GRE Psychology: Developmental Psychology
Questions with verified answers
developmental psychology Ans✓✓-describes and explain changes in human
behavior over time
British empiricist school of thought Ans✓✓-philosophers who believed that all
knowledge is gained through experience
contained philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, George Berkeley, David Hume,
James Mill, and John Stuart Mill
John Locke Ans✓✓-believed that children were born a tabula rasa--blank slate.
which means that child is completely reliant on experiences in the environment
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Ans✓✓-believed that society was unnecessary and bad
for optimal development
G. Stanley Hall Ans✓✓-"the father of developmental psychology". was the first to
do empirical research on children and was one of the founders of the APA
Arnold Gesell Ans✓✓-believed that development occured as the biological
processes happened. regardless of training (which is what Watson strongly
believed in). he was a nativist
Jean Piaget Ans✓✓-a cognitive structuralist who believed that children were
actively involved in their own development
,cross-sectional studies Ans✓✓-compare groups of different subjects at different
ages during the same time period (Time 1)
longitudinal studies Ans✓✓-follows a specific group of people over an extended
period time at regular intervals. so its one set of subjects being studied at time 1,
time 2, and time 3
sequential cohort Ans✓✓-a cross between cross-sectional and longitudinal.
several groups of different ages are studied over years
nature/nurture debate Ans✓✓-the nature side argues that human capabilities
are innante and individual differences are just the result of genetic differences.
while the nurture side believes that human capabilities are shaped by the
environment/experience
Gregor Mendel Ans✓✓-a monk that did the first studies on genetics with peas
gene Ans✓✓-basic unit of heredity.
allele Ans✓✓-an alternative form of a gene. can either be dominant or recessive.
we get one from each parent
genotype Ans✓✓-the complete genetic makeup of an individual
phenotype Ans✓✓-the total collection of expressed traits that constitute the
individual's observable characteristics
, chromosomes Ans✓✓-DNA strands+protiens. humans have 46 chromomes and
23 pairs. 22 are autosomes and the 23rd pair determines the sex of the child
each nucleus in the body holds all 23 pairs
R.C. Tryon Ans✓✓-did study on the inheritance of maze-running ability in
laboratory rats. he divided the rats into maze-bright and maze-dull then he bred
maze-bright with only maze bright and maze-dull with only maze-dull for a few
generations, and proved that there was a genetic basis to intelligence
twin studies/adoption studies Ans✓✓-compare monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic
(DZ) twins that are raised apart/together to get more of an understanding as to
what traits are more genetic versus environmental
Lewis Terman Ans✓✓-was the first to do studies on "gifted" children
Down's syndrome Ans✓✓-genetic disorder thats a result of a person having an
extra 21st chromosome. results in severe intellectual disability. one factor that
increases the changes is having older parents
Phenylketonuria (PKU) Ans✓✓-a genetic disorder where the child lacks the
enzyme needed to digest phenylalanine. the severe effects can be avoided by a
strict giant
Klinefelter's syndrome Ans✓✓-a sex chromosome genetic disorder. a male as an
extra X chromosome (XXY). results in them beng sterile and intellectual disability
Questions with verified answers
developmental psychology Ans✓✓-describes and explain changes in human
behavior over time
British empiricist school of thought Ans✓✓-philosophers who believed that all
knowledge is gained through experience
contained philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, George Berkeley, David Hume,
James Mill, and John Stuart Mill
John Locke Ans✓✓-believed that children were born a tabula rasa--blank slate.
which means that child is completely reliant on experiences in the environment
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Ans✓✓-believed that society was unnecessary and bad
for optimal development
G. Stanley Hall Ans✓✓-"the father of developmental psychology". was the first to
do empirical research on children and was one of the founders of the APA
Arnold Gesell Ans✓✓-believed that development occured as the biological
processes happened. regardless of training (which is what Watson strongly
believed in). he was a nativist
Jean Piaget Ans✓✓-a cognitive structuralist who believed that children were
actively involved in their own development
,cross-sectional studies Ans✓✓-compare groups of different subjects at different
ages during the same time period (Time 1)
longitudinal studies Ans✓✓-follows a specific group of people over an extended
period time at regular intervals. so its one set of subjects being studied at time 1,
time 2, and time 3
sequential cohort Ans✓✓-a cross between cross-sectional and longitudinal.
several groups of different ages are studied over years
nature/nurture debate Ans✓✓-the nature side argues that human capabilities
are innante and individual differences are just the result of genetic differences.
while the nurture side believes that human capabilities are shaped by the
environment/experience
Gregor Mendel Ans✓✓-a monk that did the first studies on genetics with peas
gene Ans✓✓-basic unit of heredity.
allele Ans✓✓-an alternative form of a gene. can either be dominant or recessive.
we get one from each parent
genotype Ans✓✓-the complete genetic makeup of an individual
phenotype Ans✓✓-the total collection of expressed traits that constitute the
individual's observable characteristics
, chromosomes Ans✓✓-DNA strands+protiens. humans have 46 chromomes and
23 pairs. 22 are autosomes and the 23rd pair determines the sex of the child
each nucleus in the body holds all 23 pairs
R.C. Tryon Ans✓✓-did study on the inheritance of maze-running ability in
laboratory rats. he divided the rats into maze-bright and maze-dull then he bred
maze-bright with only maze bright and maze-dull with only maze-dull for a few
generations, and proved that there was a genetic basis to intelligence
twin studies/adoption studies Ans✓✓-compare monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic
(DZ) twins that are raised apart/together to get more of an understanding as to
what traits are more genetic versus environmental
Lewis Terman Ans✓✓-was the first to do studies on "gifted" children
Down's syndrome Ans✓✓-genetic disorder thats a result of a person having an
extra 21st chromosome. results in severe intellectual disability. one factor that
increases the changes is having older parents
Phenylketonuria (PKU) Ans✓✓-a genetic disorder where the child lacks the
enzyme needed to digest phenylalanine. the severe effects can be avoided by a
strict giant
Klinefelter's syndrome Ans✓✓-a sex chromosome genetic disorder. a male as an
extra X chromosome (XXY). results in them beng sterile and intellectual disability
