Question 1

Many causes of depression in adolescence were described in the textbook. Choose one cause that you believe has a significant effect on depression. Using this proposed cause, describe an intervention that could be designed to help depressed adolescents. Why do you believe this intervention will reduce adolescents' depression?

Accepted Answer

One cause of depression in adolescence that I believe has a significant effect is social isolation and loneliness. Adolescents who feel disconnected from their peers or lack a strong support system are more likely to experience depression.

An intervention that could be designed to help depressed adolescents who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness is a peer support program. This program could pair depressed adolescents with a peer mentor who has also experienced and overcome similar feelings of isolation. The peer mentor could provide emotional support, guidance, and a sense of belonging to the depressed adolescent. Additionally, group activities and social events could be organized to help the adolescents build connections and friendships with their peers.

I believe this intervention will reduce adolescents' depression because it addresses the root cause of social isolation and loneliness. By providing a supportive and understanding peer mentor, the depressed adolescent can feel less alone and more connected to others. The peer support program also offers opportunities for the adolescents to build meaningful relationships and social connections, which can help alleviate feelings of isolation and improve their overall mental well-being.

Question 2

Many explanations for the gender differences in rates of adolescent depression were described in the textbook. Which explanation do you believe best explains these gender differences? Be sure to provide evidence for your argument and supportive examples where necessary.

Accepted Answer

There are several explanations for the gender differences in rates of adolescent depression, but the one that I believe best explains these differences is the socialization and gender role theory. This theory suggests that societal expectations and gender roles play a significant role in the development of depression in adolescents.

Evidence for this argument can be found in the way that boys and girls are socialized from a young age. Boys are often taught to suppress their emotions and to be strong and independent, while girls are encouraged to be nurturing and sensitive. These societal expectations can lead to boys feeling unable to express their emotions, which may contribute to higher rates of depression. On the other hand, girls may feel pressure to conform to societal standards of beauty and perfection, leading to higher rates of depression.

Supportive examples of this theory can be seen in studies that have found a correlation between traditional gender roles and higher rates of depression in adolescents. For example, a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that girls who conformed to traditional gender roles were more likely to experience symptoms of depression.

In conclusion, the socialization and gender role theory provides a compelling explanation for the gender differences in rates of adolescent depression. The evidence and supportive examples highlight the impact of societal expectations on the mental health of adolescents, and the need to address these gender norms in order to reduce the prevalence of depression in both boys and girls.

Question 3

Individuals vary in the types of emotions they generally experience, in the situations that elicit emotions, and in the frequency of experiencing the various emotions. In what ways do you think your parents, peers, schooling, and society have influenced the emotions you generally experience, the frequency of these emotions, and the stimuli that generally elicit them?

Accepted Answer

My parents have had a significant influence on the types of emotions I generally experience. Growing up, they taught me the importance of empathy, kindness, and understanding, which has shaped the way I approach and experience emotions. They also provided a supportive and nurturing environment, which has allowed me to feel secure in expressing my emotions and seeking help when needed.

My peers have also played a role in shaping my emotional experiences. Through interactions with friends and classmates, I have learned about different perspectives and ways of expressing emotions. This has helped me become more open-minded and empathetic towards others, and has also influenced the types of emotions I tend to experience.

Schooling has provided me with the knowledge and skills to understand and manage my emotions. Through social and emotional learning programs, I have learned about the importance of self-awareness, self-regulation, and healthy relationships, which has had a positive impact on the frequency of experiencing various emotions and how I respond to them.

Society, including media, cultural norms, and societal expectations, has also influenced the way I experience and express emotions. For example, societal pressure to conform to certain gender norms or expectations can impact the way individuals express and experience emotions. Additionally, exposure to different cultural practices and beliefs has broadened my understanding of emotions and how they are expressed in different contexts.

Overall, my parents, peers, schooling, and society have all played a role in shaping the types of emotions I generally experience, the frequency of these emotions, and the stimuli that generally elicit them. Their influence has contributed to my emotional intelligence and ability to navigate and understand my own emotions and those of others.

Question 4

Kira is a 4-year-old who is the physical size of a 6-year-old child. In her preschool class, she is the tallest and most physically mature child. Her teachers admit that sometimes they forget that she is only 4 and treat her and think of her as an older child. Another child in the class, Steven, is particularly small for his age. His teachers often think of him as a 3-year-old, when in fact he is the same age as the other children in his preschool class. How might parents and teachers treat these two children differently than they treat average-size children, and how might this differential treatment influence their development of emotional regulation? Provide supportive examples.

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Question 5

How do developmental psychologists define emotion? Be specific in the definition. Provide an example of an emotion-evoking situation and describe all of the components of the emotion.

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Question 6

Describe the notion of goodness of fit. Give an example of a child who fits well with his or her parents' parenting style and an example of a child who does not fit well with his or her parents' style. What are the likely outcomes for these two children? Be specific.

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Question 7

Describe three ways in which family factors influence adolescent depression. Provide an example of how each factor is likely to exert its influence. Be specific.

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Question 8

Using the four relations among genotype, phenotype, and environment discussed in Chapter 3-(1) parent's genotype-child's genotype, (2) child's genotype-child's phenotype, (3) child's environment-child's phenotype, (4) child's phenotype-child's environment-describe the development of children's positive and negative emotions.

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Question 9

What is temperament and what dimensions does it involve? Describe at least three methods for assessing temperament and discuss how the methods compare in terms of assessing the various dimensions of temperament.

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Question 10

Describe the concept of delay of gratification. How can it be examined? How is it associated with later social functioning?

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Question 11

Describe the development of fear and discuss what an evolutionary psychologist might have to say about fear. Provide supportive examples.

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Question 12

How do emotions change as children develop? Specifically, what changes occur in the types of emotions experienced, the frequency and intensity of each emotion, and the events that elicit particular emotional responses?

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Question 13

Describe the concept of emotional intelligence. To what extent is emotional intelligence associated with IQ? How is emotional intelligence associated with success in life? Describe a friend (or yourself) who is particularly high or particularly low in emotional intelligence, and discuss how this person's emotional intelligence and IQ have affected a particular aspect of his or her life.

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Question 14

In what ways is emotional regulation necessary for social competence, and in what ways is social competence necessary for emotional regulation? Give at least two examples of each pathway.

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Question 15

Describe your own temperament in terms of these dimensions: (1) fearful distress, (2) irritable distress, (3) attention span and persistence, (4) activity level, (5) positive affect, and (6) rhythmicity. Do you think your temperament has remained stable throughout your life, or are there dimensions on which you have greatly changed since infancy? Provide supportive examples.

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Question 16

Describe an event that would evoke anger in children in each of these age groups: infancy, toddlerhood, preschool age, and late childhood. Describe how children of each of these ages would be likely to attempt to regulate their anger.

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Question 17

Over the course of this chapter, a pattern of earlier development of positive rather than negative emotions has been discussed. Describe this pattern, including how it applies to emotional expression and emotional understanding. Why might positive emotions develop earlier than negative ones?

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Question 18

Describe the development of emotions in the first years of life. What stimuli are likely to cause positive and negative emotions? Do the likely stimuli change over this time period? If so, why do these stimuli change with age?

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Question 19

Describe the association between parents' emotional expression and children's emotional development and social competence. Be specific and provide supportive examples.

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Question 20

Describe the most likely pattern of later social adjustment for children with high levels of fearful distress. How does family environment influence this association? In addition, how might children's high levels of fearful distress influence parental socialization? Describe how this reciprocal relationship between temperament and parental socialization might influence children's later social functioning.

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Quiz 10: Section 1: Emotional Development