Psych 201 Developmental Psychology
Lifespan: Exam 1 Questions and
Correct Answers 2025/2026 Edition.
Distinguish between continuous vs. discontinuous development. - Answer Continuous
development views the developmental journey as one continual, interconnected flow.
Discontinuous development views the developmental journey as distinct, separate stages.
Distinguish between nature and nurture. - Answer Nature refers to developmental traits that
are instinctive or natural to a person. The idea of nurture refers to developmental traits begin
taught and nurtured into a person.
Distinguish among age-graded, history graded, and non-normative influences on lifespan
development. Cite an example of each in Sofie's story at the beginning of this chapter. - Answer
Age-graded: development related to age (biology and social customs). Sofie example: learning
to crawl, going to school, going to college
History graded: development effected by a particular period of time. Sofie example: World War
II
Non-normative: development effected by irregular events. Sofie example: met husband on a
blind date, Phillip's struggling business
Describe the contributions of Charles Darwin to the scientific study of human development. -
Answer Theories of natural selection and survival of the fittest showed how human
developmental traits either stick or leave over time depending on what is effective.
Describe contributions of G. Stanley Hall to the scientific study of human development - Answer
Founder of child study movement. Wrote a book about aging. Tried to describe all aspects of
development. Launched normative approach.
Describe contributions of Arnold Gessel to the scientific study of human development - Answer
devised theories based on evolutionary ideas (student of Darwin). Tried to describe all aspects
of development. Launched normative approach.
Describe contributions of Alfred Binet to the scientific study of human development - Answer
Developed first intelligence test to help schools in Paris place children who required extra help
into specialized classes.
, Albert Bandura: found that many factors affect the desire of the child to imitate. Social-cognitive
theory that over time, children become more selective in what they choose to imitate
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of information processing regards children and
adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer children and adults
contribute to their own development by actively making sense of their own thinking
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
regards children and adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer the
state of the brain (genetic makeup) and experiences both contribute to the development of an
individual
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of Ethology and Evolutionary Developmental
Psychology regards children and adults as active contributors to their own development. -
Answer how a person's environment effects the development
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of the sociocultural theory regards children and
adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer how culture of a person
effects development
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of ecological systems theory regards children
and adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer different layers of
environment (relationships, school, home, work, etc) come together to powerfully affect
development
Sensitive Period - Answer a prime time for certain developments to occur because the
individual is responsive to environmental influences.
Critical period - Answer limited time when person is ready to develop but has to be
supported by the surrounding environment.
Explain the strengths and weaknesses of systematic observations. - Answer Strengths:
reflects everyday lives
Weaknesses: cannot control conditions that participants are observed under
Explain the strengths and weaknesses of self-reports. - Answer Strengths: get right to the
thoughts and close as possible to the way they think in life
Lifespan: Exam 1 Questions and
Correct Answers 2025/2026 Edition.
Distinguish between continuous vs. discontinuous development. - Answer Continuous
development views the developmental journey as one continual, interconnected flow.
Discontinuous development views the developmental journey as distinct, separate stages.
Distinguish between nature and nurture. - Answer Nature refers to developmental traits that
are instinctive or natural to a person. The idea of nurture refers to developmental traits begin
taught and nurtured into a person.
Distinguish among age-graded, history graded, and non-normative influences on lifespan
development. Cite an example of each in Sofie's story at the beginning of this chapter. - Answer
Age-graded: development related to age (biology and social customs). Sofie example: learning
to crawl, going to school, going to college
History graded: development effected by a particular period of time. Sofie example: World War
II
Non-normative: development effected by irregular events. Sofie example: met husband on a
blind date, Phillip's struggling business
Describe the contributions of Charles Darwin to the scientific study of human development. -
Answer Theories of natural selection and survival of the fittest showed how human
developmental traits either stick or leave over time depending on what is effective.
Describe contributions of G. Stanley Hall to the scientific study of human development - Answer
Founder of child study movement. Wrote a book about aging. Tried to describe all aspects of
development. Launched normative approach.
Describe contributions of Arnold Gessel to the scientific study of human development - Answer
devised theories based on evolutionary ideas (student of Darwin). Tried to describe all aspects
of development. Launched normative approach.
Describe contributions of Alfred Binet to the scientific study of human development - Answer
Developed first intelligence test to help schools in Paris place children who required extra help
into specialized classes.
, Albert Bandura: found that many factors affect the desire of the child to imitate. Social-cognitive
theory that over time, children become more selective in what they choose to imitate
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of information processing regards children and
adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer children and adults
contribute to their own development by actively making sense of their own thinking
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
regards children and adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer the
state of the brain (genetic makeup) and experiences both contribute to the development of an
individual
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of Ethology and Evolutionary Developmental
Psychology regards children and adults as active contributors to their own development. -
Answer how a person's environment effects the development
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of the sociocultural theory regards children and
adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer how culture of a person
effects development
Explain how the recent theoretical perspective of ecological systems theory regards children
and adults as active contributors to their own development. - Answer different layers of
environment (relationships, school, home, work, etc) come together to powerfully affect
development
Sensitive Period - Answer a prime time for certain developments to occur because the
individual is responsive to environmental influences.
Critical period - Answer limited time when person is ready to develop but has to be
supported by the surrounding environment.
Explain the strengths and weaknesses of systematic observations. - Answer Strengths:
reflects everyday lives
Weaknesses: cannot control conditions that participants are observed under
Explain the strengths and weaknesses of self-reports. - Answer Strengths: get right to the
thoughts and close as possible to the way they think in life
