PSYCH 301 EXAM 1 TEST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Sierra is a graduate student in developmental psychology working on a project to
determine whether a certain type of therapy is effective in minimizing externalizing
symptoms (ex. problems in self-control) in children diagnosed with attention deficit
hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder. Her work focuses primarily on which goal of
developmental psychology?
a. explanation
b. optimization
c. quantification
d. description - Answers - b. optimization
Which theory suggests humans are active in their development and all humans go
through several stages across the lifespan focused on resolving psychosocial conflicts?
a. Freud's Psychosexual Theory
b. Erikson's Psychosocial Theory
c. Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning Theory
d. Piaget's Constructivism Theory - Answers - b. Erikson's Psychosocial Theory
Samuel finds a correlation of -.75 between time spent on Facebook and GPA. This
would mean that
a. increases in Facebook usage cause lower GPA
b. the more time one spends on Facebook, the lower his or GPA is likely to be
c. Facebook usage determines whether someone will graduate
d. the more time one spent on Facebook, the higher his or her GPA is likely to be -
Answers - b. the more time one spends on Facebook, the lower his or her GPA is likely
to be
What do the theories of Freud, Erikson, Piaget have in common in regard to
development?
a. They take a stage approach
b. They stress the role of situation-specific factors
c. They focus on cognitive factors
d. They describe growth as quantitative - Answers - a. They take a stage approach
Which best demonstrates the con pet of brain plasticity?
a. The left cerebral hemisphere controls the right side of the body
b. Rats raised in enriched environments develop larger, better functioning brains
c. Growth occurs in a head-to-tail direction
d. Infants are born with reflexes that have a clear adaptive value - Answers - b. Rats
raised in enriched environments develop larger, better functioning brains
Which group of adolescents would likely have the LEAST difficulties adjusting to the
changes of puberty?
a. late-maturing boys and late-maturing girls
b. late-maturing boys and early-maturing girls
, c. early-maturing boys and early-maturing girls
d. early-maturing boys and late-maturing girls - Answers - d. early-maturing boys and
late-maturing girls
Leslie's theory of language suggests that development in language should be described
in terms of small quantitative changes that occur every single day, rather than changes
in quality between different age groups. What viewpoint on human development is
Leslie's theory most in line with?
a. humans are passive participants in their language development
b. language developmental changes are continuous in nature
c. language developmental changes are discontinuous in nature
d. language development is universal across all individuals - Answers - b. language
developmental changes are continuous in nature
Which period of physical development is typically described as "slow and steady" with
individuals gaining 2-3 inches and 5-6 pounds every year?
a. infancy
b. childhood
c. adolescence
d. older adulthood - Answers - c. adolescence
What is the purpose of institutional review boards (IRB)?
a. Determine if research on humans conforms to ethical standards
b. Review submitted manuscripts for possible publication
c. Evaluate research designs for flaws in scientific period
d. Protect the rights of institutional employees - Answers - a. Determine if research on
humans conforms to ethical standards
Even though Tim and Paul were identical twins who attended the same schools, they
always had different teachers. This difference (ex. the different teachers) represents a
___________.
a. shared environmental influence
b. non shared genetic influence
c. non shared environmental influence
d. fraternal environmental influence - Answers - c. non shared environmental influence
What is the leading cause of death throughout childhood?
a. infection
b. accidents
c. cancer
d. genetic anomalies - Answers - b. accidents
Which of the following BEST defines development?
a. Mental gains and losses over time
b. Gains over time
c. Systematic changes and continuities in the individual over time
Sierra is a graduate student in developmental psychology working on a project to
determine whether a certain type of therapy is effective in minimizing externalizing
symptoms (ex. problems in self-control) in children diagnosed with attention deficit
hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder. Her work focuses primarily on which goal of
developmental psychology?
a. explanation
b. optimization
c. quantification
d. description - Answers - b. optimization
Which theory suggests humans are active in their development and all humans go
through several stages across the lifespan focused on resolving psychosocial conflicts?
a. Freud's Psychosexual Theory
b. Erikson's Psychosocial Theory
c. Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning Theory
d. Piaget's Constructivism Theory - Answers - b. Erikson's Psychosocial Theory
Samuel finds a correlation of -.75 between time spent on Facebook and GPA. This
would mean that
a. increases in Facebook usage cause lower GPA
b. the more time one spends on Facebook, the lower his or GPA is likely to be
c. Facebook usage determines whether someone will graduate
d. the more time one spent on Facebook, the higher his or her GPA is likely to be -
Answers - b. the more time one spends on Facebook, the lower his or her GPA is likely
to be
What do the theories of Freud, Erikson, Piaget have in common in regard to
development?
a. They take a stage approach
b. They stress the role of situation-specific factors
c. They focus on cognitive factors
d. They describe growth as quantitative - Answers - a. They take a stage approach
Which best demonstrates the con pet of brain plasticity?
a. The left cerebral hemisphere controls the right side of the body
b. Rats raised in enriched environments develop larger, better functioning brains
c. Growth occurs in a head-to-tail direction
d. Infants are born with reflexes that have a clear adaptive value - Answers - b. Rats
raised in enriched environments develop larger, better functioning brains
Which group of adolescents would likely have the LEAST difficulties adjusting to the
changes of puberty?
a. late-maturing boys and late-maturing girls
b. late-maturing boys and early-maturing girls
, c. early-maturing boys and early-maturing girls
d. early-maturing boys and late-maturing girls - Answers - d. early-maturing boys and
late-maturing girls
Leslie's theory of language suggests that development in language should be described
in terms of small quantitative changes that occur every single day, rather than changes
in quality between different age groups. What viewpoint on human development is
Leslie's theory most in line with?
a. humans are passive participants in their language development
b. language developmental changes are continuous in nature
c. language developmental changes are discontinuous in nature
d. language development is universal across all individuals - Answers - b. language
developmental changes are continuous in nature
Which period of physical development is typically described as "slow and steady" with
individuals gaining 2-3 inches and 5-6 pounds every year?
a. infancy
b. childhood
c. adolescence
d. older adulthood - Answers - c. adolescence
What is the purpose of institutional review boards (IRB)?
a. Determine if research on humans conforms to ethical standards
b. Review submitted manuscripts for possible publication
c. Evaluate research designs for flaws in scientific period
d. Protect the rights of institutional employees - Answers - a. Determine if research on
humans conforms to ethical standards
Even though Tim and Paul were identical twins who attended the same schools, they
always had different teachers. This difference (ex. the different teachers) represents a
___________.
a. shared environmental influence
b. non shared genetic influence
c. non shared environmental influence
d. fraternal environmental influence - Answers - c. non shared environmental influence
What is the leading cause of death throughout childhood?
a. infection
b. accidents
c. cancer
d. genetic anomalies - Answers - b. accidents
Which of the following BEST defines development?
a. Mental gains and losses over time
b. Gains over time
c. Systematic changes and continuities in the individual over time
