Question 1

A large, muscular child gravitates toward rough-and-tumble play activities, whereas the smaller, less muscular boy across the street prefers less boisterous play activities such as board games. If size and muscularity are genetically-influenced attributes, these observations are then consistent with the notion of

Accepted Answer

The observations are consistent with active genotype/environment correlations, where the child's behavior and preference for rough-and-tumble play is influenced by their genetically-influenced attributes of size and muscularity. The child's genotype (genetically-influenced attributes) is actively interacting with their environment (play activities) to shape their behavior.

Question 2

Susie's mother is experiencing trouble with her supervisor at work, and this is affecting the quality of her interactions with Susie. In terms of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the mother's work-related problems constitute a(n) _____ influence on Susie.

Accepted Answer

The mother's work-related problems exist in the exosystem, which refers to external settings that indirectly affect the individual, such as the parent's workplace. These settings have an impact on the microsystem, which is the immediate environment in which the individual interacts daily, such as the family. Therefore, the mother's work-related problems are indirectly affecting the quality of her interactions with Susie.

Question 3

In Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory changes in the child can influence all ecological contexts for development and that future development is likely to take. Here we are talking about a _____ influence.

Accepted Answer

The chronosystem refers to the influence of time and historical context on development. It considers how changes in society, culture, and family structure impact development. This is a broader influence compared to the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem, which are specific environmental contexts that influence development.

Question 4

One common criticism of the behavioral genetics approach is that

Accepted Answer

The answer of One common criticism of the behavioral genetics...

Question 5

One implication of Scarr and McCartney's active genotype-environment correlations is that

Accepted Answer

Scarr and McCartney's active genotype-environment correlations propose that individuals actively seek out and create environments that are compatible with their genetic inclinations. Therefore, genes influence the kind of life experiences people are likely to seek out.

Question 6

The fact that separated identical twins show many resemblances is probably due to the fact that their identical genes

Accepted Answer

Identical twins share the exact same genetic makeup and therefore are likely to create similar environments for themselves, and evoke similar responses from others due to their physical similarities. Thus, both options A and B are true, making choice C the best answer.

Question 7

According to Scarr and McCartney's (1983) theory on the interaction of genotypes and environments, _____ genotype-environment interactions have their strongest effects on human development during the early years, whereas _____ genotype-environment interactions are always important.

Accepted Answer

Passive genotype-environment interactions are strongest in early years when parents provide both genes and environment. Evocative interactions are always important as individuals elicit responses from their environment based on their genetic tendencies.

Question 8

In Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, a child's neighborhood playmates would be part of the child's

Accepted Answer

According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, microsystem refers to the immediate environment that the child directly interacts with, including family, school, peers, and neighborhood. The child's neighborhood playmates are part of the microsystem since they directly interact and influence the child's development. The macrosystem refers to the broader cultural values, laws, and customs that shape the child's environment, while the mesosystem refers to the relationships and interactions between different aspects of the microsystem. The ecosystem refers to the interconnections between different social systems and their impact on each other.

Question 9

In Bronfenbrenner's model, if peers undermine parents' best attempts to promote the academic achievement of their teenager, this peer influence is best classified as a _____ influence.

Accepted Answer

A mesosystem is the interaction between two or more microsystems, such as the interaction between parents and peers regarding academic achievement. If peers are undermining parents' attempts to promote academic achievement, then this is an example of mesosystem influence.

Question 10

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model emphasizes the role of _____ in influencing child development.

Accepted Answer

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model emphasizes the interplay between different environmental systems (such as family, community, and culture) in influencing child development. While heredity and intellectual maturation may also play a role in child development, they are not the primary focus of this theoretical model.

Question 11

Behavioral geneticists are like _____ in proposing a theory that accounts for _____ in development.

Accepted Answer

Learning theorists propose theories that account for individual differences in development.

Question 12

One line of evidence that our genes do not determine our environments and hence, our developmental outcomes is that

Accepted Answer

The option C is the correct answer because both A and B are true. A suggests that even though identical twins share the same genes, they may have differences in personality due to the different environments they grew up in. B suggests that even though siblings may have different genes, they may share similarities in personality traits if they were raised in similar environments. This indicates that our genes alone cannot determine our developmental outcomes, and environmental factors play a significant role.

Question 13

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory maintains that the best way to really understand environmental influences on human development is to study them

Accepted Answer

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory emphasizes the importance of studying the multiple and interrelated environments that a child experiences, including not just their home and school, but also their neighborhood, community, and cultural context. Therefore, the best way to understand these influences is to study them in the child's natural environments rather than in tightly controlled laboratory settings or field experiments.

Question 14

One group of developmentalists that would criticize social-learning theorists for being vague about the meaning of "environment" and the nature of environmental influences is

Accepted Answer

Proponents of the ecological perspective emphasize the importance of understanding the specific context and settings in which development occurs, and they criticize social-learning theorists for not providing enough detail about the different environmental factors that influence development. They believe that the environment is not a uniform and homogenous entity, but rather a complex and dynamic system comprised of multiple layers and levels that interact with each other and affect development in different ways.

Question 15

Perhaps the major strength of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory is

Accepted Answer

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory is known for its detailed and comprehensive analyses of how multiple environmental contexts, such as family, peers, school, and community, interact and impact development. This theory focuses on the complex and dynamic nature of development and how it is shaped by various environmental systems. While parenting is considered an important influence, it is just one of many factors that contribute to a child's development. The theory also recognizes the role of biological, psychological, and social factors in shaping development.

Question 16

John is muscular and Jim is frail. Although neither boy has displayed strong activity preferences at nursery school, their teacher reliably encourages John to play large-muscle games such as tag while encouraging Jim to work at puzzles and craft activities. The teacher's treatment of John and Jim reflects what Scarr and McCartney call a(n)

Accepted Answer

The teacher's treatment of John and Jim reflects an evocative genotype/environment correlation, where children evoke certain responses and treatment from their environment based on their genetic predispositions. In this case, John's muscular build may naturally lead the teacher to encourage him to play large-muscle games, while Jim's frailty may lead the teacher to encourage quieter, less physically demanding activities such as puzzles and crafts.

Question 17

The finding that the complexity of children's play increases dramatically once children become proficient using language to communicate would be viewed by Bronfenbrenner as a _____ influence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The finding that the complexity of children's...

Question 18

Child abuse is more common in societies that sanction the use of physical punishment. This finding illustrates the probable impact of the _____ on childrearing and child development.

Accepted Answer

The macrosystem refers to the broader cultural context in which children are raised. The finding that child abuse is more common in societies that sanction physical punishment suggests that cultural beliefs and practices regarding childrearing at the macrosystem level can have a significant impact on child development. The microsystem (immediate environments such as family and peers), exosystem (settings that indirectly influence the child such as parents' workplaces), and mesosystem (connections between different microsystems such as home and school) may also play a role, but the emphasis on broader cultural context points to the importance of the macrosystem.

Question 19

According to Scarr and McCartney (1983), _____ genotype-environment correlations ensure that genetically unrelated individuals who are reared together will become increasingly dissimilar over time, whereas identical twins will remain highly similar.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Scarr and McCartney (1983), _____...

Question 20

Sandra Scarr's notion that parenting need only be "good enough" in order to foster adaptive developmental outcomes is based on the proposition that

Accepted Answer

Sandra Scarr's theory emphasizes the significant role of genetic factors in development, suggesting that while parenting is important, the genetic predispositions of a child play a crucial role in their development. This implies that "good enough" parenting can support positive developmental outcomes due to the inherent influence of genes.

Quiz 3: Recent Perspectives on Social and Personality Development