Question 1

Many psychologists now argue that parents' actions have little effect on their children's personality.The main evidence for this conclusion is that,on the average,

Accepted Answer

The fact that the personality of adopted children correlates poorly with that of their adopting parents suggests that genetics plays a stronger role in determining personality traits than parenting style or environment. This is a key argument used by psychologists in support of the idea that parents' actions have little effect on their children's personality.

Question 2

"Authoritative" parents who set high standards and communicate sympathetically with their children tend to have well-behaved children.What conclusion,if any,can we draw from these data?

Accepted Answer

Correlational data only shows a relationship between two variables, but it cannot determine cause and effect. Therefore, we cannot conclude that authoritative parenting causes well-behaved children or that well-behaved children cause sympathetic parenting. Other factors may be involved.

Question 3

Parents who are demanding and impose firm controls,yet are also warm and responsive to their children,are known as __________ parents.

Accepted Answer

Authoritative parents are known for being both demanding and responsive. They set clear rules and expectations for their children while also providing warmth and support. This parenting style is seen as the most effective in promoting positive outcomes for children, including higher levels of self-esteem, problem-solving abilities, and academic achievement. Authoritarian parents, on the other hand, are also demanding but are not responsive, while permissive parents are responsive but not demanding. A cohort refers to a group of individuals who share a common characteristic or experience.

Question 4

Research that seems to show that first born children have higher IQs than later born children

Accepted Answer

Research indicating that first-born children have higher IQs than their later-born siblings often correlates with the finding that average IQ is higher in smaller families. This is because first-borns are more common in smaller families, where resources and parental attention per child are typically greater, potentially contributing to higher IQ scores.

Question 5

To do research on the effects of birth order on personality or behavior,it is important to use

Accepted Answer

The answer of To do research on the effects of...

Question 6

Children who show self-reliance and self-control,cooperate with others,and generally do well in school are most characteristic of children whose parents have a/an __________ parenting style.

Accepted Answer

These characteristics are most similar to children who have authoritative parents. Authoritative parents are warm and supportive but also set clear expectations and boundaries, which encourages self-regulation and positive behavior in their children. Permissive parents may be warm and supportive, but they do not set clear expectations and boundaries, leading to a lack of self-control and poor academic performance. Authoritarian parents are strict and controlling, leading to fear and anxiety in the child, which can negatively affect their academic performance and social skills. Cohort parenting is not a recognized parenting style.

Question 7

If an immigrant to the United States is able to alternate between his native culture and that of the United States,he is showing

Accepted Answer

Biculturalism refers to the ability to navigate and incorporate elements of both one's native culture and the dominant culture of the new country. Total assimilation would involve completely abandoning one's native culture and adopting the dominant culture as one's own, which is not necessarily desirable or feasible for many immigrants. Bilingualism refers to the ability to speak two languages, which may or may not be related to cultural assimilation. Difficulty with acculturation would indicate a struggle in adapting to the new culture, rather than the ability to alternate between cultures.

Question 8

European-American children of authoritarian parents tend to

Accepted Answer

Children of authoritarian parents often experience a strict, controlling, and punitive upbringing, which can lead to feelings of discontent and distrust towards authority figures and others.

Question 9

Cross-cultural studies of parenting show that

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural studies have found that there is a lot of variability in how much time mothers spend with their infants. Some cultures prioritize extensive mother-infant bonding, while others may have more communal childcare practices where multiple caregivers share responsibility for infants. This variation underscores the role that cultural values and beliefs play in shaping parenting practices.

Question 10

Research on parenting style and children's behavior

Accepted Answer

The research on parenting style and children's behavior is correlational, meaning that it examines the relationship between the two variables but does not establish a cause-effect relationship. Therefore, we cannot conclude that parenting style causes children's behavior or vice versa. The research also shows that there are many factors that influence children's behavior, including genetics, temperament, and environmental factors outside the home, which further complicates the relationship between parenting style and children's behavior.

Question 11

Many psychologists have drawn cause-and-effect conclusions from relationships seen between parents' behavior and their children's behavior.The conclusion that parents influence their children would be more justifiable if the results were the same for

Accepted Answer

Comparing the behavior of children living with their biological parents to that of adopted children eliminates the possible genetic influence on behavior and isolates the influence of parenting. This strengthens the cause-and-effect conclusion that parenting behavior affects children's behavior.

Question 12

A psychologist reports that authoritative parents tend to have well-behaved children,and suggests that the parenting style influenced the children's personality development.Before we accept this conclusion,it would be most important to check whether the same results also occur in

Accepted Answer

It is important to check whether the same results occur in adopted children because their personality development is influenced by genetic as well as environmental factors. If authoritative parenting is found to have a similar effect on their behavior, it will suggest that parenting style plays a significant role in personality development, regardless of genetic factors. Checking for other parts of the country, children of other ages or parents with less education may provide additional insights, but they are not as critical as checking for adopted children.

Question 13

Research that has explored the personality of adopted children and their parents has shown

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that the personality traits of adopted children tend to show little to no correlation with those of their adoptive parents, suggesting that genetics play a significant role in personality development over the adoptive environment.

Question 14

The negative effects of a divorce on the children tend to be milder if

Accepted Answer

The answer of The negative effects of a divorce on...

Question 15

A longitudinal study of 2,402 low-income families examined the behavior of children (preschoolers as well as older children)before the mother started working and after they had been placed in day care.The results showed

Accepted Answer

The study found no behavioral changes in preschoolers and slight benefits for the older kids after being placed in day care.

Question 16

Many studies have reported a relationship between parenting style and children's behavior,implying that parents cause changes in their children.An alternative explanation is that the parents' and children's behavior are related to each other because the parents and children share the same

Accepted Answer

Genetics is the best choice as it suggests that parents and children's behavior may be related due to the sharing of biological factors, rather than just parenting style.

Question 17

Parents who set firm rules for their children,without explaining why those rules are good,and who tend to be cold and distant to their children,are known as __________ parents.

Accepted Answer

Authoritarian parents tend to set strict rules without explaining the reasoning behind them and can be emotionally distant from their children. Authoritative parents, on the other hand, set firm rules but also take the time to explain why they are important and have a warm and nurturing relationship with their children. Permissive parents have few rules and are very lenient with their children. The term "cohort" is not relevant to parenting styles.

Question 18

Many studies have reported differences in personality or achievement between first-born and later born children.However,most of those studies can be faulted for confusing birth order effects with the effects of

Accepted Answer

Many of the reported differences between first-born and later-born children may actually be due to differences in family size, rather than birth order specifically. Larger families may have less parental attention, resources, and support to go around, which could affect the personality or achievement of all children in the family, regardless of birth order.

Question 19

What major personality difference,if any,is consistently found between children raised in traditional families and children raised in nontraditional families?

Accepted Answer

Research has not shown consistent major personality differences between children raised in traditional and nontraditional families. Factors such as the quality of parenting, support systems, and individual temperament have a greater impact on a child's personality development.

Question 20

A researcher tests all the students in one college and finds that the first-borns have higher GPAs than later-born children,on the average.One possible explanation is that the results reflect the influence of birth order.The other explanation is that the results depend on differences between

Accepted Answer

The results may reflect the influence of birth order only if there are differences between one-child families and larger families. First-borns are more likely to come from smaller families, while later-borns are more likely to come from larger families, where resources may be more limited and attention may be more divided. This could impact their academic performance and GPA. The other explanations do not account for this difference between birth orders and are thus less likely to explain the results.

Quiz 5: Nature,nurture,and Human Development