Question 1

Any action that is intended to benefit other people, such as sharing with someone less fortunate, comforting or rescuing someone, cooperating, or simply making others feel good by complimenting them, is known as

Accepted Answer

Prosocial behavior refers to any action that is intended to benefit other people, such as sharing with someone less fortunate, comforting or rescuing someone, cooperating, or simply making others feel good by complimenting them. Altruism specifically refers to selfless actions that are done without any expectation of personal gain, although it is often used interchangeably with prosocial behavior. Prosocial moral reasoning refers to the thought process behind making decisions that benefit others, and empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Question 2

If a child's behavior were driven by her id, then altruism would be expected to be

Accepted Answer

The id is driven by the pleasure principle, which seeks immediate gratification of desires and needs without regard for others. Altruism, which involves putting the needs of others before one's own, goes against this principle and is therefore expected to be weak or absent in a child whose behavior is driven by the id.

Question 3

Which of these approaches contributes the LEAST to a nonaggressive environment?

Accepted Answer

Providing violent video games can actually contribute to a more aggressive environment and is therefore the choice that contributes the least to a nonaggressive environment. Choices A, B, and C provide opportunities for children to play and explore in a safe and positive manner, which can help foster a nonaggressive environment.

Question 4

Jeanna is a mature moral reasoner. When Jenna encounters someone she dislikes in need of help, she will

Accepted Answer

Jeanna is a mature moral reasoner, which means that she is capable of making decisions based on moral principles rather than personal preferences or social pressure. In this case, the right thing to do would be to help the person in need, regardless of whether or not she likes them. Helping someone in need is a moral obligation and an expression of compassion, empathy, and altruism. Choosing not to help would be a moral failure and a violation of her own moral standards. Therefore, D is the best choice.

Question 5

Which of these best illustrates altruism?

Accepted Answer

Donating blood during a community blood drive is an example of altruism because it is a selfless act intended to benefit others without any personal gain. The act of donating blood can potentially save someone's life, without any expectation of reward or benefit to the donor.

Question 6

The incompatible-response technique involves

Accepted Answer

The incompatible-response technique focuses on reinforcing positive behaviors that are incompatible with the undesirable ones, rather than directly addressing the undesirable behaviors. This approach is based on the principle that two incompatible behaviors cannot occur at the same time, thus encouraging the desirable behavior indirectly reduces the occurrence of the undesirable one.

Question 7

The more Sherri whines at her mother, the more her mother pays attention to her. When her mother starts to pay attention, Sherri stops whining, which increases her mother's tendency to pay attention to her. Sherri's mother's behavior has been

Accepted Answer

Sherri's mother's behavior of paying attention to Sherri decreases Sherri's whining, which is a negative consequence for Sherri. Therefore, her mother's behavior is negatively reinforcing Sherri's behavior of stopping whining, making B the correct answer.

Question 8

An adult removing a child from a situation in which she is being aggressive is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Time-out involves removing the child from the situation and separating them from potential reinforcements for a brief period of time. This can help interrupt aggressive behavior and provide the opportunity for the child to calm down and reflect on their behavior. Negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, incompatible-response technique involves teaching a child a new, incompatible behavior to replace the aggressive one, and aversive punishment involves adding an unpleasant stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. None of these options accurately describe the situation of an adult removing a child from an aggressive situation.

Question 9

____ means assisting others when you are not required to help and when it is not part of your job duties.

Accepted Answer

Altruism is the act of helping others without expecting any personal gain or reward. It is a voluntary behavior that goes beyond what is required or expected. It is a selfless behavior that is driven by empathy and compassion towards others. Therefore, choice D is the best answer.

Question 10

Zahn-Waxler et al. found that mothers of compassionate toddlers were more likely to respond to their child's wrongdoing with statements such as,

Accepted Answer

The statement "You made Doug cry; your biting hurt him." acknowledges the child's behavior, identifies the harm caused to the other person, and encourages empathy and understanding towards the other person's feelings. This type of response is more likely to promote compassionate behavior in the child. Options A, C, and D either use commands or focus on labeling the child as "naughty" and do not encourage empathy or understanding.

Question 11

The story of the Good Samaritan, who rescued a person that he did not know, is about a case of

Accepted Answer

The story of the Good Samaritan is about an act of altruism, as the Samaritan helped someone in need even though he did not know them and had no personal gain from doing so.

Question 12

Which of these would represent an altruistic action for a small child?

Accepted Answer

Offering to share a toy with a playmate is an example of an altruistic action as it involves the child putting the needs or wants of another person before their own. Ignoring a forceful request by an adult or suspending an aggressive action after it started might be more about following rules or avoiding punishment, rather than acting out of concern for others. Toppling a toy building after seeing a TV report about a terrorist attack is not necessarily an altruistic act, but rather a reaction to a news story.

Question 13

Suppose that parents and teachers remove aggressive toys, videos, and games from the playroom. These efforts reduce aggression by

Accepted Answer

By removing aggressive toys, videos, and games from the playroom, parents and teachers are creating a nonaggressive environment. This reduces the likelihood of children engaging in aggressive behavior since they do not have access to toys or media that promote aggression. This approach focuses on changing the environment rather than the child's behavior directly, which is an effective way to reduce aggression.

Question 14

An exasperated mother yells at her children, "Shut up! You will do as I say, not as I do!" This parent

Accepted Answer

The mother's statement implies a coercive parenting style, where the children are expected to follow the rules without question or discussion. This type of authoritarian approach can create an environment where children are afraid to express themselves and can lead to low self-esteem. It does not encourage postconventional morality or Oedipal morality.

Question 15

A parent's affective explanation is one that

Accepted Answer

A parent's affective explanation describes the harm or distress that the child's action has caused others.

Question 16

Social-cognitive interventions can be used to help highly aggressive youngsters to achieve all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Social-cognitive interventions aim to improve social and emotional skills, self-control, and problem-solving skills in aggressive youngsters. However, ignoring peers is not a desirable outcome as it may lead to further social isolation and potentially exacerbate aggressive behavior. The other options (regulating anger, improving empathy, and reducing hostile intent attributions) are commonly targeted objectives in social-cognitive interventions.

Question 17

Limiting children's exposure to violent TV and video games

Accepted Answer

Multiple studies have shown that limiting children's exposure to violent TV and video games can reduce their aggression. This is because exposure to violent media can desensitize children to violence and increase their likelihood of engaging in aggressive behavior. Limiting exposure can also lead to increased empathy and prosocial behavior. However, it should be noted that the effectiveness of limiting exposure may depend on several factors, including the child's individual characteristics and the type of media being restricted.

Question 18

Research shows that early conflicts are

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that early conflicts can be potentially adaptive opportunities to promote negotiation skills. Children who learn to negotiate during conflict are more likely to be successful in resolving future conflicts and less likely to resort to aggression. While conflicts can sometimes be training grounds for aggression, this is not always the case. Additionally, conflicts are not necessarily unusual in middle-class homes, and they are not invariably helpful in reducing aggression.

Question 19

A parent consciously attends to her child and praises positive prosocial actions. This strategy is intended to

Accepted Answer

By praising positive prosocial actions and consciously attending to her child, the parent is reducing the attentional rewards the child might receive from engaging in aggressive behaviors, thereby aiming to eliminate such behaviors.

Question 20

Compassionate toddlers tend to have parents who

Accepted Answer

Compassionate toddlers are likely to have parents who utilize a compassionate approach to discipline, which involves explaining to the child why their actions were wrong and how they can make things right. This approach fosters empathy and understanding, which can lead to more compassionate behavior in the child. The other choices (A, B, and C) involve harsh or negative disciplinary methods and attitudes, which are less likely to cultivate compassion in toddlers.

Quiz 13: Aggression, Altruism, and Moral Development