Because the changes that occur over time are patterned and orderly, human
development is considered a(n) ________ process.
a. sequential
b. temporal
c. systematic
d. linear
Agnes recently moved to a long-term care facility after seven decades on the farm
where she was born, because it was unsafe for her to live there alone. From a
developmental perspective, which term best describes Agnes?
a. mentally declining
b. biologically aging
c. cognitively losing
d. physically failing
In recent years, the media has been filled with stories about the outsize role that
millennials have - for better or worse - on American society. What is the focus of these
media stories?
a. a socioeconomic status
b. a rite of passage
c. an age grade
d. a social clock
Many people around the age of 40 experience a "midlife crisis," in which they look at
what they have accomplished, wonder if they are on the right track, and often decide to
make some changes. What is the basis for this feeling of personal crisis?
a. social clock
b. life expectancy
c. age grade
d. development tier
Which of the following would NOT be considered a strong guiding factor for someone
who supports the nature perspective of development?
a. sexual hormones
b. parent behaviors
,c. human evolution
d. ancestor genes
If you interviewed a developmental scientist today regarding the nature-nurture debate,
what opinion would they likely offer?
a. that nature precedes nurture
b. that nature and nurture work together
c. that recent evidence discounts nature
d. that nurture supersedes nature
Which of the goals of human development could be considered solutions-based?
a. explanation
b. prediction
c. optimization
d. description
Celia's work is focused on programs to help toddlers develop a vocabulary that will set
them up for success in kindergarten. She spends a considerable amount of time
conducting research and gathering evidence to determine the ________ of various
program methods.
a. bias
b. cost
c. interplay
d. efficacy
Seven-year-old Jerry was taken in by his loving, suburban grandparents after his
mother was jailed for prostitution and selling crack cocaine. In less than a year, Jerry's
reading and math scores increased by 60 percent. Which of the following played a
primary role in Jerry's improved academic performance?
a. genetics
b. hormones
c. plasticity
d. age grade
Since she retired, Surlene has become a whiz at crossword puzzles and other word
games. She just wishes her creaky old knees would still let her play volleyball like she
used to. Surlene's experience is an example of which aspect of human development?
a. gerontology
b. plasticity
c. multidirectionality
d. biology
, Which of the following is considered the foundation of the scientific method?
a. theories
b. experiments
c. hypotheses
d. data
A researcher who is a strong proponent of the role of nature in human development
would likely favor which of the following data collection methods?
a. verbal reporting
b. structured experiment
c. physiological measurement
d. naturalistic observation
Dr. Hazar recently completed data collection on an adult subject who was born with a
rare birth defect. Once she completes her research, she hopes to have it published in a
scientific journal to share valuable insights with others who are studying this condition.
What research method did Dr. Hazar likely utilize?
a. correlational design
b. experimental control
c. case study
d. structured biography
Which of the following research methods offers the most perspective on a causal
relationship between two factors?
a. random
b. correlational
c. directional
d. experimental
Carol has identified a group of five-year-old boys to be studied in her cross-sectional
research design. What other group will she likely include in this research?
a. more five-year-old boys
b. ten-year-old boys
c. five-year-old girls
d. random boys and girls
The famous Framingham Heart Study has been tracking the cardiovascular health of a
cohort - and subsequent generations - since 1948. What type of research design does
this study employ?