Question 1

Moral reasoning is defined as the aspect of cognitive development that has to do with how an individual reasons about moral decisions.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes the definition of moral reasoning.

Question 2

The beginning of dating coincides more strongly with an adolescent's degree of physical maturation than with cultural and social expectations and norms.

Accepted Answer

The beginning of dating is influenced by a combination of factors, including cultural and social expectations, norms, and individual physical maturation. Cultural and social contexts often play a significant role in determining when adolescents begin dating.

Question 3

Several studies have found that girls raised in homes in which the biological father is absent tend to experience puberty earlier than girls raised in homes with intact families.

Accepted Answer

Several studies have found a correlation between father absence and early puberty in girls. These findings suggest that growing up in a fatherless household may affect a girl's hormonal development, leading to earlier onset of puberty.

Question 4

According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the key psychosocial conflict confronting the adolescent is industry versus inferiority.

Accepted Answer

According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the key psychosocial conflict confronting the adolescent is identity versus role confusion. Industry versus inferiority is the conflict that occurs during the stage of middle childhood.

Question 5

Kyle is eight years old. When playing a game with his classmates, he believes that they should all obey the rules of the game so that it is fair for everyone. Kyle is in the preconventional stage of Kohlberg's moral development model.

Accepted Answer

In Kohlberg's preconventional stage, the individual's morality is based on avoiding punishment and seeking rewards. Kyle's belief that everyone should follow the rules is consistent with this stage.

Question 6

Between the ages of 15 and 20 there is a surge of cortical gray matter production as the adolescent brain reaches full maturity.

Accepted Answer

While there is increased activity and connectivity in the brain during adolescence, gray matter volume actually decreases during this time as the brain gets rid of unnecessary connections and strengthens important ones. The brain continues to develop and change throughout adulthood.

Question 7

According to psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, each stage of the lifespan is marked by a particular conflict that can be resolved in either a psychologically positive or negative way.

Accepted Answer

This is a core principle in Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Each stage is associated with a specific developmental task or challenge that an individual must navigate in order to progress to the next stage. Erikson believed that the way in which people handle these challenges can have a significant impact on their psychological well-being and overall development.

Question 8

The brain maturation that takes place during adolescence is largely the result of a sharp increase in the number of new neurons, which continues until early adulthood.

Accepted Answer

While certain areas of the brain continue to develop and mature during adolescence and early adulthood, the number of new neurons being produced decreases significantly after infancy. Instead, the brain undergoes synaptic pruning and myelination, processes that allow for more efficient neural communication.

Question 9

Lawrence Kohlberg proposed that the development of moral reasoning involves distinct stages that unfold in an age-related, step-by-step fashion.

Accepted Answer

Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development proposed that individuals progress through six stages of moral reasoning in a hierarchical sequence, with each stage representing a more advanced level of moral reasoning. These stages are believed to unfold in an age-related, step-by-step fashion, with individuals generally progressing to higher stages as they mature cognitively and emotionally.

Question 10

Early maturation can be advantageous for boys, but it is also associated with risks, such as being more prone to feelings of depression, problems in school, and engaging in drug or alcohol use.

Accepted Answer

Early maturation in boys is associated with both advantages and risks, including increased risk of depression, problems in school, and engagement in drug or alcohol use.

Question 11

By the age of 15, about 50 percent of adolescents in the United States report having had a "special romantic relationship."

Accepted Answer

According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, approximately 50 percent of teenagers in the United States had been involved in a romantic relationship by the age of 15.

Question 12

Early maturation tends to produce a variety of psychological and health advantages for girls.

Accepted Answer

Early maturation can actually lead to a range of challenges and negative outcomes, including increased risk for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance abuse, as well as social and emotional difficulties related to being out of step with same-age peers.

Question 13

According to Kohlberg's theory of moral development, there are three levels of moral reasoning, and each level has two stages that represent different degrees of sophistication in moral reasoning.

Accepted Answer

Kohlberg's theory of moral development proposes three levels of moral reasoning, each of which consists of two stages.

Question 14

The three distinct levels of moral reasoning that Kohlberg proposed are preconventional, conventional, and postconventional.

Accepted Answer

This is a correct statement. Kohlberg proposed three levels of moral reasoning – preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. Each level is characterized by different stages of moral development that individuals go through as they mature.

Question 15

According to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, adolescents can achieve an integrated, stable, and relatively permanent sense of personal identity during the identity versus role confusion stage.

Accepted Answer

Erikson's theory asserts that adolescents must resolve the identity versus role confusion conflict to attain a stable and long-lasting sense of identity. This assimilation process involves exploring various roles, values, and beliefs, which results in a sense of self that is consistent with one's experiences and goals. As a result, it is theoretically feasible for individuals to attain a stable and long-lasting sense of personal identity during the identity versus role confusion stage.

Question 16

Peer relationships during adolescence tend to reinforce the traits and goals that parents fostered during childhood.

Accepted Answer

Peer relationships during adolescence tend to reinforce the traits and goals that parents fostered during childhood because adolescents spend more time with their peers than with their parents and are more influenced by their peers' values and behaviors.

Question 17

Stressful family environments can activate some of the same hormones that are involved in activating puberty, leading to earlier maturation in some adolescents.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that stressful family environments can lead to earlier onset of puberty in some adolescents, potentially due to the activation of hormones such as cortisol, which can affect the regulation of other hormones involved in puberty.

Question 18

According to Erik Erikson, intimacy versus isolation is a key psychosocial task that must be resolved during adolescence.

Accepted Answer

Intimacy versus isolation is a key psychosocial task in young adulthood, not adolescence, according to Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development.

Question 19

Lawrence Kohlberg is best known for his research with infants, showing that they develop event-specific expectations rather than general principles and that object permanence emerges at an earlier age than believed.

Accepted Answer

Lawrence Kohlberg is actually best known for his research on moral development, specifically his theory of stages of moral development.

Question 20

Susceptibility to peer influence peaks during early adolescence.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that susceptibility to peer influence peaks during early adolescence, particularly between ages 12 and 14. This is due to a number of factors, including changes in brain development, increased importance of peer relationships, and a desire to fit in with peers. However, it is important to note that peer influence continues to play a role throughout adolescence and into adulthood.

Quiz 9: Lifespan Development