EPPP DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY EXAM
Qualitative Change - ANSWER Development is discontinuous, periods of little
change alternate with periods of abrupt and rapid change
Children who do not master stage specific issues are at increased risk for
subsequent development failures
Stage theorists assert that differences between adults and children
Quantitative Change - ANSWER Development is continuous with new abilities, skills,
and knowledge developing gradually and relatively uniformly over time
Differences between adults and children are because of maturation of neurological
processes
Microsystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
the everyday environment the person encounters (home, school)
Bi-directional relationships
Mesosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Interaction or links between various microsystems
Child parents meet with teacher
Exosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Relationship between two or more settings, at least one of which does not contain
the person, but indirectly affects him
Parents workplace
Macrosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Influences of culture, religion, the economy, and political system
Chronosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Role of the passage of time in the person's life
Normative influence on development - ANSWER Occur in a similar way for most
people
Age-graded normative events - ANSWER event commonly experienced by people of
a particular age group (puberty, menopause, retirement)
History-graded normative events - ANSWER event that is common to a particular
cohort (Great Depression, Vietnam War)
Non-normative influences on development - ANSWER unusual events that have a
major impact on an individual's life (death of a parent, birth defect)
, Critical periods - ANSWER A specific time during an organism's life span when it is
most sensitive to environmental influences or stimulation
A specific structure or phenomenon must occur during this time, or it will not occur at
all
Sensitive periods - ANSWER Stimulation and learning has more of an impact that it
will at any other time
Genes - ANSWER 23 pairs of chromosomes
Composed of DNA and RNA
Genotype - ANSWER genetic makeup of the person
Phenotype - ANSWER observable characteristics of the person
Twin studies - ANSWER Most commonly used to assess the relative genetic,
biological, or dispositional contribution to a variable
Klinefelter's Syndrome - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
Occurs only in men XXY
Tend to be taller, IQ 90, abnormal development of secondary sex characteristics
Turner's Syndrome - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
Occurs only in women X0, missing X chromosome
Normal IQ, abnormal development of secondary sex characteristics
Down's Syndrome - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
3 chromosomes on chromosome 21
MR, slanted eyes, physical deformities
PKU (Phenylketonuria) - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
Autosomal Recessive Disorder
Affects metabolism
Severe mental deficiency
Hemophilia - ANSWER Sex-linked recessive disorder that causes excessive
bleeding
Found predominantly in males
Frequent transfusion of blood with clotting factors
Sickle-cell amemia - ANSWER Autosomal recessive disorder
Occurs primarily in African Americans
Deformed, fragile red blood cells that can clog the blood vessels
Germinal Period - ANSWER Lasts from conception to two weeks
Zygote rapidly divides
Implants itself onto the uterus wall
Embryonic Period - ANSWER Last from 2 weeks to 12 weeks
Qualitative Change - ANSWER Development is discontinuous, periods of little
change alternate with periods of abrupt and rapid change
Children who do not master stage specific issues are at increased risk for
subsequent development failures
Stage theorists assert that differences between adults and children
Quantitative Change - ANSWER Development is continuous with new abilities, skills,
and knowledge developing gradually and relatively uniformly over time
Differences between adults and children are because of maturation of neurological
processes
Microsystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
the everyday environment the person encounters (home, school)
Bi-directional relationships
Mesosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Interaction or links between various microsystems
Child parents meet with teacher
Exosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Relationship between two or more settings, at least one of which does not contain
the person, but indirectly affects him
Parents workplace
Macrosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Influences of culture, religion, the economy, and political system
Chronosystem - ANSWER Ecological Approach-Bronfenbrenner
Role of the passage of time in the person's life
Normative influence on development - ANSWER Occur in a similar way for most
people
Age-graded normative events - ANSWER event commonly experienced by people of
a particular age group (puberty, menopause, retirement)
History-graded normative events - ANSWER event that is common to a particular
cohort (Great Depression, Vietnam War)
Non-normative influences on development - ANSWER unusual events that have a
major impact on an individual's life (death of a parent, birth defect)
, Critical periods - ANSWER A specific time during an organism's life span when it is
most sensitive to environmental influences or stimulation
A specific structure or phenomenon must occur during this time, or it will not occur at
all
Sensitive periods - ANSWER Stimulation and learning has more of an impact that it
will at any other time
Genes - ANSWER 23 pairs of chromosomes
Composed of DNA and RNA
Genotype - ANSWER genetic makeup of the person
Phenotype - ANSWER observable characteristics of the person
Twin studies - ANSWER Most commonly used to assess the relative genetic,
biological, or dispositional contribution to a variable
Klinefelter's Syndrome - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
Occurs only in men XXY
Tend to be taller, IQ 90, abnormal development of secondary sex characteristics
Turner's Syndrome - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
Occurs only in women X0, missing X chromosome
Normal IQ, abnormal development of secondary sex characteristics
Down's Syndrome - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
3 chromosomes on chromosome 21
MR, slanted eyes, physical deformities
PKU (Phenylketonuria) - ANSWER Sex Chromosome Abnormalities
Autosomal Recessive Disorder
Affects metabolism
Severe mental deficiency
Hemophilia - ANSWER Sex-linked recessive disorder that causes excessive
bleeding
Found predominantly in males
Frequent transfusion of blood with clotting factors
Sickle-cell amemia - ANSWER Autosomal recessive disorder
Occurs primarily in African Americans
Deformed, fragile red blood cells that can clog the blood vessels
Germinal Period - ANSWER Lasts from conception to two weeks
Zygote rapidly divides
Implants itself onto the uterus wall
Embryonic Period - ANSWER Last from 2 weeks to 12 weeks
