,PSYC 290N Exam 1 Lifespan Development | Questions And Answers
2026/2027 Chamberlain
1. The field of lifespan development studies human growth and change from:
A) Birth to adolescence only
B) Conception to death
C) Early childhood to late adulthood
D) Adolescence to old age
**Correct Answer:** B) Conception to death
**Rationale:** Lifespan development is a scientific approach to
understanding human growth and change across the entire life course, from
conception through death. This distinguishes it from approaches that focus
only on childhood or specific segments of life.
2. According to the lifespan perspective, development is:
A) Limited primarily to childhood and adolescence
B) A process that occurs only during critical periods
C) Lifelong, multidirectional, and multidimensional
D) Determined solely by genetic inheritance
**Correct Answer:** C) Lifelong, multidirectional, and multidimensional
**Rationale:** The lifespan perspective, articulated by Baltes and colleagues,
emphasizes that development is lifelong, multidimensional (involving
physical, cognitive, and socioemotional domains), multidirectional (involving
both gains and losses), and influenced by multiple interacting factors.
3. The nature versus nurture debate in development concerns:
,A) Whether development is continuous or discontinuous
B) Whether genetics or environment plays a greater role in development
C) Whether development is universal or culturally specific
D) Whether development is active or passive
**Correct Answer:** B) Whether genetics or environment plays a greater role
in development
**Rationale:** The nature-nurture debate addresses the relative
contributions of heredity (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) to
human development. Most contemporary developmental psychologists
recognize that both nature and nurture interact to shape development.
4. A researcher who studies age-related changes in memory, reasoning, and
problem-solving is primarily focused on which domain of development?
A) Physical development
B) Cognitive development
C) Socioemotional development
D) Moral development
**Correct Answer:** B) Cognitive development
**Rationale:** Cognitive development refers to changes in mental processes
such as thinking, memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and language. The
domains of development—physical, cognitive, and socioemotional—are
interrelated and influence one another.
5. The continuity versus discontinuity issue in development asks whether:
A) Genetics or environment is more important
, B) Development is gradual and cumulative or occurs in distinct stages
C) Development is universal or culturally specific
D) Individuals are active or passive in their development
**Correct Answer:** B) Development is gradual and cumulative or occurs in
distinct stages
**Rationale:** The continuity-discontinuity issue concerns whether
development involves gradual, quantitative changes (continuity) or abrupt,
qualitative shifts (discontinuity) that resemble distinct stages. Stage
theories, such as Piaget's, propose discontinuity.
6. Sigmund Freud's psychosexual theory emphasizes that development
occurs through:
A) A series of psychosocial crises
B) The resolution of unconscious conflicts related to sexual and aggressive
impulses
C) The gradual construction of knowledge through interaction with the
environment
D) The influence of culture and social interaction
**Correct Answer:** B) The resolution of unconscious conflicts related to
sexual and aggressive impulses
**Rationale:** Freud's psychosexual theory proposes that development
unfolds through five stages (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital), each
centered on a different erogenous zone. Successful resolution of conflicts at
each stage is necessary for healthy adult personality.
7. According to Freud, the psychosexual stage that occurs from
approximately ages 1 to 3 years is the:
2026/2027 Chamberlain
1. The field of lifespan development studies human growth and change from:
A) Birth to adolescence only
B) Conception to death
C) Early childhood to late adulthood
D) Adolescence to old age
**Correct Answer:** B) Conception to death
**Rationale:** Lifespan development is a scientific approach to
understanding human growth and change across the entire life course, from
conception through death. This distinguishes it from approaches that focus
only on childhood or specific segments of life.
2. According to the lifespan perspective, development is:
A) Limited primarily to childhood and adolescence
B) A process that occurs only during critical periods
C) Lifelong, multidirectional, and multidimensional
D) Determined solely by genetic inheritance
**Correct Answer:** C) Lifelong, multidirectional, and multidimensional
**Rationale:** The lifespan perspective, articulated by Baltes and colleagues,
emphasizes that development is lifelong, multidimensional (involving
physical, cognitive, and socioemotional domains), multidirectional (involving
both gains and losses), and influenced by multiple interacting factors.
3. The nature versus nurture debate in development concerns:
,A) Whether development is continuous or discontinuous
B) Whether genetics or environment plays a greater role in development
C) Whether development is universal or culturally specific
D) Whether development is active or passive
**Correct Answer:** B) Whether genetics or environment plays a greater role
in development
**Rationale:** The nature-nurture debate addresses the relative
contributions of heredity (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) to
human development. Most contemporary developmental psychologists
recognize that both nature and nurture interact to shape development.
4. A researcher who studies age-related changes in memory, reasoning, and
problem-solving is primarily focused on which domain of development?
A) Physical development
B) Cognitive development
C) Socioemotional development
D) Moral development
**Correct Answer:** B) Cognitive development
**Rationale:** Cognitive development refers to changes in mental processes
such as thinking, memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and language. The
domains of development—physical, cognitive, and socioemotional—are
interrelated and influence one another.
5. The continuity versus discontinuity issue in development asks whether:
A) Genetics or environment is more important
, B) Development is gradual and cumulative or occurs in distinct stages
C) Development is universal or culturally specific
D) Individuals are active or passive in their development
**Correct Answer:** B) Development is gradual and cumulative or occurs in
distinct stages
**Rationale:** The continuity-discontinuity issue concerns whether
development involves gradual, quantitative changes (continuity) or abrupt,
qualitative shifts (discontinuity) that resemble distinct stages. Stage
theories, such as Piaget's, propose discontinuity.
6. Sigmund Freud's psychosexual theory emphasizes that development
occurs through:
A) A series of psychosocial crises
B) The resolution of unconscious conflicts related to sexual and aggressive
impulses
C) The gradual construction of knowledge through interaction with the
environment
D) The influence of culture and social interaction
**Correct Answer:** B) The resolution of unconscious conflicts related to
sexual and aggressive impulses
**Rationale:** Freud's psychosexual theory proposes that development
unfolds through five stages (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital), each
centered on a different erogenous zone. Successful resolution of conflicts at
each stage is necessary for healthy adult personality.
7. According to Freud, the psychosexual stage that occurs from
approximately ages 1 to 3 years is the:
