Question 1

Which view sees development as similar to metamorphosis, where change is abrupt and constitutes a difference of kind rather than a difference of degree?

Accepted Answer

The discontinuity view posits that development occurs in distinct stages or steps, each of which is qualitatively different from the others, similar to how metamorphosis represents abrupt and fundamental changes.

Question 2

Psychologists who object to the heredity vs. environment debate do so on the basis that:

Accepted Answer

The heredity vs. environment debate is often seen as too simplistic by some psychologists because they believe that heredity and environment interact in complex ways to influence observable traits, rather than one being solely responsible.

Question 3

In seeking to answer the question "How much influence do environment and heredity have on behavior?" a psychologist would choose which of the following scenarios as the most appropriate design?

Accepted Answer

Identical twins raised apart (D) provide the most controlled natural experiment for disentangling the effects of environment and heredity on behavior. Since identical twins share the same genetic makeup, any differences in their behavior when raised in different environments can be attributed more directly to environmental influences rather than genetic factors.

Question 4

Anne Anastasi believed that some hereditary contributions such as physical attributes are direct while others such as stereotypes attached to physical characteristics are indirect. This is representative of what she termed the:

Accepted Answer

Anne Anastasi referred to the concept that some hereditary contributions are direct (like physical attributes) while others are indirect (like stereotypes attached to physical characteristics) as the "continuum of indirectness." This concept highlights the varying degrees of directness in the influence of heredity on individual characteristics.

Question 5

A field of study that focuses on individual differences and seeks to answer why individuals within a species exhibit different behaviors is called:

Accepted Answer

Behavioral genetics is the field of study that investigates the role of genetics in individual behaviors, aiming to understand why individuals within the same species can behave differently. It looks at the influence of genetics and environment on behavior.

Question 6

Kagan's studies on timidity indicate all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Kagan's studies suggest that a certain percentage of children are predisposed to shyness, but they do not claim that over 50 percent of all children are predisposed to it. This statement is not supported by Kagan's research findings on timidity and shyness.

Question 7

Scientists who study the behavior patterns of organisms from a biological point of view and believe that babies are biologically preadapted with certain behaviors to elicit caring behaviors in adults are known as:

Accepted Answer

Ethologists study the behavior of animals (including humans) in their natural environments, focusing on instinctual or innate behaviors. The belief that babies have innate behaviors to elicit care from adults aligns with ethological perspectives on attachment and social behaviors.

Question 8

Marie loves her baby niece Fiona because of her tiny fingers, big brown eyes, and cute smile. When Fiona cries Marie always responds by picking her up to soothe her. Fiona's behaviors and characteristics are examples of what ethologists call:

Accepted Answer

Fiona's behaviors and characteristics (tiny fingers, big brown eyes, and cute smile) act as releasing stimuli, which are features that trigger a caregiving response (in this case, from Marie). Ethologists study these innate responses to specific stimuli, which in this scenario, lead to Marie's nurturing behavior.

Question 9

Konrad Lorenz showed that baby ducks will follow the first moving object they see even if it is not the mother duck. This behavior is so resistant to change that it appears innate. This is called:

Accepted Answer

Konrad Lorenz's research demonstrated the concept of "imprinting," where young animals, such as ducks, form attachments during a critical period early in life, often immediately after birth or hatching, to the first moving object they encounter, which is usually their mother. This behavior is considered innate and shows how certain species learn to recognize their parents or caregivers.

Question 10

What are the major similarities and differences between Freud's psychoanalytical theory of development and Erikson's theory of development?

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

Explain the differences between behavioral theory and humanistic theory.

Accepted Answer

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Question 12

Briefly describe Piaget's contribution to developmental studies.

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

Briefly describe Vygotsky's contribution to developmental studies.

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 2: Theories of Development