Child Psychology Exam 2026 Questions
and Answers
Teratogens - Correct answer--Any environment influence that can cause prenatal
damage
-Risk factors for outcomes, they do not guarantee an outcome
Risk Factor - Correct answer--A factor that increases the probability of a negative
outcome
-Does not predict the outcome 100%, merely puts the fetus at increased risk for
problems
Why is the fetus so susceptible to teratogens? - Correct answer--Undergoing rapid
physiologic development
-Rapid cell division, migration, and differentiation
-Changing metabolic activity
-Changes in the hormonal system
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,Why is predicting outcomes of teratogens difficult? - Correct answer--
Susceptibility depends on developmental stage at the time of exposure
-Teratogens are likely to affect a specific organ
-Individuals vary in their susceptibility to teratogens
-Susceptibility depends on mother's physiological state
-The greater concentration of the teratogen the greater the risk
-Some teratogens have minimal effect on mother, but major effect on the fetus
Categorizing Teratogens - Correct answer--Substances ingested or inhaled by
mother/father prior to conception
-Diseases in mother
-Stress in mother/father
-Excessive exercise, malnutrition, and eating disorders
-Age of the mother
-Radiation
-Poverty
Birth Defects - Correct answer--Structural abnormality present at birth
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,-Leading cause of infant deaths
-Influenced 20% by genetics, 10% by environment, and 70% unknown
-12,000 newborns are born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) each year
Child Psychology - Correct answer--A field of study devoted to understanding all
aspects of human growth from conception through adolescence
-Physical/cognitive/emotional/social
Why is it important to study child psychology? - Correct answer--Basic research
interest ~ understanding childhood
-Applied interest (teaching)
-Seeing early detection of deviant development
Nature - Correct answer--Genetic makeup
-Influence occurs before we are born
Nurture - Correct answer--Environmental experiences
-Influence occurs before and after birth
How can we study influence of nature and nurture? - Correct answer--Adoption
studies ~ compare similarity of children to adoptive vs. biological parents
-Twin studies ~ compare similarity of identical vs. fraternal twins
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, Bringing up Monkey video findings - Correct answer--Nervous/reactive monkeys
go to foster moms who are relaxed and they become more bold, but once mother is
taken away, baby is nervous again
-Conclusion: both genetics and environment matter, but disagreement continues
about the importance of each
Passive Development - Correct answer--Child is shaped by external forces
-Example: girls prefer dolls because that's what they are given or a dad puts his son
in football because he played all his life
Active Development - Correct answer--Child directs/shapes/controls own
development
-Example: kids choose their own toys and after school activities
Some of the most important contributions during children's first years are: -
Correct answer--Attentional patterns
-Use of language
-Emotions
-Play
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and Answers
Teratogens - Correct answer--Any environment influence that can cause prenatal
damage
-Risk factors for outcomes, they do not guarantee an outcome
Risk Factor - Correct answer--A factor that increases the probability of a negative
outcome
-Does not predict the outcome 100%, merely puts the fetus at increased risk for
problems
Why is the fetus so susceptible to teratogens? - Correct answer--Undergoing rapid
physiologic development
-Rapid cell division, migration, and differentiation
-Changing metabolic activity
-Changes in the hormonal system
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Why is predicting outcomes of teratogens difficult? - Correct answer--
Susceptibility depends on developmental stage at the time of exposure
-Teratogens are likely to affect a specific organ
-Individuals vary in their susceptibility to teratogens
-Susceptibility depends on mother's physiological state
-The greater concentration of the teratogen the greater the risk
-Some teratogens have minimal effect on mother, but major effect on the fetus
Categorizing Teratogens - Correct answer--Substances ingested or inhaled by
mother/father prior to conception
-Diseases in mother
-Stress in mother/father
-Excessive exercise, malnutrition, and eating disorders
-Age of the mother
-Radiation
-Poverty
Birth Defects - Correct answer--Structural abnormality present at birth
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,-Leading cause of infant deaths
-Influenced 20% by genetics, 10% by environment, and 70% unknown
-12,000 newborns are born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) each year
Child Psychology - Correct answer--A field of study devoted to understanding all
aspects of human growth from conception through adolescence
-Physical/cognitive/emotional/social
Why is it important to study child psychology? - Correct answer--Basic research
interest ~ understanding childhood
-Applied interest (teaching)
-Seeing early detection of deviant development
Nature - Correct answer--Genetic makeup
-Influence occurs before we are born
Nurture - Correct answer--Environmental experiences
-Influence occurs before and after birth
How can we study influence of nature and nurture? - Correct answer--Adoption
studies ~ compare similarity of children to adoptive vs. biological parents
-Twin studies ~ compare similarity of identical vs. fraternal twins
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, Bringing up Monkey video findings - Correct answer--Nervous/reactive monkeys
go to foster moms who are relaxed and they become more bold, but once mother is
taken away, baby is nervous again
-Conclusion: both genetics and environment matter, but disagreement continues
about the importance of each
Passive Development - Correct answer--Child is shaped by external forces
-Example: girls prefer dolls because that's what they are given or a dad puts his son
in football because he played all his life
Active Development - Correct answer--Child directs/shapes/controls own
development
-Example: kids choose their own toys and after school activities
Some of the most important contributions during children's first years are: -
Correct answer--Attentional patterns
-Use of language
-Emotions
-Play
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
