PSYC 304 CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXAM QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS
interpersonal behavior - Answer -a variety of behaviours involving the ways in which
people work with and against one another
interpersonal behaviour in childhood is important because... - Answer -interpersonal
behaviour in childhood is important because
1) links to interpersonal outcomes (friendship, acceptance)
2)academic outcomes (#of suspensions, expulsion)
What is the Big 3 of interpersonal behaviour? - Answer -Prosocial (positive behaviours)
Aggression
Avoidance/Withdrawal
How do we measure interpersonal behaviour? - Answer -1. reports on how frequently a
child engages in specific behaviours by parents, teachers, kids, peers
2.observations
naturalistic: go to their natural habitat
structured: bring kids into lab
What is aggression? - Answer -behaviours that affect others physically, verbally, and
relational/social
types of direct and indirect aggression - Answer -physical and verbal aggression=direct
relation/social aggression=indirect
What type of aggression is most common? - Answer -verbal aggression
Which type of aggression hurts the most? - Answer -physical and social
What are the age related changes in physical aggression? - Answer -children's physical
aggression increases until 27 months and then decreases
40% and 50% of kids show occasional aggression
3-5% show frequently
Are young children able to engage in relational aggression? Research - Answer -Yes
research:
-3 to 4 yrs in free play and structured interaction
-free play: looked at them for 10 min
,-structured: colouring task where there were 2 crayons (one that worked and one that
didnt=conflict)
Results:
verbal behaviours most common in both genders
relational aggression more common for girls
physical aggression more common for boys
peak levels relational aggression decline at what age? - Answer -10-11 yrs
difference between cross-sectional data and longitudinal data - Answer -cross-sectional
data: collected data from many diff ages at one time point=age related changes
longitudinal data: collected @ multiple time points=individual change
2 researches showing individual diff in developmental trajectories of physical aggressive
behaviour - Answer -Research 1
1. 2 yrs to 11 yrs (longitudinal)
2. parent report on physically aggressive behaviour
result:
3 general trajectories:
start avrg aggression level and decline
start low, stay low (low stable)
start high stay high (high stable)
Research 2
1. 10 yrs to late adolescence
result:
most common: little bit aggression and decline
2nd common: zero aggression and stay
least common: high aggression and increase
THEREFORE, in general physical aggression decreases from toddlerhood to
adolescence BUT a small group continues to engage in high and increase
2 researches showing individual diff in developmental trajectories of relational
aggressive behaviour - Answer -Research 1
1. first assessment @4
result: overall low but peak @10-11 yrs
65% low stable
35% avrg and increase
Research 2
1. 10 yrs to adolescence
, result: most kids @ moderate declining
5% high stable
THEREFORE peak level of social aggression is later than physical
some children stay high throughout adolescents
Does physical aggression turn into relational aggression? - Answer -Early thoughts:
Bjorkrisf's model
-earliest aggression will be physical and as language and cog. skills develop, children's
aggression will be more sophisticated= social aggres.
-proof: physical occurs before social
physical declines faster than social
research: 2yr olds
1. looked at both physical and relational
result: low physical=low social aggres.
high physical=high social aggres.
moderate decreasing physical=high increasing or low stable social aggres.
NO children were high physical and low social
gender diff in physically aggressive behaviour? - Answer -boys more likely for physical
aggres.
gender diff in relationally aggressive behaviour? - Answer -girls do show more
relationally aggressive behaviour but significant is tiny
girls more likely to engage in relationally aggres. than physical
girls not more likely than boys to show social aggres.
What is social withdrawal? - Answer -child isolates him/herself from peers
Are there age related changes in social withdrawal? - Answer -NO
Are there individual diff in development of social withdrawal? Research - Answer -
Research: gr 1-6 teachers and peers report
result: 85% show low social withdrawal
9% show increasing social withdrawal
6% show decreasing social withdrawal
are there gender differences for social withdrawal? - Answer -no
social withdrawal may be associated with more social consequences (rejection) for boys
than girls
Do children who engage in high levels of aggression and withdrawal engage in more of
those behaviours than their peers in all situations or just some? - Answer -research:
& ANSWERS
interpersonal behavior - Answer -a variety of behaviours involving the ways in which
people work with and against one another
interpersonal behaviour in childhood is important because... - Answer -interpersonal
behaviour in childhood is important because
1) links to interpersonal outcomes (friendship, acceptance)
2)academic outcomes (#of suspensions, expulsion)
What is the Big 3 of interpersonal behaviour? - Answer -Prosocial (positive behaviours)
Aggression
Avoidance/Withdrawal
How do we measure interpersonal behaviour? - Answer -1. reports on how frequently a
child engages in specific behaviours by parents, teachers, kids, peers
2.observations
naturalistic: go to their natural habitat
structured: bring kids into lab
What is aggression? - Answer -behaviours that affect others physically, verbally, and
relational/social
types of direct and indirect aggression - Answer -physical and verbal aggression=direct
relation/social aggression=indirect
What type of aggression is most common? - Answer -verbal aggression
Which type of aggression hurts the most? - Answer -physical and social
What are the age related changes in physical aggression? - Answer -children's physical
aggression increases until 27 months and then decreases
40% and 50% of kids show occasional aggression
3-5% show frequently
Are young children able to engage in relational aggression? Research - Answer -Yes
research:
-3 to 4 yrs in free play and structured interaction
-free play: looked at them for 10 min
,-structured: colouring task where there were 2 crayons (one that worked and one that
didnt=conflict)
Results:
verbal behaviours most common in both genders
relational aggression more common for girls
physical aggression more common for boys
peak levels relational aggression decline at what age? - Answer -10-11 yrs
difference between cross-sectional data and longitudinal data - Answer -cross-sectional
data: collected data from many diff ages at one time point=age related changes
longitudinal data: collected @ multiple time points=individual change
2 researches showing individual diff in developmental trajectories of physical aggressive
behaviour - Answer -Research 1
1. 2 yrs to 11 yrs (longitudinal)
2. parent report on physically aggressive behaviour
result:
3 general trajectories:
start avrg aggression level and decline
start low, stay low (low stable)
start high stay high (high stable)
Research 2
1. 10 yrs to late adolescence
result:
most common: little bit aggression and decline
2nd common: zero aggression and stay
least common: high aggression and increase
THEREFORE, in general physical aggression decreases from toddlerhood to
adolescence BUT a small group continues to engage in high and increase
2 researches showing individual diff in developmental trajectories of relational
aggressive behaviour - Answer -Research 1
1. first assessment @4
result: overall low but peak @10-11 yrs
65% low stable
35% avrg and increase
Research 2
1. 10 yrs to adolescence
, result: most kids @ moderate declining
5% high stable
THEREFORE peak level of social aggression is later than physical
some children stay high throughout adolescents
Does physical aggression turn into relational aggression? - Answer -Early thoughts:
Bjorkrisf's model
-earliest aggression will be physical and as language and cog. skills develop, children's
aggression will be more sophisticated= social aggres.
-proof: physical occurs before social
physical declines faster than social
research: 2yr olds
1. looked at both physical and relational
result: low physical=low social aggres.
high physical=high social aggres.
moderate decreasing physical=high increasing or low stable social aggres.
NO children were high physical and low social
gender diff in physically aggressive behaviour? - Answer -boys more likely for physical
aggres.
gender diff in relationally aggressive behaviour? - Answer -girls do show more
relationally aggressive behaviour but significant is tiny
girls more likely to engage in relationally aggres. than physical
girls not more likely than boys to show social aggres.
What is social withdrawal? - Answer -child isolates him/herself from peers
Are there age related changes in social withdrawal? - Answer -NO
Are there individual diff in development of social withdrawal? Research - Answer -
Research: gr 1-6 teachers and peers report
result: 85% show low social withdrawal
9% show increasing social withdrawal
6% show decreasing social withdrawal
are there gender differences for social withdrawal? - Answer -no
social withdrawal may be associated with more social consequences (rejection) for boys
than girls
Do children who engage in high levels of aggression and withdrawal engage in more of
those behaviours than their peers in all situations or just some? - Answer -research:
