Question 1

Ever since she was a few weeks old, Shelly has been an unusually contented baby who sleeps and eats well and adapts easily to new experiences. A developmental psychologist would probably describe Shelly's temperament as being:
A) slow-to-warm-up.
B) difficult.
C) easy.
D) above average.

Accepted Answer

Shelly's behavior of sleeping and eating well and adapting easily to new experiences aligns with the characteristics of an easy temperament. This type of temperament generally involves a positive mood, regularity in bodily functions, adaptability to change, and low intensity of reaction to stimuli. Therefore, Shelly's behavior indicates an easy temperament.

Question 2

The term cephalocaudal pattern refers to the:
A) very distinct and consistent behavioral styles that infants come into the world with.
B) tendency of infants to develop motor control from the center of their bodies outward.
C) fact that physical and motor skill development in infants tends to follow a top-to-bottom sequence.
D) fact that each infant has his or her own timetable of physical maturation.

Accepted Answer

The cephalocaudal pattern refers to the developmental sequence in which growth occurs from the head downwards, meaning infants develop control over their head and upper body before their lower body.

Question 3

Which of the following terms do psychologists use to describe an infant's inborn predisposition to consistently behave and react in a particular way?
A) temperament
B) personal style
C) attachment style
D) reactivity or reaction style

Accepted Answer

Psychologists use the term "temperament" to describe an infant's inborn predisposition to consistently behave and react in a particular way. This includes a child's activity level, adaptability, intensity, mood and sensitivity.

Question 4

The term _____ refers to the tendency of infants to develop motor control from the center of their bodies outward.
A) proximodistal trend
B) cephalocaudal pattern
C) temperamental trend
D) quickening pattern

Accepted Answer

The proximodistal trend refers to the development of motor control from the center of the body outward, meaning that babies develop control over their torso and head before they can control their limbs. The cephalocaudal pattern refers to the development of motor control from the head to the feet, which is not in line with the description given in the question. Temperamental trend and quickening pattern are not relevant to motor development.

Question 5

Within hours of being born, an infant displays a preference for his or her mother's _____ over that of a stranger.
A) touch
B) voice
C) heartbeat
D) car

Accepted Answer

Several studies have shown that newborns demonstrate a preference for their mother's voice over that of a stranger's within hours of birth. This suggests the importance of the mother's voice in establishing a strong bond between mother and child.

Question 6

Young Tommy can roll over and grasp his rattle, but is not yet able to sit up without support. In terms of physical development, if he is like most normal infants, then he is approximately:
A) 11.5 months old.
B) 14 months old.
C) 6 months old.
D) 4 months old.

Accepted Answer

At around 4 months old, most infants can roll over and grasp objects like a rattle, but they typically cannot sit up without support until they are a bit older.

Question 7

The newborn's senses are most keenly attuned to:
A) brightly colored objects, especially moving objects.
B) people, especially faces.
C) food, especially milk and cookies.
D) loud sounds, especially sounds that seem threatening.

Accepted Answer

Newborns are able to focus on faces and can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces. They are also sensitive to human voices and can differentiate their mother's voice from others. While newborns may be attracted to bright colors and may startle at loud sounds, their senses are most keenly attuned to people, especially faces. There is no evidence to suggest that newborns are specifically attuned to food, milk or cookies.

Question 8

Connor and Mandy are two unrelated 13-month-old infants. Connor can already walk easily, but Mandy has yet to take her first steps. What is the most likely explanation for the difference between their ability levels?
A) Connor is brighter than Mandy, since he is progressing through the stages of development more rapidly.
B) Mandy and Connor are both well within the normal age range for the development of these motor skills.
C) Connor's mother has taught him to walk, but Mandy's mother has not taught her to walk.
D) Mandy's inability to walk at 13 months is abnormal and may indicate the presence of other developmental problems.

Accepted Answer

Both infants are within the normal age range for the development of these motor skills, and it is not uncommon for infants to reach developmental milestones at different rates. Factors such as genetics, temperament, and opportunities for practice can also play a role in individual differences in developmental progress. There is no evidence to suggest that Connor is inherently smarter or that Mandy has other developmental problems. There is also no indication that either mother has actively taught or prevented their child from walking.

Question 9

Of the following senses, which is LEAST developed at birth?
A) vision
B) smell
C) touch
D) hearing

Accepted Answer

Vision is the least developed sense at birth because newborns have limited visual acuity and their eyes are still developing. Other senses like hearing, smell, and touch are more developed and functional at birth.

Question 10

If Claudia wishes to make sure that her newborn infant can see her face as clearly as possible, Claudia should position her face so that she is about _____ away from her newborn's face.
A) six to twelve inches
B) two to five inches
C) two to three feet
D) four to six feet

Accepted Answer

Newborn infants have limited visual acuity and can only focus on objects that are six to twelve inches away from their face. Therefore, Claudia should position her face within this distance to ensure that her infant can see her face clearly.

Question 11

Marcie is 9 months old. If she is like most normal infants her age in terms of physical development, she will be able to:
A) walk very well without help.
B) build a tower out of two or more building block cubes.
C) stand while holding on to a chair or some other support structure.
D) stand alone quite well and take a few steps before falling down.

Accepted Answer

Most infants at 9 months old can stand while holding on to a chair or some other support structure, but they are not yet able to stand alone or take steps without support. Walking and building towers out of blocks typically occur later in development.

Question 12

The basic sequence of motor skill development in infancy:
A) varies from one infant to another.
B) varies from one culture to another.
C) is generally the same for all infants.
D) cannot be reliably predicted.

Accepted Answer

The basic sequence of motor skill development in infancy is generally the same for all infants, although there may be variations in the timing and rate of development. The sequence typically begins with gross motor skills, such as rolling over and sitting up, followed by fine motor skills, such as reaching and grasping. This sequence is driven by both genetic and environmental factors, including the infant's maturation and exploration of their environment.

Question 13

The term _____ refers to the fact that physical and motor skill development in infants tends to follow a top-to-bottom sequence.
A) proximodistal trend
B) cephalocaudal pattern
C) temperamental trend
D) quickening pattern

Accepted Answer

The term "cephalocaudal pattern" refers to the fact that physical and motor skill development in infants follows a top-to-bottom sequence, with skills developing in the head and upper body before progressing to the lower body. This is in contrast to the "proximodistal trend," which refers to the fact that control of the torso and arms develop before control of the hands and fingers. "Temperamental trend" and "quickening pattern" are not relevant to this concept.

Question 14

Although Baby Emma was only a few hours old, she would turn her head to continue gazing at which type of moving stimulus?
A) a red ball
B) a black-and-white mobile
C) a human face
D) a green block

Accepted Answer

Infants are born with a natural preference for faces, so it is likely that Baby Emma would turn her head to continue gazing at a human face.

Question 15

Touching a newborn's lips evokes the _____ reflex.
A) grasping
B) sucking
C) rooting
D) stepping

Accepted Answer

Touching a newborn's lips evokes the sucking reflex, which is an instinctive response to help with feeding.

Question 16

The term proximodistal trend refers to the:
A) very distinct and consistent behavioral styles with which infants come into the world.
B) tendency of infants to develop motor control from the center of their bodies outward.
C) fact that physical and motor skill development in infants tends to follow a top-to-bottom sequence.
D) fact that each infant has his or her own timetable of physical maturation.

Accepted Answer

The term proximodistal trend refers to the pattern of infants developing motor control from the center of their bodies (proximal) outward (distal), such as learning to control their torso before their arms and hands.

Question 17

Between the ages of 5 and 8 months, infants are able to:
A) build a tower with two building block cubes.
B) sit up without support.
C) stand alone without holding on.
D) walk up steps.

Accepted Answer

Between the ages of 5 and 8 months, infants are typically able to sit up without support, but they are not yet able to build a tower, stand alone, or walk up steps.

Question 18

The newly born infant:
A) is capable of a variety of voluntary behaviors, including rolling over.
B) is able to see near objects more clearly than distant objects.
C) is unable to distinguish between different voices.
D) has no sense of smell.

Accepted Answer

The newly born infant is typically able to see near objects more clearly than distant objects. However, their visual acuity is still not fully developed and will continue to improve over the first few months of life.

Answer: C
 Although the newborn infant is able to hear, they are not initially able to distinguish between different voices. Over time, they will become more attuned to the voices of their caregivers, particularly their mother's voice.

Answer: D
 The newborn infant is able to use their sense of smell to help them locate their mother's breast for feeding. They are also able to distinguish between different scents, including the scent of their mother.

Question 19

The rooting, sucking, and grasping reflexes:
A) become stronger and more pronounced during the first six months of life.
B) gradually disappear over the first year of life and are replaced by voluntary behaviors.
C) disappear within the first month of life.
D) first appear at about three months of age.

Accepted Answer

The rooting, sucking, and grasping reflexes gradually disappear over the first year of life and are replaced by voluntary behaviors. These reflexes are present from birth but become less pronounced as the infant gains greater control over their movements and develops voluntary actions. By the end of the first year, the infant's behaviors are predominantly voluntary rather than reflexive.

Question 20

In terms of physical development, the basic sequence of motor development is universal:
A) but each infant has his or her own timetable of physical maturation and developmental readiness to master different skills.
B) and is reflected in the fact that during infancy the child's brain grows to only about 20 percent of its adult weight, but the child's body weight will reach 75 percent of its adult weight.
C) but because of maturational difference, some children can walk before they learn to crawl, and some can crawl months before they learn to roll over.
D) and there is little or no variability in the age at which children master each skill.

Accepted Answer

While there is a basic sequence of motor development, each infant will develop at their own pace and be ready to master different skills at different times. Some infants may also skip certain stages or develop skills in a different order.

Quiz 9: Lifespan Development

Ever since she was a few weeks old, Shelly has been an unusually contented baby who sleeps and eats well and adapts easily to new experiences. A developmental psychologist would probably describe Shelly's temperament as being:

The term cephalocaudal pattern refers to the:

Which of the following terms do psychologists use to describe an infant's inborn predisposition to consistently behave and react in a particular way?

The term _____ refers to the tendency of infants to develop motor control from the center of their bodies outward.

Within hours of being born, an infant displays a preference for his or her mother's _____ over that of a stranger.

Young Tommy can roll over and grasp his rattle, but is not yet able to sit up without support. In terms of physical development, if he is like most normal infants, then he is approximately:

The newborn's senses are most keenly attuned to:

Connor and Mandy are two unrelated 13-month-old infants. Connor can already walk easily, but Mandy has yet to take her first steps. What is the most likely explanation for the difference between their ability levels?

Of the following senses, which is LEAST developed at birth?

If Claudia wishes to make sure that her newborn infant can see her face as clearly as possible, Claudia should position her face so that she is about _____ away from her newborn's face.

Marcie is 9 months old. If she is like most normal infants her age in terms of physical development, she will be able to:

The basic sequence of motor skill development in infancy:

The term _____ refers to the fact that physical and motor skill development in infants tends to follow a top-to-bottom sequence.

Although Baby Emma was only a few hours old, she would turn her head to continue gazing at which type of moving stimulus?

Touching a newborn's lips evokes the _____ reflex.

The term proximodistal trend refers to the:

Between the ages of 5 and 8 months, infants are able to:

The newly born infant:

The rooting, sucking, and grasping reflexes:

In terms of physical development, the basic sequence of motor development is universal: