Question 1

With respect to how children learn word meanings, the textbook suggests that

Accepted Answer

Children must decide to which piece of the world a new word applies. For instance, if the word is "dog" there will be a large set of possible meanings each time someone uses the word (for example, the whole dog vs. its nose or fur). Researchers suggest that children develop hypotheses about what each new word might mean. Particular meanings are assigned to new words through expectations such as the principle of contrasts, which suggests that differences in form signal differences in meaning. When children hear new words, they look for meanings that contrast with meanings of words they already know.

Question 2

Dan Slobin has defined a set of operating principles that together constitute children's language-making capacity. These principles are

Accepted Answer

Children bring innate constraints to the task of learning language. According to Slobin, operating principles are the guidelines that define the child's language-making capacity and take the form of directives to the child. For example, the operating principle "store together ordered sequences of word classes and functor classes that co-occur in the expression of a particular proposition type, along with a designation of the proposition type" directs children to process language input in a way that will help them to acquire grammar.

Question 3

One reason that overregularization is an interesting error is because

Accepted Answer

Overregularization is interesting because it typically occurs after children have already learned and correctly used the standard forms of verbs and nouns, indicating they are applying general grammatical rules even when exceptions are required.  Children learn the correct forms as separate vocabulary items, then learn a new rule (e.g., past tense) and extend it, whether or not it applies.

Question 4

Jesse and Stephanie are getting ready to have their first son, and they are interested in teaching him both of their native languages (Spanish and English) from his earliest years. They are concerned, however, that if they teach both languages that the child will confuse the two and will not be able to distinguish between them as he gets older. What does research noted in your text have to say about bilingualism in children?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that children who are raised bilingual are capable of keeping multiple languages separate in their minds, suggesting that Jesse and Stephanie's concerns about confusion are unfounded.  As your author notes, recent research (Montanari, 2010) has found that children seem to be able to keep the vocabularies of different languages separate when they are raised to be bilingual.

Question 5

All you know about a girl is that she is 14 years old. According to Erikson's theory of life span development, she is probably facing the crisis of

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, individuals aged 12 to 18 years are in the stage of identity vs. role confusion. This stage involves teenagers working to develop a sense of self and personal identity.  Identity is discovered amid the confusion of the many different roles that children at this age play. When this crisis is resolved, the teenager begins to develop a coherent sense of self.

Question 6

Developmental psychologists use the term "attachment" to refer to the

Accepted Answer

Attachment in developmental psychology specifically refers to the intense, enduring social-emotional relationship that develops between a child and a caregiver, not to preferences for objects, reflexive actions, or imprinting behaviors.

Question 7

While riding through the countryside one day, you happen to come upon a curious sight -- a chick following a group of ducklings and a mother duck. What could have happened to produce this strange sight?

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon can be explained by imprinting, a form of learning in which a young animal, during a critical period early in life, forms an attachment to the first moving object it sees, which is often its mother. In this case, if the chick saw the mother duck as the first moving object after hatching, it would follow her, mistaking her for its mother.  Imprinting on the first moving object seen by the infants of some species occurs rapidly. This can be problematic if the first moving object is a member of another species.

Question 8

According to John Bowlby, an influential theorist on human attachment, infants and adults will form attachments

Accepted Answer

John Bowlby's attachment theory posits that infants have an innate biological predisposition to form attachments with caregivers as a means of survival. This theory emphasizes the importance of a secure attachment bond for healthy emotional and social development.

Question 9

In the Strange Situation Test, a securely-attached child will ________ when the parent leaves the room and ________ when the parent returns.

Accepted Answer

Securely-attached children typically show some distress when their parent leaves the room, indicating they miss their parent, and seek proximity, comfort, and contact upon the parent's return, demonstrating their trust and reliance on the parent for emotional support.

Question 10

In the Strange Situation Test, a 15-month-old child is upset and anxious when her mother leaves the room. When her mother returns, she cannot be comforted and shows anger, but also a desire for contact with her mother. The child is most likely to be categorized as

Accepted Answer

This behavior is characteristic of the insecurely attached-anxious/ambivalent attachment style, where children show intense distress upon separation and ambivalence upon reunion, seeking and yet resisting contact.  This is one of the three categories of attachment recorded as a result of children's responses to the Strange Situation Test. Insecurely attached-anxious/ambivalent children become quite upset and anxious when the parent leaves the room. When they are reunited with the parent, they show anger and resistance to the parent but at the same time express a need for contact.

Question 11

A husband and wife are expecting their first child and they want to be perfect parents, so they have been getting a lot of information about parenting. At a lecture on parenting styles, they learn that the style that is most likely to produce an effective parent-child bond is one that

Accepted Answer

The parenting style that makes demands on a child while keeping channels of communication open is most likely to produce an effective parent-child bond. This approach balances structure and support, fostering a healthy relationship.  This style is most likely a balance of demanding appropriate behavior and responsiveness to the child's individuality. It is called an authoritative style.

Question 12

With respect to parenting styles, parents who apply discipline with little concern for their child's autonomy are classified as ________, whereas parents whose style fails to help children learn about the structure of social rules under which they must live are referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

Authoritarian parents are known for applying discipline with little concern for their child's autonomy, emphasizing obedience and authority. Indulgent (or permissive) parents, on the other hand, fail to set firm boundaries or enforce rules, which does not help children learn about the social rules they need to live by.  Neither of these parenting styles is beneficial because there is lack of balance between demanding age-appropriate behavior and responsiveness to the individuality of the child.

Question 13

Suppose you are watching a monkey in Harry Harlow's research on attachment. When presented with a fear stimulus, such as a toy that makes loud noises, you should expect the monkey to

Accepted Answer

Harry Harlow's research on attachment showed that monkeys preferred the comfort of a cloth mother over a wire mother, especially when frightened or in need of comfort.  The cloth mother was used for comfort, protection from feared objects, and as a base of operations when the babies were exploring the world around them.

Question 14

The monkeys that became attached to a "cloth mother" in Harlow's research showed deficits in adulthood in their ability to

Accepted Answer

Harlow's research with monkeys demonstrated that those who were raised with a "cloth mother" surrogate showed significant deficits in adulthood, particularly in their ability to form normal social and sexual relationships. This highlighted the importance of social and emotional development in early life.

Question 15

In a recent study, it was reported that as compared to children who had been raised by their biological parents, the children who spent their earliest days in orphanages or other institutions

Accepted Answer

Children who spent their earliest days in orphanages or other institutions showed abnormal patterns of brain response compared to those raised by their biological parents, indicating developmental impacts due to their early environments.

Question 16

Over the years, many studies have explored the complex issues of childhood abuse and intervention. One finding that is supported by research is that

Accepted Answer

Children who are removed from abusive environments may still have strong emotional attachments to their families or homes, despite the abuse. This can lead to a desire to return, reflecting the complexity of human relationships and the psychological impact of abuse.

Question 17

In an older book on adolescence, you read about how adolescence is a period full of problems and stress. After reading more recent research conducted with adolescents in different societies, you can conclude that

Accepted Answer

Recent research indicates that the experiences of adolescents can vary significantly across different cultures, suggesting that the notion of adolescence as universally a period of "storm and stress" is overly simplistic and does not account for cultural variability.  Brain maturation may explain why adolescents experience both extreme negative and extreme positive emotions. However, research has confirmed that the experience of adolescents differs across cultures.

Question 18

Research shows some of the relationship costs that arise when adolescents strive for independence. Still, adolescents' conflicts with their parents often do not lead to harmful consequences. Smetana et al. (2006) report that most adolescents

Accepted Answer

Smetana et al. (2006) found that despite conflicts arising from adolescents striving for independence, most adolescents still view their parents as valuable sources of both practical and emotional support.

Question 19

In a longitudinal study, students who were more susceptible to their close friends' influence at the study's outset were more likely to

Accepted Answer

Students who are more susceptible to peer influence are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use, due to the impact of their friends' behaviors and attitudes.

Question 20

Comparisons of the intellectual and social development of children who stay at home and those who attend day care have found that children in day care have

Accepted Answer

The answer of Comparisons of the intellectual and social development...

Quiz 10: Human Development Across the Life Span