Question 1

Voluntary reaching is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Voluntary reaching involves the use of fine motor skills, as it requires the coordination of small muscle movements in the hand and arm to reach for and grasp objects. This is distinct from gross motor skills, which involve larger muscle groups and movements, such as crawling or walking.

Question 2

Anna is asleep in her crib. Her brother comes into her bedroom and slams her door very loudly. Anna throws her arms out, arches her back, and brings her arms back together. She starts to cry. What reflex is Anna demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Anna is demonstrating the Moro reflex, which is a primitive reflex seen in infants. It occurs in response to a sudden movement or loud noise, causing the infant to throw their arms out and then bring them back together while arching their back. The reflex helps infants protect themselves from potential danger. The other reflexes listed (Babinski, Palmer grasp, and Rooting) are not elicited by loud noises or sudden movements.

Question 3

Which area(s) of the brain shows activity when newborns are discriminating different speech patterns?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the areas of the brain that show activity when newborns are discriminating different speech patterns are the temporal and left frontal cortex.

Question 4

The first developmental milestone infants reach is:

Accepted Answer

Lifting their heads while lying on their stomachs is the first developmental milestone because it indicates that infants have gained enough strength in their neck and back muscles to lift and control their head movements. This milestone typically occurs around 2-4 months of age.

Question 5

Which statement below is consistent with the maturational view of motor development?

Accepted Answer

The maturational view of motor development emphasizes biological unfolding and that motor milestones are achieved in a fixed, predictable sequence based on the child's maturation. Preterm infants may reach motor milestones later than full-term infants because they have less time to grow and develop in the womb.

Note: B, C, and D are inconsistent with the maturational view as they suggest that environmental factors can influence the timing of motor development.

Question 6

Max is a baby who hears his father's voice and turns his head in the direction of the sound. He also tries to track where his father is in the room with his eyes. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of intermodal perception, as Max is integrating information from two different sensory modalities (auditory and visual) to locate where his father is in the room.

Question 7

How do we know that intermodal perception is evident at birth?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that young infants demonstrate a preference for viewing their mother's face and can integrate information from different senses, such as sound and visual, to do so. This suggests that intermodal perception is evident at birth. However, it is not because infants are born with fully developed sensory abilities or because it is necessary for survival. There is also no evidence that fetuses are able to demonstrate intermodal perception in the womb.

Question 8

When do infants discriminate colors as well as adults?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that infants begin to discriminate colors as well as adults at around 7 months of age. At birth, infants can only distinguish between light and dark or black and white colors. It takes time, experience, and brain development for infants to fully distinguish between different colors. By 7 months, most infants have developed color vision similar to that of an adult.

Question 9

Which of the following reflexes are present the longest?

Accepted Answer

The Babinski reflex can persist up to 2 years of age, whereas the other reflexes typically disappear within the first few months of life.

Question 10

Which of the following is not a sign that infants begin the process of learning language at birth?

Accepted Answer

Infants do not prefer to hear languages different from their native language at birth. In fact, they show a preference for the sound patterns of their native language from birth.

Question 11

Voluntary reaching appears at about _____ months of age.

Accepted Answer

Voluntary reaching appears at about 3 months of age.

Question 12

What is necessary for newborns to be able to visually recognize their mother's face?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that newborns can visually recognize their mother's face if it is paired with her voice at least once after birth. This pairing creates a multisensory experience that helps the newborn form a visual memory of their mother's face. The other options are incorrect because there is no evidence to suggest that they are necessary for newborns to recognize their mother's face.

Question 13

Dr. Andrews is a researcher interested in studying newborn vision. She wants to know if infants see objects that move and how well they can follow objects with their eyes. What strategy should Dr. Andrews use?

Accepted Answer

Visual tracking is the most appropriate strategy for studying how well infants can follow moving objects with their eyes, as it directly observes and measures their ability to track motion.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true regarding the choice of clothing and motor development?

Accepted Answer

In the nineteenth century, long, flowing gowns worn by infants hindered crawling movement, causing approximately 40% of American infants to skip crawling altogether. The other options are not supported by research or historical evidence.

Question 15

Connor is a newborn who is being breast-fed. Every time his mother holds him and touches his cheek, he demonstrates a specific reflexive behavior. Which of the following behaviors is Connor most likely doing?

Accepted Answer

The reflex described is the rooting reflex, where infants turn their head and tongue towards the source of touch on their cheek. This reflex helps them find the nipple for feeding. Choices A, B, and C describe other reflexes (grasp, Moro/startle, and Babinski respectively) but not the one described in the question.

Question 16

What is the earliest age that infants show a preference for viewing their mother's face?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that infants can show a preference for their mother's face as early as four hours after birth, demonstrating early recognition abilities.

Question 17

The ability to control the large movements of the body is called:

Accepted Answer

Gross motor development refers to the ability to control large movements of the body, such as crawling, walking, jumping, and running. Small motor development (option A) refers to the development of fine motor skills, such as grasping and manipulating objects with fingers. Fine motor development (option B) specifically involves motor control of smaller muscles in the body, particularly the hands and fingers. Physical motor development (option D) is not a commonly used term in developmental psychology.

Question 18

Which of the following situations is considered to be an example of intermodal matching?

Accepted Answer

Intermodal matching refers to the ability to integrate information from different sensory modalities. A newborn's ability to imitate facial expressions involves matching visual information (seeing the expression) with motor output (producing the expression), which is an example of intermodal matching.

Question 19

How do researchers know that infants can integrate touch and vision early in life?

Accepted Answer

The preference for a pacifier previously sucked on indicates that infants have integrated touch (the sensation of the pacifier in their mouth) and vision (the appearance of the pacifier) to form a memory. This suggests that the two senses can be integrated early in life. The other answer choices do not provide direct evidence for the integration of touch and vision.

Question 20

Which of the following does not support the role of maturation in motor development?

Accepted Answer

Infants practicing stepping reflexes and walking earlier suggests that experience, not just maturation, influences motor development.

Quiz 4: Physical Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood