualitative changes in thinking.

Question 11

The developmental psychopathology perspectives maintains that

Accepted Answer

The developmental psychopathology perspective views everything as interconnected, including biological, psychological, and environmental factors. This perspective also emphasizes the importance of examining the development over a wider age range, rather than just focusing on specific developmental periods. It does not suggest that children are more likely to make connections between different phenomena, and modern theories of development are not necessarily less precise.

Question 12

According to Darwin, the ________ offspring reproduce in an ongoing process of natural selection.

Accepted Answer

According to Darwin's theory of natural selection, organisms that are best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their advantageous traits to the next generation. Therefore, the best choice is B, "best adapted" offspring.

Question 13

Kevin and Alexei do not live in the same country. They go to different schools and eat different foods. They follow different laws and are acquiring different values. More generally, Kevin and Alexei differ in

Accepted Answer

The differences described between Kevin and Alexei relate to cultural differences, such as education, cuisine, laws, and values. Culture refers to the learned and shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group or society. Therefore, choice A is the best answer. The other options are not as applicable to the described situation: B, information-processing, would refer to how people perceive, store, retrieve, and use information; C, mental hardware, would refer to the neural or cognitive mechanisms involved in mental processing; and D, maturation, would refer to the biological changes that occur as an organism develops and ages.

Question 14

Based on her experience in rearing five children, Elaine believes that personality influences the rate of physical-motor development. Elaine appears to take the view that

Accepted Answer

Elaine's belief that personality (a psychological characteristic) influences physical-motor development (a physical characteristic) suggests she views development in different domains (psychological and physical) as interconnected, which aligns with option C.

Question 15

Which question would most interest a developmental psychopathology researcher?

Accepted Answer

A developmental psychopathology researcher is interested in understanding the processes of child development and the emergence of abnormal behavior or psychopathology, particularly how genetic and environmental factors interact to produce specific disorders. Therefore, among the given options, the question about the psychological changes that occur when a child suddenly loses his or her vision is most related to this area of research.

Question 16

Ximena and Chris believe that they don't need to worry about parenting their new son, Brant, because he was born with a good nature and his good nature will determine his outcomes in life. Chris and Ximena's views of parenting are consistent with the ________ aspect of the ________ issue.

Accepted Answer

Chris and Ximena believe that Brant's nature (innate characteristics) will determine his outcomes in life, meaning they are subscribing to the nature aspect of the nature-nurture issue. They do not consider the role of nurture (environment and experiences) in shaping Brant's development.

Question 17

The primary interest of evolutionary theorists is how parents' and children's behaviour

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theorists focus on understanding how behavior has evolved over time to be adaptive, meaning it increases individuals' chances of survival and reproduction. This includes the behaviors of parents and children, as well as other aspects of social and individual behavior.

Question 18

The nature-nurture issue is concerned with

Accepted Answer

The nature-nurture issue is concerned with the respective roles of biology and environment in development. It addresses how genetic factors (nature) as well as environmental factors (nurture) influence the development of an individual.

Question 19

Yvonne was a busy, energetic child who grew up to be a busy, energetic adult. Yvonne provides an example of

Accepted Answer

The continuity in development refers to the idea that early experiences and characteristics influence later ones. In Yvonne's case, her busy, energetic nature as a child continued into adulthood.

Question 20

Travis insists that people are masters of their own destinies. Travis believes in

Accepted Answer

Travis's belief in people being masters of their own destinies aligns with the view of the active child, which emphasizes an individual's ability to shape their own development through their actions and experiences. The passive child perspective, on the other hand, emphasizes external factors such as environmental influences shaping development, and continuity and discontinuity pertain more to theories of how development progresses over time.

Quiz 1: Child Development: Theories and Themes