EPPP LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT UPDATED
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Question 1.
Small-for-date infants
ANSWER
birthweight below the 10th percentile for the expected weight for length of gestation. More
likely to die in year after birth, have brain damage, increased risk for infection, short stature,
learning/behavioral problems at school
Question 2.
hypothetical-deductive reasoning
ANSWER
deriving and testing hypotheses to determine solutions to a problem
Question 3.
Chromosomal Deletions
ANSWER
involve the loss of all or part of a chromosome. E.g. Prader-Willi Syndrome, Angelman
Syndrome, Cri-du-chat Syndrome
Question 4.
Examples of adolescent egocentrism (Elkind)
ANSWER
1)Imaginary Audience: adolescent belief that they are always the subject of other people's
attention and concern
2) Personal fable: adolescent belief that they are special and unique, can't be understood,
and are invulnerable to harm
,Question 5.
Sensorimotor Substages
ANSWER
Question 6.
horizontal decalage
ANSWER
Gradual development within a cognitive stage, as demonstrated in the gradual attainment of
the different aspects (length, quantity, mass, etc.) of conservation within the concrete
operations stage.
Question 7.
Audition and Aging
ANSWER
decline begins around 40. beginning w/ decreased sensitivity to high-pitched sounds
(presbycusis), letters f,s,t, beeping of appliances, birds chirping. exacerbated by background
noise. Severity of hearing loss may be associated with risk of developing Alzheimer's and
other neurocognitive disorders
Question 8.
Genotype-Environment Correlation
ANSWER
Tendency of certain genetic and environmental influences to reinforce each other; may be
passive, reactive (evocative), or active. Also called genotype-environment covariance.
Active correlation becomes more important as child ages
, Question 9.
Synaptogenesis and pruning
ANSWER
1) creation of new synapsis. responsible for increase in brain size. Peaks at age 2-3
2) loss of synapses due to lack of use. Atrophy and disappear. process continues through
adolesence
Question 10.
dynamic systems theory
ANSWER
the view that development is complex - involving interactions between environment,
biology, others, self, experiences. Simple repetitive behaviors precede more complex ones.
Question 11.
Rett Syndrome
ANSWER
X linked dominant disorder due to mutation. Initially typical development then regression of
speech/motor skills, slowed head/brain growth, sleep disturbances, hand-wringing, seizures
Question 12.
Developmental Vulnerability
ANSWER
Boys more vulnerable to pre-/peri-natal hazards/diseases, more likely to have developmental
problems (ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability, speech defects)
Question 13.
Touch and Pain Development
ANSWER
Infants have well-developed sense of touch and experience pain at birth. Full-term infants
exposed to painful experiences early on heightens later responsivity to pain, pre-term
infants early exposure reduces/dampens later responses to pain
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Question 1.
Small-for-date infants
ANSWER
birthweight below the 10th percentile for the expected weight for length of gestation. More
likely to die in year after birth, have brain damage, increased risk for infection, short stature,
learning/behavioral problems at school
Question 2.
hypothetical-deductive reasoning
ANSWER
deriving and testing hypotheses to determine solutions to a problem
Question 3.
Chromosomal Deletions
ANSWER
involve the loss of all or part of a chromosome. E.g. Prader-Willi Syndrome, Angelman
Syndrome, Cri-du-chat Syndrome
Question 4.
Examples of adolescent egocentrism (Elkind)
ANSWER
1)Imaginary Audience: adolescent belief that they are always the subject of other people's
attention and concern
2) Personal fable: adolescent belief that they are special and unique, can't be understood,
and are invulnerable to harm
,Question 5.
Sensorimotor Substages
ANSWER
Question 6.
horizontal decalage
ANSWER
Gradual development within a cognitive stage, as demonstrated in the gradual attainment of
the different aspects (length, quantity, mass, etc.) of conservation within the concrete
operations stage.
Question 7.
Audition and Aging
ANSWER
decline begins around 40. beginning w/ decreased sensitivity to high-pitched sounds
(presbycusis), letters f,s,t, beeping of appliances, birds chirping. exacerbated by background
noise. Severity of hearing loss may be associated with risk of developing Alzheimer's and
other neurocognitive disorders
Question 8.
Genotype-Environment Correlation
ANSWER
Tendency of certain genetic and environmental influences to reinforce each other; may be
passive, reactive (evocative), or active. Also called genotype-environment covariance.
Active correlation becomes more important as child ages
, Question 9.
Synaptogenesis and pruning
ANSWER
1) creation of new synapsis. responsible for increase in brain size. Peaks at age 2-3
2) loss of synapses due to lack of use. Atrophy and disappear. process continues through
adolesence
Question 10.
dynamic systems theory
ANSWER
the view that development is complex - involving interactions between environment,
biology, others, self, experiences. Simple repetitive behaviors precede more complex ones.
Question 11.
Rett Syndrome
ANSWER
X linked dominant disorder due to mutation. Initially typical development then regression of
speech/motor skills, slowed head/brain growth, sleep disturbances, hand-wringing, seizures
Question 12.
Developmental Vulnerability
ANSWER
Boys more vulnerable to pre-/peri-natal hazards/diseases, more likely to have developmental
problems (ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability, speech defects)
Question 13.
Touch and Pain Development
ANSWER
Infants have well-developed sense of touch and experience pain at birth. Full-term infants
exposed to painful experiences early on heightens later responsivity to pain, pre-term
infants early exposure reduces/dampens later responses to pain
