Question 1

Dr. Kim takes a strong nature position with regard to the origins of intellectual disabilities. Therefore, she would most likely hypothesize that her son's intellectual disability (formally known as mental retardation)is due to
A)her parenting style.
B)his genes.
C)his exposure to a toxic chemical prior to birth.
D)random chance.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Kim takes a strong nature position, which means she believes that genetic factors are the primary cause of intellectual disabilities. Therefore, she would most likely hypothesize that her son's intellectual disability is due to his genes.

Question 2

Dr. Arantes uses a biopsychosocial framework for understanding human development. Which position is she most likely to endorse on the nature versus nurture issue?
A)Nature is most important.
B)Nurture is most important.
C)Nature and nurture both play important roles in human development.
D)Neither nature nor nurture is important in the study of human development.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Arantes uses a biopsychosocial framework which takes into account biological, psychological, and social factors in human development. This approach recognizes that both nature (biological factors) and nurture (environmental factors) play important roles in shaping human development. Therefore, she is most likely to endorse the position that nature and nurture both play important roles in human development.

Question 3

Which question best captures the spirit of most individuals who study human development with a nature/nurture focus?
A)How do genes and environmental factors interact in the development of memory processes? ​
B)Which human behaviors are determined genetically, and which are determined by environmental factors?
C)At what age do environmental factors surpass genetic factors as most important in human development?
D)Which genes are responsible for childhood behavior, and which genes are responsible for adult behavior?

Accepted Answer

Most individuals who study human development with a nature/nurture focus are interested in understanding how genes and environmental factors interact and influence development. This question directly addresses that focus by inquiring about the interaction between genes and environmental factors in the development of memory processes.

Question 4

Which item does not constitute a "psychological force?"
A)Perception
B)Intelligence
C)Personality
D)Heredity

Accepted Answer

Heredity is not a psychological force. It refers to the genetic traits passed down from parents to offspring, whereas the other options - perception, intelligence, and personality - are all psychological traits that have an impact on behavior and mental processes.

Question 5

When Kayla says "It doesn't matter if they are French, Swedish, or Chinese, kids are kids," she is espousing a ____ position concerning human development.
A)discontinuous
B)universal
C)nurture
D)context-specific

Accepted Answer

Kayla's statement suggests a universal position, which holds that human development is similar across all cultures and contexts, regardless of race, ethnicity, or nationality.

Question 6

Yacef is interested in determining whether children develop virtually the same way in Algeria as they do in other parts of the world. Yacef's research deals primarily with the ____ issue of human development.
A)psychological versus biological forces
B)universal versus context-specific development
C)nature versus nurture
D)continuity versus discontinuity

Accepted Answer

Yacef's interest in determining whether children develop virtually the same way in Algeria as they do in other parts of the world deals primarily with the universal versus context-specific development issue of human development. This issue addresses whether there are universal stages of development that are experienced by all individuals regardless of their cultural background or whether development is primarily influenced by the unique cultural context in which an individual is raised.

Question 7

Because Dr. Jefferson is interested in researching how people of different ages are affected by events, it would be most accurate to say that Dr. Jefferson is most interested in studying ____ forces.
A)psychological
B)biological
C)life-cycle
D)sociocultural

Accepted Answer

Life-cycle forces refer to the ways in which individuals' biological, psychological, and socio-cultural contexts interact with age, creating different experiences at different points in the lifespan. Therefore, Dr. Jefferson's interest in studying how people of different ages are affected by events aligns with the concept of life-cycle forces.

Question 8

Sophia notices that children seem to mature socially much faster in Argentina than in the United States. Sophia is most likely to support a ____ position regarding human development.
A)nature
B)discontinuous
C)context-specific
D)continuous

Accepted Answer

Sophia's observation about social development in Argentina and the United States suggests that development is context-specific, meaning it varies according to the culture and environment in which it occurs. This is not necessarily an argument for nature (A) or discontinuity (B), as social development may still have a continuous (D) progression but may be influenced by the specific cultural context.

Question 9

When discussing child development, Olaf uses terms like the "terrible 2s" and the "tranquil 3s." These ideas are most compatible with a ____ view.
A)context-specificity
B)hereditary
C)continuity
D)discontinuity

Accepted Answer

The terms "terrible 2s" and "tranquil 3s" reflect the idea of discontinuity in child development, where there are distinct stages or periods of development characterized by specific behaviors and tendencies. This is in contrast to the continuity view, which emphasizes gradual and continuous change over time, and the context-specificity and hereditary views, which focus on the role of environmental or genetic factors in development.

Question 10

Sara believes that memory processes develop the same way in all children. Sara is most likely to support a ____ position regarding human development.
A)universal
B)nurture
C)discontinuous
D)non-normative

Accepted Answer

Sara's belief that memory processes develop the same way in all children indicates a universal position regarding human development, meaning that she believes that certain aspects of development are common to all human beings.

Question 11

The notion that development is best described in terms of a series of abrupt shifts in behavior best fits with the ____ approach.
A)nature
B)nurture
C)continuity
D)discontinuity

Accepted Answer

The notion that development is best described in terms of a series of abrupt shifts in behavior aligns with the discontinuity approach, which suggests that development occurs in distinct stages or steps rather than gradually over time. The nature vs. nurture debate is not directly related to this concept, and the continuity approach reflects the belief that development is a gradual and continuous process rather than marked by sudden shifts.

Question 12

When asked why her sister Yvonne ended up in jail, Penny says, "She was always a mean, aggressive person. She really liked hurting people." Penny is relying on ____ forces to explain Yvonne's development.
A)sociocultural
B)normative age-graded
C)normative history-graded
D)psychological

Accepted Answer

Penny is referring to Yvonne's personality traits, which fall under the psychological forces that influence development. Yvonne's behavior was likely shaped by a combination of biological and environmental factors, such as genetics, early life experiences, and social interactions.

Question 13

The field of ____ gives us information about how the four developmental forces interact with each other.
A)biology
B)neuroscience
C)anthropology
D)sociology

Accepted Answer

The answer of The field of ____ gives us information...

Question 14

If you were going to study only psychological influences of human development, you would not research
A)self-esteem.
B)the effects of television on development.
C)the effects of depression on development.
D)cognitive processes.

Accepted Answer

Studying only psychological influences of human development would not include the effects of an external factor like television. The other choices all relate to internal psychological factors.

Question 15

Dr. Fletcher is attempting to determine whether adult criminals were rule breakers throughout their childhood, or whether they suddenly turned to a life of crime. Her research is most concerned with which issue of human development?
A)Nature versus nurture
B)Universal versus context-specific development
C)Biological versus sociocultural forces
D)​​ Continuity versus discontinuity

Accepted Answer

Dr. Fletcher's research is concerned with the issue of continuity versus discontinuity in human development. She is investigating whether criminal behavior develops gradually over time (continuity) or if it occurs suddenly (discontinuity) in adulthood.

Question 16

Who is most likely interested in the study of human development?
A)Dr. Harvey, who studies the brain cells of infants
B)Dr. Hatfield, who studies eating disorders
C)Dr. Deal, who studies how political attitudes change with age
D)Dr. Hersh, who studies elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease

Accepted Answer

Dr. Deal is studying how political attitudes change with age, which falls under the study of human development. The other three options focus on specific areas of research that may not necessarily involve the larger field of human development.

Question 17

Lotte is listening to a lecture in which her professor states, "Genetic and cultural factors are important, but they alone cannot explain the development of human beings." Lotte's professor seems to be supporting the
A)biopsychosocial framework.
B)position that development is continuous.
C)notion of universality.
D)concept of discontinuity.

Accepted Answer

The mention of both genetic and cultural factors suggests that the professor is supporting the biopsychosocial framework, which posits that development is influenced by biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. The other answer choices do not fit with the professor's statement.

Question 18

The nature of the scientific study of human development can best be described as
A)multidisciplinary.
B)focused on groups rather than individuals.
C)nontheoretical.
D)emphasis on stability over change.

Accepted Answer

The scientific study of human development draws on multiple disciplines, including psychology, biology, sociology, and anthropology. It is therefore multidisciplinary in nature. The other options are not accurate descriptions of the field.

Question 19

Which term does not belong in this group?
A)Experiential
B)Nurture
C)Environmental
D)Hereditary

Accepted Answer

"Hereditary" refers to genetic inheritance, while the other terms relate to external influences on development.

Question 20

Benoit is interested in studying the effects of various biological forces on human development. Which topic is probably of least interest to him?
A)Cognition
B)Brain maturation
C)Menopause
D)Exercise

Accepted Answer

Cognition is more related to psychological processes rather than biological forces, making it less relevant to Benoit's interest in biological forces on human development.

Quiz 1: The Study of Human Development

Dr. Kim takes a strong nature position with regard to the origins of intellectual disabilities. Therefore, she would most likely hypothesize that her son's intellectual disability (formally known as mental retardation) is due to

Dr. Arantes uses a biopsychosocial framework for understanding human development. Which position is she most likely to endorse on the nature versus nurture issue?

Which question best captures the spirit of most individuals who study human development with a nature/nurture focus?

Which item does not constitute a "psychological force?"

When Kayla says "It doesn't matter if they are French, Swedish, or Chinese, kids are kids," she is espousing a ____ position concerning human development.

Yacef is interested in determining whether children develop virtually the same way in Algeria as they do in other parts of the world. Yacef's research deals primarily with the ____ issue of human development.

Because Dr. Jefferson is interested in researching how people of different ages are affected by events, it would be most accurate to say that Dr. Jefferson is most interested in studying ____ forces.

Sophia notices that children seem to mature socially much faster in Argentina than in the United States. Sophia is most likely to support a ____ position regarding human development.

When discussing child development, Olaf uses terms like the "terrible 2s" and the "tranquil 3s." These ideas are most compatible with a ____ view.

Sara believes that memory processes develop the same way in all children. Sara is most likely to support a ____ position regarding human development.

The notion that development is best described in terms of a series of abrupt shifts in behavior best fits with the ____ approach.

When asked why her sister Yvonne ended up in jail, Penny says, "She was always a mean, aggressive person. She really liked hurting people." Penny is relying on ____ forces to explain Yvonne's development.

The field of ____ gives us information about how the four developmental forces interact with each other.

If you were going to study only psychological influences of human development, you would not research

Dr. Fletcher is attempting to determine whether adult criminals were rule breakers throughout their childhood, or whether they suddenly turned to a life of crime. Her research is most concerned with which issue of human development?

Who is most likely interested in the study of human development?

Lotte is listening to a lecture in which her professor states, "Genetic and cultural factors are important, but they alone cannot explain the development of human beings." Lotte's professor seems to be supporting the

The nature of the scientific study of human development can best be described as

Which term does not belong in this group?

Benoit is interested in studying the effects of various biological forces on human development. Which topic is probably of least interest to him?