Developmental Psychology – Comprehensive
Study Guide & Practice Exam
EXAM OVERVIEW
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why human
beings change over the course of their life. Originally concerned with
children, the field now encompasses the entire lifespan—from conception
through old age—addressing physical, cognitive, social, and emotional
changes .
Key Areas of Study
• Physical development: Growth, motor skills, brain changes, aging
• Cognitive development: Thinking, learning, memory, language,
problem-solving
• Social & emotional development: Attachment, personality, identity,
relationships
SECTION 1: Research Methods & Design
Q1. A researcher wants to study how children's problem-solving
strategies change between ages 5 and 15. She recruits 100 children of
different ages and tests each child once on the same tasks. This design
is best described as:
• A) Longitudinal design
• B) Cross-sectional design
• C) Sequential design
• D) Experimental design
Answer: B – Cross-sectional research compares individuals of different
ages at one point in time. This is efficient but cannot distinguish age effects
from cohort effects .
,Q2. A researcher follows the same group of children from age 5 to age
15, testing them every two years. This is an example of:
• A) Cross-sectional design
• B) Longitudinal design
• C) Sequential design
• D) Correlational design
Answer: B – Longitudinal designs track the same individuals over time,
providing data on developmental change. However, they are time-
consuming and expensive .
Q3. Which of the following best illustrates the continuity vs.
discontinuity debate in development?
• A) Whether intelligence is determined by genes or environment
• B) Whether cognitive development occurs gradually or in distinct
qualitative stages
• C) Whether personality remains stable from childhood to adulthood
• D) Whether language must be acquired before a critical period ends
Answer: B – This debate addresses whether development is a smooth,
cumulative process (continuity) or a series of distinct stages (discontinuity).
Piaget argued for discontinuous, stage-like cognitive development .
Q4. A researcher who uses a variety of techniques to learn as much as
possible about a single individual (e.g., a child who survived a
traumatic event) is using which research method?
• A) Experiment
• B) Survey
• C) Case study
, • D) Correlational study
Answer: C – Case studies provide in-depth information about one person
or a small group. They are useful for studying rare phenomena but have
limited generalizability .
Q5. What is the independent variable in the following study? "The more
prolonged the level of stress, the weaker the immune system."
• A) The strength of the immune system
• B) The duration of stress
• C) The level of stress
• D) The person whose stress is measured
Answer: A – The independent variable is the one manipulated or
categorized by the researcher—in this case, the duration of stress. The
dependent variable is the outcome measured—the strength of the immune
system .
Q6. A dog learns to sit in order to get a treat. This best illustrates:
• A) Classical conditioning
• B) Operant conditioning
• C) Social learning theory
• D) Trial-and-error learning
Answer: B – Operant conditioning involves learning through consequences.
The treat (reinforcement) increases the likelihood of the behavior (sitting) .
Q7. A dog is shocked at the time a bell rings. Eventually, the dog begins
to jump in fear at the sound of a bell. What is the unconditioned
response?
• A) The sound of the bell
, • B) The jumping when a bell is sounded
• C) Jumping to the shock
• D) The administration of the shock
Answer: C – The unconditioned response is the natural, unlearned reaction
(jumping) to the unconditioned stimulus (shock). Jumping to the bell is the
conditioned response .
Q8. Which level of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory is most
closely associated with the "cohort effect"?
• A) Microsystem
• B) Mesosystem
• C) Exosystem
• D) Chronosystem
Answer: D – The chronosystem involves the dimension of time, including
historical events and life transitions. The cohort effect—the influence of
being born in a particular time—is a chronosystem factor .
Q9. A researcher uses a variety of techniques to learn about Mr. Jordan,
who had to relocate after losing everything in a hurricane. This is which
research method?
• A) Experiment
• B) Survey
• C) Case study
• D) Cross-sectional study
Answer: C – Case studies explore individuals or groups in depth, often
using multiple sources of data .
Study Guide & Practice Exam
EXAM OVERVIEW
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why human
beings change over the course of their life. Originally concerned with
children, the field now encompasses the entire lifespan—from conception
through old age—addressing physical, cognitive, social, and emotional
changes .
Key Areas of Study
• Physical development: Growth, motor skills, brain changes, aging
• Cognitive development: Thinking, learning, memory, language,
problem-solving
• Social & emotional development: Attachment, personality, identity,
relationships
SECTION 1: Research Methods & Design
Q1. A researcher wants to study how children's problem-solving
strategies change between ages 5 and 15. She recruits 100 children of
different ages and tests each child once on the same tasks. This design
is best described as:
• A) Longitudinal design
• B) Cross-sectional design
• C) Sequential design
• D) Experimental design
Answer: B – Cross-sectional research compares individuals of different
ages at one point in time. This is efficient but cannot distinguish age effects
from cohort effects .
,Q2. A researcher follows the same group of children from age 5 to age
15, testing them every two years. This is an example of:
• A) Cross-sectional design
• B) Longitudinal design
• C) Sequential design
• D) Correlational design
Answer: B – Longitudinal designs track the same individuals over time,
providing data on developmental change. However, they are time-
consuming and expensive .
Q3. Which of the following best illustrates the continuity vs.
discontinuity debate in development?
• A) Whether intelligence is determined by genes or environment
• B) Whether cognitive development occurs gradually or in distinct
qualitative stages
• C) Whether personality remains stable from childhood to adulthood
• D) Whether language must be acquired before a critical period ends
Answer: B – This debate addresses whether development is a smooth,
cumulative process (continuity) or a series of distinct stages (discontinuity).
Piaget argued for discontinuous, stage-like cognitive development .
Q4. A researcher who uses a variety of techniques to learn as much as
possible about a single individual (e.g., a child who survived a
traumatic event) is using which research method?
• A) Experiment
• B) Survey
• C) Case study
, • D) Correlational study
Answer: C – Case studies provide in-depth information about one person
or a small group. They are useful for studying rare phenomena but have
limited generalizability .
Q5. What is the independent variable in the following study? "The more
prolonged the level of stress, the weaker the immune system."
• A) The strength of the immune system
• B) The duration of stress
• C) The level of stress
• D) The person whose stress is measured
Answer: A – The independent variable is the one manipulated or
categorized by the researcher—in this case, the duration of stress. The
dependent variable is the outcome measured—the strength of the immune
system .
Q6. A dog learns to sit in order to get a treat. This best illustrates:
• A) Classical conditioning
• B) Operant conditioning
• C) Social learning theory
• D) Trial-and-error learning
Answer: B – Operant conditioning involves learning through consequences.
The treat (reinforcement) increases the likelihood of the behavior (sitting) .
Q7. A dog is shocked at the time a bell rings. Eventually, the dog begins
to jump in fear at the sound of a bell. What is the unconditioned
response?
• A) The sound of the bell
, • B) The jumping when a bell is sounded
• C) Jumping to the shock
• D) The administration of the shock
Answer: C – The unconditioned response is the natural, unlearned reaction
(jumping) to the unconditioned stimulus (shock). Jumping to the bell is the
conditioned response .
Q8. Which level of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory is most
closely associated with the "cohort effect"?
• A) Microsystem
• B) Mesosystem
• C) Exosystem
• D) Chronosystem
Answer: D – The chronosystem involves the dimension of time, including
historical events and life transitions. The cohort effect—the influence of
being born in a particular time—is a chronosystem factor .
Q9. A researcher uses a variety of techniques to learn about Mr. Jordan,
who had to relocate after losing everything in a hurricane. This is which
research method?
• A) Experiment
• B) Survey
• C) Case study
• D) Cross-sectional study
Answer: C – Case studies explore individuals or groups in depth, often
using multiple sources of data .
