Exam Questions with Correct Answers
Which of the following assertions regarding lifespan development can be attributed to
both G. Stanley Hall and Charles Darwin? - ANSWERSThe milestones of childhood are
similar to those in the development of the human species.
Periods of development describe which aspect of developmental theories? -
ANSWERSAge-related changes
"Mom, he's looking at me! Make him stop!" These remarks imply that the act of being
looked at is offensive to this child. Mom, on the other hand, doesn't see the problem.
This example illustrates - ANSWERSinternal models of experience.
Which research design is intended to avoid the shortcomings of both cross-sectional
and longitudinal designs by combining features of both? - ANSWERSSequential design.
A researcher wants to compare developing human fetuses that have already been
exposed naturally to radiation, to fetuses that have not been exposed. Which type of
research would be best suited for this? - ANSWERSQuasi-experimentation
Roberta married for the first time at age 39, and at age 40 she became pregnant for the
first time. She is now considering starting college to become a computer systems
engineer. When Roberta laughingly tells her friends, "I have never done anything when I
was supposed to!" what is she referring to? - ANSWERSHer social clock
An experiment is designed to study the effects of long lectures on the sleeping behavior
of college students. In such a study, the dependent variable is - ANSWERSthe sleeping
behavior of college students.
Participants in research projects must be told of any harmful effects or possible risks
associated with the research in advance of their participation. What is this ethical
responsibility called? - ANSWERSInformation consent
Who argued that children are born with a mind that is a blank slate? - ANSWERSJohn
Locke
Which of these factors are central to the nature-nurture debate? - ANSWERSBiological
processes and experiential factors
Qualitative is to quantitative as - ANSWERSdiscontinuous is to continuous.
,Researchers have to explore many types of information to address their questions of
interest. Which of the following concepts emphasizes this approach to studying lifespan
development? - ANSWERSInterdisciplinary research
The three broad categories that are used to classify changes over the lifespan are
called - ANSWERSdomains of development.
Which of the following terms best describes a change in amount? -
ANSWERSQuantitative change
Adults in London, England, who were teenagers living there during the bombings of
World War II, report that their lives were changed by those events. This example
illustrates which of the following? - ANSWERSNormative history-graded changes
How does observation in the laboratory differ from naturalistic observation? -
ANSWERSThe researcher in a laboratory setting has some level of control over the
variables that might influence the participants' behavior.
What term is used to describe standardized tests that compare an individual child's
score to the average score of other children her or his age? - ANSWERSNorm-
referenced tests
Which is an example of naturalistic observation? - ANSWERSResearchers interested in
children's gender-related interactions videotape children while they are playing during
recess and while they are engaged in cooperative learning assignments in their
classrooms.
When does middle childhood occur? - ANSWERSAfter a child enters school.
Which of the following statements represents a hypothesis about human development?
- ANSWERSIf breast milk is a superior supplement for infant brain development,
children who were breastfed as infants should perform better on psychological tests
than children who were not breastfed.
Which of the following is an example of a longitudinal research design? - ANSWERSDr.
Cisneros initially studied a group of recently divorced 35-year-olds to evaluate their
communication skills, and continued to study their interpersonal relationships for the
subsequent 20 years.
Dr. Sardonicus believes that humans possess no inborn abilities and that parents can
mold their children into whatever they want them to be. Which doctrine would best
describe Dr. Sardonicus' views? - ANSWERSEmpiricism
Which of the following is the best example of an "off-time" event that could have
negative effects upon an individual's development? - ANSWERSThe death of one's
spouse at the age of 30
, Which of the following is an example of a cross-sectional research design? -
ANSWERSDr. Huang assessed the eye-hand coordination of the second, fourth, and
sixth graders at Ronnie Dawson Elementary School in September 2006.
Which aspect of human development describes changes in thinking, memory, problem
solving, and other intellectual skills? - ANSWERSCognitive domain
Reggie is taking part in a survey that asks about attitudes toward the physical
punishment of children. Even though Reggie believes that spanking is sometimes
necessary, he answers that he is opposed to any sort of physical punishment. Which of
the following terms best describes why Reggie answered the way he did? -
ANSWERSSocial desirability
During which of Piaget's stages does the child learn to manipulate ideas, concrete
objects, or events, as well as to use abstract ideas and hypothetical situations in solving
problems? - ANSWERSFormal operational
Freud is to psychosexual as Erikson is to - ANSWERSPsychosocial
Which of the following is an example of extinction? - ANSWERSYou stop buying lottery
tickets after spending several hundred dollars and never winning.
Which factor is generally considered to be an essential aspect of an infant's first
psychosocial task? - ANSWERSLearning to trust a primary caregiver and one's own
ability to make things happen
Which of the following describes the process of accommodation? - ANSWERSChanging
an existing scheme as a result of new information or experiences.
Erikson's developmental theory is called "psychosocial" because it involves the
interaction of __________ and __________. - ANSWERSinternal drives; cultural
demands
Which of the following is LEAST likely to influence IQ? - ANSWERSThe type of
television shows a child watches
Before information can be stored in long-term memory, in which of the following memory
systems is the information processed? - ANSWERSShort-term memory
Two-year-old Marjoe pointed to a cow in a pasture and said "Doggie!" Which Piagetian
principle is Marjoe using to name the animal? - ANSWERSAssimilation
If you are training a child to produce a reflexive response following a nonreflexive
stimulus, which method of learning are you employing? - ANSWERSClassical
conditioning