PSYC 140 DEVELOPMENTAL LIFESPAN PSYCHOLOGY FINAL EXAM – QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED ANSWERS | PLUS RATIONALES
| DOWNLOAD AND PASS | LATEST EXAM UPDATE 2026/2027
Core Domains of Assessment:
Prenatal Development and Infancy
Early Childhood Development
Middle Childhood and Adolescence
Adulthood and Aging
Cognitive and Moral Development Theories
Socioemotional Development and Attachment
Developmental Psychopathology and Resilience
Family, Peer, and Cultural Influences
Death, Dying, and Grief
Introduction
This comprehensive final examination is designed to rigorously assess your mastery
of key concepts, theories, and research findings in developmental lifespan
psychology. The exam is structured to evaluate not only your foundational
knowledge of developmental milestones and theoretical frameworks but also your
ability to apply this knowledge to complex, real-world scenarios and professional
decision-making. Through a series of multiple-choice questions and applied
scenarios, you will be challenged to synthesize information, think critically about
developmental processes across the entire lifespan, and consider the ethical and
practical implications of developmental psychology in various professional contexts.
Success on this exam demonstrates a robust and integrated understanding of
human development from conception to death.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1-100
,1. A researcher is studying the impact of a teratogen on a developing fetus. At
which stage of prenatal development is the fetus MOST vulnerable to major
structural abnormalities?
A. Germinal stage
B. Embryonic stage
C. Fetal stage
D. Placental stage
🟢 B. Embryonic stage
🔴 Explanation: The embryonic stage (weeks 3-8) is the period of organogenesis,
where the major organs and structures are forming. This makes it the most
vulnerable period to teratogens, which can cause significant structural defects.
2. According to Piaget, a child who understands that the amount of liquid
remains the same even when poured into a different-shaped container has
acquired the concept of:
A. Object permanence
B. Egocentrism
C. Conservation
D. Reversibility
🟢 C. Conservation
🔴 Explanation: Conservation is the understanding that certain properties of an
object (like mass, volume, or number) remain the same despite changes in the
object's form or appearance. This is a key milestone of the concrete operational
stage.
3. A 16-year-old is trying to decide on a career path, exploring various options
without making a firm commitment. According to James Marcia, this
adolescent is in which identity status?
A. Identity Diffusion
B. Identity Foreclosure
C. Identity Moratorium
,D. Identity Achievement
🟢 C. Identity Moratorium
🔴 Explanation: Identity moratorium is the status of active exploration of different
roles and possibilities without having made a commitment. This is common and
healthy for adolescents.
4. Which of the following is a primary characteristic of the "strange situation"
procedure used to assess attachment in infants?
A. Measuring heart rate in response to a stranger
B. Observing the infant's reaction to the caregiver's departure and return
C. Assessing the infant's ability to solve a puzzle
D. Evaluating the infant's verbal response to a stranger
🟢 B. Observing the infant's reaction to the caregiver's departure and return
🔴 Explanation: The "strange situation" is a structured observational procedure
that involves a series of separations and reunions with the caregiver and a
stranger. The infant's behavior during the reunion is the key indicator of
attachment style.
5. Erikson's psychosocial crisis for young adulthood is:
A. Generativity vs. Stagnation
B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
C. Intimacy vs. Isolation
D. Industry vs. Inferiority
🟢 C. Intimacy vs. Isolation
🔴 Explanation: Erikson's theory posits that the central conflict in young
adulthood (roughly ages 20-40) is between forming intimate, loving relationships
with others (Intimacy) and feeling isolated and alone.
6. The concept of a "sensitive period" in development refers to a time when:
A. An individual is most susceptible to developing a psychological disorder
B. An organism is especially responsive to a particular type of environmental input
C. A person is most likely to conform to peer pressure
, D. Cognitive abilities are at their peak for learning new languages
🟢 B. An organism is especially responsive to a particular type of environmental
input
🔴 Explanation: A sensitive period is a window of time during development when
an organism is particularly receptive to certain stimuli or experiences. The
development is optimal if the experience occurs during this time but is not
impossible if it occurs later.
7. A therapist uses a behavioral approach to help a child overcome a fear of
dogs by gradually exposing the child to a dog while in a relaxed state. This
technique is known as:
A. Aversive conditioning
B. Flooding
C. Systematic desensitization
D. Token economy
🟢 C. Systematic desensitization
🔴 Explanation: Systematic desensitization is a behavioral therapy that combines
relaxation techniques with gradual exposure to an anxiety-provoking stimulus.
The goal is to replace the fear response with a relaxation response.
8. A child who is 2 years old is likely to be in which of Piaget's stages of
cognitive development?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Preoperational
C. Concrete operational
D. Formal operational
🟢 B. Preoperational
🔴 Explanation: Piaget's preoperational stage spans approximately ages 2 to 7. It
is characterized by the use of symbols, language, and pretend play, but thinking is
still egocentric and lacks the logic of later stages.
AND ANSWERS | VERIFIED AND WELL DETAILED ANSWERS | PLUS RATIONALES
| DOWNLOAD AND PASS | LATEST EXAM UPDATE 2026/2027
Core Domains of Assessment:
Prenatal Development and Infancy
Early Childhood Development
Middle Childhood and Adolescence
Adulthood and Aging
Cognitive and Moral Development Theories
Socioemotional Development and Attachment
Developmental Psychopathology and Resilience
Family, Peer, and Cultural Influences
Death, Dying, and Grief
Introduction
This comprehensive final examination is designed to rigorously assess your mastery
of key concepts, theories, and research findings in developmental lifespan
psychology. The exam is structured to evaluate not only your foundational
knowledge of developmental milestones and theoretical frameworks but also your
ability to apply this knowledge to complex, real-world scenarios and professional
decision-making. Through a series of multiple-choice questions and applied
scenarios, you will be challenged to synthesize information, think critically about
developmental processes across the entire lifespan, and consider the ethical and
practical implications of developmental psychology in various professional contexts.
Success on this exam demonstrates a robust and integrated understanding of
human development from conception to death.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1-100
,1. A researcher is studying the impact of a teratogen on a developing fetus. At
which stage of prenatal development is the fetus MOST vulnerable to major
structural abnormalities?
A. Germinal stage
B. Embryonic stage
C. Fetal stage
D. Placental stage
🟢 B. Embryonic stage
🔴 Explanation: The embryonic stage (weeks 3-8) is the period of organogenesis,
where the major organs and structures are forming. This makes it the most
vulnerable period to teratogens, which can cause significant structural defects.
2. According to Piaget, a child who understands that the amount of liquid
remains the same even when poured into a different-shaped container has
acquired the concept of:
A. Object permanence
B. Egocentrism
C. Conservation
D. Reversibility
🟢 C. Conservation
🔴 Explanation: Conservation is the understanding that certain properties of an
object (like mass, volume, or number) remain the same despite changes in the
object's form or appearance. This is a key milestone of the concrete operational
stage.
3. A 16-year-old is trying to decide on a career path, exploring various options
without making a firm commitment. According to James Marcia, this
adolescent is in which identity status?
A. Identity Diffusion
B. Identity Foreclosure
C. Identity Moratorium
,D. Identity Achievement
🟢 C. Identity Moratorium
🔴 Explanation: Identity moratorium is the status of active exploration of different
roles and possibilities without having made a commitment. This is common and
healthy for adolescents.
4. Which of the following is a primary characteristic of the "strange situation"
procedure used to assess attachment in infants?
A. Measuring heart rate in response to a stranger
B. Observing the infant's reaction to the caregiver's departure and return
C. Assessing the infant's ability to solve a puzzle
D. Evaluating the infant's verbal response to a stranger
🟢 B. Observing the infant's reaction to the caregiver's departure and return
🔴 Explanation: The "strange situation" is a structured observational procedure
that involves a series of separations and reunions with the caregiver and a
stranger. The infant's behavior during the reunion is the key indicator of
attachment style.
5. Erikson's psychosocial crisis for young adulthood is:
A. Generativity vs. Stagnation
B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
C. Intimacy vs. Isolation
D. Industry vs. Inferiority
🟢 C. Intimacy vs. Isolation
🔴 Explanation: Erikson's theory posits that the central conflict in young
adulthood (roughly ages 20-40) is between forming intimate, loving relationships
with others (Intimacy) and feeling isolated and alone.
6. The concept of a "sensitive period" in development refers to a time when:
A. An individual is most susceptible to developing a psychological disorder
B. An organism is especially responsive to a particular type of environmental input
C. A person is most likely to conform to peer pressure
, D. Cognitive abilities are at their peak for learning new languages
🟢 B. An organism is especially responsive to a particular type of environmental
input
🔴 Explanation: A sensitive period is a window of time during development when
an organism is particularly receptive to certain stimuli or experiences. The
development is optimal if the experience occurs during this time but is not
impossible if it occurs later.
7. A therapist uses a behavioral approach to help a child overcome a fear of
dogs by gradually exposing the child to a dog while in a relaxed state. This
technique is known as:
A. Aversive conditioning
B. Flooding
C. Systematic desensitization
D. Token economy
🟢 C. Systematic desensitization
🔴 Explanation: Systematic desensitization is a behavioral therapy that combines
relaxation techniques with gradual exposure to an anxiety-provoking stimulus.
The goal is to replace the fear response with a relaxation response.
8. A child who is 2 years old is likely to be in which of Piaget's stages of
cognitive development?
A. Sensorimotor
B. Preoperational
C. Concrete operational
D. Formal operational
🟢 B. Preoperational
🔴 Explanation: Piaget's preoperational stage spans approximately ages 2 to 7. It
is characterized by the use of symbols, language, and pretend play, but thinking is
still egocentric and lacks the logic of later stages.
