Question 1

Five-month-old Judy sees a novel sight-flowers arranged in a vase. The MOST important cue that would help Judy know whether she is seeing a single object or multiple objects is

Accepted Answer

The answer of Five-month-old Judy sees a novel sight-flowers arranged...

Question 2

_____ indicates learning through classical conditioning.

Accepted Answer

Learning through classical conditioning involves the association between a neutral stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned response (UCR), which later results in the conditioned response (CR). Therefore, the occurrence of the CR upon exposure to the CS is the best indicator of learning through classical conditioning.

Question 3

Research by Hannon and Trehub on North American infants as well as North American and Balkan adults demonstrated that _____ perceived changes in simple rhythms, and _____ perceived changes in complex rhythms.

Accepted Answer

Research by Hannon and Trehub showed that all groups (North American infants, North American adults, and Balkan adults) could perceive changes in simple rhythms, but when it came to complex rhythms, both infants and Balkan adults were better at perceiving these changes compared to North American adults. This suggests cultural and developmental influences on rhythm perception.

Question 4

When young infants (younger than 2 months) look at complex shapes or pictures, they tend to look at

Accepted Answer

Young infants, when looking at complex shapes or pictures, tend to focus on the perimeter. This is because their visual acuity and ability to process complex visual information are still developing, making the outer edges of shapes more visually accessible and interesting to them compared to the detailed inner parts.

Question 5

The sharpness of visual discrimination is called

Accepted Answer

Visual acuity refers to the sharpness or clarity of vision, specifically in terms of the ability to discriminate fine details. Habituation refers to the process of becoming desensitized to a repeated stimuli. Visual scanning refers to the process of actively searching the visual environment for specific information. Contrast sensitivity refers to the ability to distinguish between different levels of brightness in a visual stimulus.

Question 6

A researcher taking a dynamic-systems approach to motor development would be MOST likely to examine the impact of _____ on the development of crawling.

Accepted Answer

A dynamic-systems approach to motor development recognizes that multiple factors interact to influence motor behaviors. Therefore, a researcher taking this approach would be most likely to examine the impact of multiple variables on the development of crawling, rather than focusing solely on one specific factor such as cortical maturation, muscle strength, or vision.  So, option B is the most appropriate choice for this question.

Question 7

Binocular disparity results from

Accepted Answer

Binocular disparity is the difference in images between the two eyes due to their slightly different positions. This occurs because the eyes are spaced apart on the face and therefore have a slightly different view of the world.

Question 8

The cue that is MOST important for object segregation is common

Accepted Answer

Common movement is the most crucial cue for object segregation, as objects moving in the same direction or manner are often perceived as part of the same group or entity. This principle is rooted in the Gestalt psychology principles, particularly the law of common fate, which states that elements moving in the same direction are perceived as more related than elements that are stationary or move in different directions.

Question 9

Individual differences in motor maturity at _____ months of age predicts children's academic achievement at the age of 14 years.

Accepted Answer

Motor maturity at 5 months of age predicts children's academic achievement at the age of 14 years according to research.

Question 10

Which sensory reaction is an example of perception?

Accepted Answer

Perception involves interpreting sensory information and giving it meaning. Experiencing visual stimulation as a round green apple requires the brain to interpret and recognize the sensory input as a specific object. The other choices describe the initial sensory reactions without interpretation or recognition.

Question 11

Research by Needham and Baillargeon demonstrated that 8-month-old infants are better able than are 4-month-old infants to use which piece of information in their understanding of object segregation?

Accepted Answer

Research by Needham and Baillargeon showed that older infants, like those who are 8 months old, have a better understanding of object segregation due to their increased knowledge about the world, which helps them make sense of how objects are distinct from one another.

Question 12

Infants' use of prior experience to make inferences about the future is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Infants' use of prior experience to make inferences about the future is referred to as rational learning, as they are using their past experiences to make predictions about future events. Observational learning involves learning by observing others, instrumental conditioning involves learning through consequences of behavior, and habituation refers to a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure.

Question 13

The research by Thelen in which infants were partially immersed in a tank of water demonstrated _____ to be responsible for the disappearance of the stepping reflex.

Accepted Answer

Thelen's research showed that the disappearance of the stepping reflex in infants is due to the changing ratio of leg weight to muscle strength, not due to neurological maturation. When the buoyancy of water supported their legs, even infants who had apparently lost the stepping reflex could perform stepping movements, indicating that the reflex didn't disappear but was inhibited by their inability to lift their increasingly heavy legs.

Question 14

The relationship between early musical experiences and the development of language and literacy is related to

Accepted Answer

Perceptual narrowing refers to the process by which infants' abilities to perceive and discriminate between different sounds becomes increasingly specialized and refined through exposure to specific types of sounds in their environment. Musical experiences can help to shape and enhance infants' sensitivity to the sound patterns and rhythms that are important for language development, which can have a positive impact on their later literacy skills.

Question 15

Dr. Jones has presented an infant with a succession of black and white paddles with increasingly narrow stripes and increasingly narrow gaps between them. He wants to determine when the infant can no longer distinguish between the striped paddles and a gray one. Dr. Jones is assessing the infant's

Accepted Answer

Dr. Jones is assessing the infant's visual acuity, which refers to the sharpness or clarity of vision, by determining the point at which the infant can no longer distinguish between the striped paddles and a gray one.

Question 16

Which statement about self-locomotion is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

Not all infants begin self-locomotion with belly crawling. Some infants may skip belly crawling and go straight to hands-and-knees crawling or walking with support.

Question 17

Fixed patterns of action that occur in response to particular stimulation are called

Accepted Answer

Fixed patterns of action that occur in response to particular stimulation are called reflexes. Option A is incorrect because intermodal tasks refer to the ability to use multiple senses simultaneously. Option B is incorrect because tactile senses refer to the sense of touch. Option C is incorrect because somatosensory reactions refer to the processing of sensory information from the body's sensory organs.

Question 18

An infant's sibling always jumps off his bed with a loud bang when he wakes up from his nap. He then comes downstairs and greets the infant with a tickle, making the infant laugh and cough reflexively. Eventually, the infant begins to laugh and cough reflexively when he hears the bang, even before he sees his brother. In this scenario, the loud bang is a(n)

Accepted Answer

The loud bang is a neutral stimulus at first, but because it is repeatedly paired with the tickling that causes the infant to laugh and cough reflexively, it becomes associated with that response. Once the infant begins to laugh and cough reflexively when he hears the bang, it has become a conditioned stimulus.

Question 19

When a child tries to pick up an object from a 2D representation, they are demonstrating a _____ error.

Accepted Answer

The child is demonstrating a grasp error because they are attempting to pick up a 2D representation of an object, which is not possible. Grasping involves physically holding and manipulating a 3D object, not a 2D representation. Scale error would refer to an error in judging size or proportion of an object, media error would refer to confusion about the format or type of media being used (e.g. mistaking a video for a live event), and motor error would refer to difficulties with coordination or movement.

Question 20

Light-sensitive neurons that are highly concentrated in the fovea are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Cone cells are the light-sensitive neurons that are most concentrated in the fovea, which is the central part of the retina responsible for visual acuity.

Quiz 5: Perception, Action, and Learning in Infancy