Question 1

Many individuals become wiser as they age, but their performance on tasks that require speed in processing information starts to decline. This illustrates how throughout life, some dimensions or components of a dimension expand and others shrink, or how development is:

Accepted Answer

The concept described in the question is multidirectional development, which emphasizes that different dimensions or components of development expand or shrink throughout the lifespan in a nonlinear way. This is exemplified by the fact that individuals may become wiser (an expansion in cognitive abilities) but also experience declines in processing speed (a shrinkage in cognitive abilities) as they age. The other options, plasticity, contextuality, and multidisciplinarity, do not fully capture this concept.

Question 2

Influences that generally effect a generation, for example, the effect of the Vietnam war on the baby boomers, are considered _____ influences.

Accepted Answer

Normative history-graded influences are those that affect a generation or cohort in a similar way due to historical events, trends, or socioeconomic factors. The Vietnam War was a significant historical event that impacted the baby boomer generation as a whole, making it a normative history-graded influence. Nonnormative multidirectional influences are random and unpredictable events that can affect individuals and groups, while normative age-graded influences are predictable events that occur at a particular age or stage of life. Nonnormative age-graded influences refer to unique events that impact individuals in a specific age range, such as a rare disease outbreak affecting a small group of people.

Question 3

_____ means the capacity for change.

Accepted Answer

Plasticity refers to the ability of an object or material to undergo permanent deformation without breaking. In the context of the question, plasticity can refer to the capacity for change or adaptability.

Question 4

When taking his psychology class, Professor Sharma emphasizes that developmental change occurs throughout adulthood as well as childhood. Professor Sharma is taking a(n) _____ approach to developmental change.

Accepted Answer

Professor Sharma's emphasis on developmental change throughout adulthood and childhood suggests that he takes a life-span approach to developmental change, which recognizes that development occurs across the entire lifespan rather than solely in childhood or adolescence. The other options (evolutionary, normative, constructivist) do not accurately describe the approach advocated by Professor Sharma.

Question 5

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks." This old saying refutes Paul Baltes' life-span perspective that views development as being:

Accepted Answer

Paul Baltes' life-span perspective emphasizes that development is plastic, meaning that it is malleable and open to change throughout the lifespan. The old saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" implies that older individuals are unable to change or learn new skills, which goes against the idea of plasticity in development.

Question 6

Two developmental psychologists are having a conversation. One believes in the traditional approach of developmental change; the other believes in the life-span approach. Which of the following issues would they most likely differ on?

Accepted Answer

The traditional approach sees development as occurring primarily from birth to adolescence, with adulthood being a time of stability. In contrast, the life-span approach sees development as occurring throughout the lifespan, with changes and growth continuing into adulthood and even old age. Therefore, the two psychologists would likely differ on the timing and duration of developmental change.

Question 7

Dr. Tepper-Harmon believes that life-span development cannot be studied without considering biological, socioemotional, and cognitive dimensions. Dr. Tepper-Harmon believes that development is:

Accepted Answer

Dr. Tepper-Harmon believes that development is multidimensional, meaning that it involves multiple dimensions such as biological, socioemotional, and cognitive. While the other options (lifelong, contextual, plastic) are also important for studying life-span development, they do not encompass the idea of multiple dimensions.

Question 8

The _____ approach to the study of development emphasizes extensive change from birth to adolescence, especially during infancy, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in old age.

Accepted Answer

The traditional approach to the study of development emphasizes extensive change from birth to adolescence, especially during infancy, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in old age. This approach highlights specific age periods and the behaviors and experiences that are typical of each.

Question 9

If you subscribe to Paul Baltes' perspective of life-span development, which of the following statements would you NOT agree with?

Accepted Answer

Paul Baltes did not believe that development is unidirectional, which means that development only progresses in one direction (e.g. from simple to complex or from immature to mature). Instead, he believed that development is multidirectional, meaning that it can progress in multiple directions at different points in time.

Question 10

The maximum life span of humans:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The maximum life span of humans:
...

Question 11

Development can be defined as the pattern of movement or change that:

Accepted Answer

Development begins at conception when the zygote starts dividing and continues throughout the entire human lifespan.

Question 12

"Individuals are changing beings in a changing world." Which characteristic of development is reflected in this statement?

Accepted Answer

This statement reflects that development is contextual, meaning it occurs within a set of circumstances or environment that influences the individual's growth and change.

Question 13

On your first day of class, Professor Red-Elk claims that for too long we have focused on the development of young children, especially infants. She argues that the development of adults and elderly people is just as important. This professor is articulating a(n) _____ approach.

Accepted Answer

Professor Red-Elk's focus on the development of adults and elderly people indicates a life-span approach, which emphasizes the importance of studying human development across the entire lifespan, from infancy to old age. The other options are not as directly applicable to this scenario.

Question 14

The life expectancy in the United States is currently:

Accepted Answer

According to the World Bank, the life expectancy in the United States in 2020 was 78 years.

Question 15

By age 51, most women enter menopause. This is an example of how a biological process can exert a _____ influence on development.

Accepted Answer

Menopause occurring at age 51 is a normative age-graded influence on development, as it is a typical, predictable occurrence that happens to most women at around the same age.

Question 16

Psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, neuroscientists, and medical researchers all share an interest in unlocking the mysteries of development through the life span. This indicates how development is:

Accepted Answer

The fact that psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, neuroscientists, and medical researchers are all interested in development suggests that it is a multidisciplinary field of study.

Question 17

Life expectancy in the United States has increased by _____ years during the twentieth century.

Accepted Answer

Life expectancy in the United States has increased by 30 years during the twentieth century. In 1900, the average life expectancy was around 47 years, while in 2000 it was around 77 years. This increase can be attributed to advancements in healthcare, improvements in sanitation, and better living conditions.

Question 18

Tzu-Chiang is 55 years old and is currently enrolled in a college algebra course. He is pleasantly surprised that he is performing well in the course despite not taking a formal math class for over 30 years. He is able to learn new mathematical concepts with relative ease. Researchers would consider this an instance that illustrates how development is:

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes Tzu-Chiang's ability to learn new mathematical concepts with ease despite being out of formal math education for over 30 years. This highlights the concept of plasticity, which refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout the lifespan in response to new experiences and learning.

Question 19

_____ include biological processes such as puberty and menopause. They also include sociocultural, environmental processes such as beginning formal education and retirement.

Accepted Answer

Normative age-graded influences are predictable biological and environmental changes that occur throughout a person's life, such as puberty and retirement. These changes are typically linked to age and are experienced by most people in a culture or society.

Question 20

The idea that no age period dominates development highlights the life-span perspective that development is:

Accepted Answer

The life-span perspective emphasizes that development is lifelong, meaning that no single age period is more important than another in terms of development. This perspective views development as a continuous process that occurs throughout the entire lifespan, from birth to death.

Quiz 1: Introduction