Question 1

Which of the following processes is most clearly the result of primarily environmental forces acting on the person?

Accepted Answer

Learning refers to developmental changes that are dependent on a person's interactions with the environment, not on biological processes.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true regarding the corporal punishment of children?

Accepted Answer

Most surveys indicate that a significant majority of parents, around 80%, report using spanking as a form of discipline at least occasionally.

Question 3

When developmental researchers consider periods of development arranged according to age, they are taking which type of approach?

Accepted Answer

Chronological approach refers to organizing periods of development according to age. This approach is widely used in developmental research and is useful for comparing developmental milestones within a particular age range.

Question 4

If Martha believes that childhood should be considered to be "a time of innocence, during which children should have few responsibilities or chores," she would be describing the view of childhood that was common:

Accepted Answer

In both ancient Greece and ancient Rome, children were viewed as little more than material possessions, who were often exploited and treated harshly. Only since about 1500 have children in Western societies been considered as innocents who should not be required to adopt adult roles and responsibilities.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best captures the sense of the term interaction, as it is used in the context of a course focusing on human lifespan development?

Accepted Answer

The term interaction refers to the idea that variables influence each other and that their influence is combined, with all variables playing a role.

Question 6

A person experiences a traumatic event during childhood. A developmental psychologist would view the traumatic event as an example of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The book defines environmental factors as the specific situations that an individual experiences and that influence behavior and development. A traumatic event is an example of one such specific situation.

Question 7

Which of the following is the best example of maturation?

Accepted Answer

The textbook defines maturation as developmental changes that are linked closely to biological events. Learning to walk in infancy is the event most clearly influenced by biological changes as opposed to a person's interactions with the environment.

Question 8

The development of breasts and body hair is best considered to be an example of:

Accepted Answer

Maturation refers to developmental changes that are linked closely to biological events. The development of breasts and body hair is an example of one such biological event.

Question 9

According to the text, about what percent of U. S. parents spank their children, at least occasionally:

Accepted Answer

The text indicates that about 80% of U.S. parents spank their children at least occasionally.

Question 10

In the United States today, about what percentage of the states have enacted laws that ban the use of corporal punishment in public schools?

Accepted Answer

The text states that 31 states have banned corporal punishment, but the rest allow local school districts to decide if they will allow this type of punishment; 31 of 50 states is 62%.

Question 11

In Dr. Arnold's developmental psychology class, she chooses to organize the course chronologically. This means that:

Accepted Answer

Chronological means arranged according to age. In a developmental psychology class, a chronological organization of content would begin at the beginning of life and proceed year by year (or stage by stage) through the remainder of the lifespan, ending with older adulthood and death.

Question 12

In contrast to earlier times, by the end of the Middle Ages, attitudes about children in Western societies had:

Accepted Answer

By the end of the Middle Ages, children came to be viewed as experiencing a period of innocence. This was a departure from earlier views that saw children as miniature adults with adult responsibilities or burdens on the family. This shift in attitude towards children was influenced by the emergence of the concept of childhood as a distinct stage of life with its own distinct needs and characteristics. This led to the development of new forms of child-rearing and education that were designed to nurture and protect the innocence of children.

Question 13

If Jason states that "human development is the result of genetic instructions that influence development in combination with the many environmental experiences an individual has throughout the lifespan," you should conclude that his answer emphasizes the role of which of the following ideas?

Accepted Answer

Jason's answer stresses that biology and environment both exert influences through a combination of the relative influences. This is the essential meaning of the term interaction. Sociocultural refers to a context that includes social and cultural influences, evolution is the view that species change as the result of adaptation across many generations, and maturation implies that developmental changes are closely linked to biological events.

Question 14

A "discrete period of the lifespan during which predictable changes occur" is referred to as a:

Accepted Answer

A developmental stage is a discrete period of the lifespan during which certain predictable changes occur, such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Transitional phases and epochs are not commonly used terms in developmental psychology, and a critical period refers to a specific window of time during which certain experiences or stimuli are necessary for normal development to occur.

Question 15

The period of development referred to as infancy refers to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The period of development referred to as...

Question 16

Which of the following is the best example of what is meant by the term maturation?

Accepted Answer

Maturation refers to those developmental changes that are linked closely to biological events. In this example, the baby's babbling is the best choice, since it is not the result of reinforcement or learning, but rather is the result of the maturation of the nervous system. The other examples clearly reflect more "environmental" factors.

Question 17

Generalizing from the text, you would expect that culture would have the greatest impact on development during which of the following developmental periods?

Accepted Answer

Infants and young children around the world experience development in much the same way because of the limitations imposed by their physical growth and capabilities. Adolescence, however, is a period that is defined more by cultural expectations than by physical abilities. Thus, culture has a greater impact on this period than earlier periods of development.

Question 18

Which of the following refers to the basic developmental process in the individual that changes as a result of experience or practice?

Accepted Answer

Learning is defined in the textbook as developmental changes that are dependent on a person's interactions with the environment. Experience and practice refer to interactions with the environment.

Question 19

Which of the following is generally NOT part of the sociocultural context for a given individual?

Accepted Answer

Genes are not part of the sociocultural context because they are determined biologically and are not influenced by social or cultural factors. The sociocultural context includes environmental factors such as culture, family, and peers that shape an individual's development and behavior.

Question 20

A guiding principle of understanding human development is that it is best studied using the methods of:

Accepted Answer

Science is the best choice for studying human development because it involves using empirical evidence, objective observation, and systematic methods to test and refine theories about human behavior and development. This approach allows researchers to investigate developmental processes across diverse populations and settings, and to identify factors that shape human development over time. While philosophy, introspection, and culture can also offer valuable insights into human development, they do not provide the rigorous, systematic approach necessary for establishing reliable and generalizable knowledge about human behavior and development.

Quiz 1: Understanding Human Development