Life-Span Developmental Psychology Chapter 3
Exam With Answers #9
Cerebral cortex - correct answer the outer, folded mantle of the brain, responsible for
thinking, reasoning, perceiving, and all conscious responses
Axon - correct answer a long nerve fiber that usually conducts impulses away from the
cell body of a neuron
Dendrite - correct answer branching fiber that receives information and conducts
impulses toward the cell body of a neuron
Synapse - correct answer the gap between the dendrites of one neuron and the axon of
another, over which impulses flow
Synaptogenesis - correct answer forming of connections between neurons at the
synapses. This process, responsible for all perceptions, actions, and thoughts, is most
intense during infancy and childhood but continues throughout life
Myelination - correct answer formation of a fatty layer encasing the axons of neurons.
This process, which speeds the transmission of neural impulses, continues from birth to
early adulthood
Plastic - correct answer malleable, or capable of being changed (used to refer to neural
or cognitive development)
Neural pruning and neural loss - correct answer critical to development; following a
phase of lavishly producing synapses, each cortical region undergoes synaptic pruning
and neural death-- we get rid of the unnecessary neurons to permit the essential cells to
flower
As preschoolers, we have roughly double the synapses we have as adults, because -
correct answer as our brains develop, roughly 40% of our synapses are ultimately
pruned
Fmri - correct answer measures the brain's energy consumption
What are 3 basic brain principles mentioned in the text? - correct answer (1)
development unfolds "in its own neurological time;" (2) stimulation sculpts neurons; and
(3) the brain is still "under construction"
Sucking reflex - correct answer automatic, spontaneous sucking movements newborns
produce, especially when anything touches their lips
, Rooting reflex - correct answer newborns' automatic response to a touch on the cheek,
involving turning toward that location and beginning to suck
Reflex - correct answer a response or action that is automatic and programmed by
noncortical brain centers; not under conscious control
Grasping - correct answer newborns automatically vigorously grasp anything that
touches the palm of their hand
Babinski reflex - correct answer stroke a baby's foot and her toes turn outward
Stepping reflex - correct answer place a baby's feet on a hard surface and she takes
small steps
Swimming reflex - correct answer if placed under water, newborns can hold their breath
and make swimming motions
Under nutrition - correct answer a chronic lack of adequate food
Stunting - correct answer excessively short stature in a child, caused by chronic lack of
adequate nutrition; the percentage of children under 5 who in a given region rank below
the fifth percentile in height
Where is stunting most common? - correct answer east/south asia and pacific (44%),
sub-saharan africa (40%), middle east and north africa (12%), americas (9%), and
central asia (4%)
Micronutrient deficiency - correct answer chronically inadequate level of a specific
nutrient important to development and disease prevention, such as vitamin a, zinc,
and/or iron
Food insecurity - correct answer according to u.s. department of agriculture surveys, the
number of households that report needing to serve unbalanced meals, worrying about
not having enough food at the end of the month, or having to go hungry due to lack of
money (latter is severe food insecurity)
How many young kids are stunted or chronically hungry in the us? - correct answer in
2012, roughly 1 in 6 households with children are designated as food insecure
What are some major u.s. federal nutrition programs serving young children? - correct
answer food stamp program (snap), wic, and cacfp
Colic - correct answer baby's frantic, continual crying during the first three months of life;
caused by an immature nervous system
Exam With Answers #9
Cerebral cortex - correct answer the outer, folded mantle of the brain, responsible for
thinking, reasoning, perceiving, and all conscious responses
Axon - correct answer a long nerve fiber that usually conducts impulses away from the
cell body of a neuron
Dendrite - correct answer branching fiber that receives information and conducts
impulses toward the cell body of a neuron
Synapse - correct answer the gap between the dendrites of one neuron and the axon of
another, over which impulses flow
Synaptogenesis - correct answer forming of connections between neurons at the
synapses. This process, responsible for all perceptions, actions, and thoughts, is most
intense during infancy and childhood but continues throughout life
Myelination - correct answer formation of a fatty layer encasing the axons of neurons.
This process, which speeds the transmission of neural impulses, continues from birth to
early adulthood
Plastic - correct answer malleable, or capable of being changed (used to refer to neural
or cognitive development)
Neural pruning and neural loss - correct answer critical to development; following a
phase of lavishly producing synapses, each cortical region undergoes synaptic pruning
and neural death-- we get rid of the unnecessary neurons to permit the essential cells to
flower
As preschoolers, we have roughly double the synapses we have as adults, because -
correct answer as our brains develop, roughly 40% of our synapses are ultimately
pruned
Fmri - correct answer measures the brain's energy consumption
What are 3 basic brain principles mentioned in the text? - correct answer (1)
development unfolds "in its own neurological time;" (2) stimulation sculpts neurons; and
(3) the brain is still "under construction"
Sucking reflex - correct answer automatic, spontaneous sucking movements newborns
produce, especially when anything touches their lips
, Rooting reflex - correct answer newborns' automatic response to a touch on the cheek,
involving turning toward that location and beginning to suck
Reflex - correct answer a response or action that is automatic and programmed by
noncortical brain centers; not under conscious control
Grasping - correct answer newborns automatically vigorously grasp anything that
touches the palm of their hand
Babinski reflex - correct answer stroke a baby's foot and her toes turn outward
Stepping reflex - correct answer place a baby's feet on a hard surface and she takes
small steps
Swimming reflex - correct answer if placed under water, newborns can hold their breath
and make swimming motions
Under nutrition - correct answer a chronic lack of adequate food
Stunting - correct answer excessively short stature in a child, caused by chronic lack of
adequate nutrition; the percentage of children under 5 who in a given region rank below
the fifth percentile in height
Where is stunting most common? - correct answer east/south asia and pacific (44%),
sub-saharan africa (40%), middle east and north africa (12%), americas (9%), and
central asia (4%)
Micronutrient deficiency - correct answer chronically inadequate level of a specific
nutrient important to development and disease prevention, such as vitamin a, zinc,
and/or iron
Food insecurity - correct answer according to u.s. department of agriculture surveys, the
number of households that report needing to serve unbalanced meals, worrying about
not having enough food at the end of the month, or having to go hungry due to lack of
money (latter is severe food insecurity)
How many young kids are stunted or chronically hungry in the us? - correct answer in
2012, roughly 1 in 6 households with children are designated as food insecure
What are some major u.s. federal nutrition programs serving young children? - correct
answer food stamp program (snap), wic, and cacfp
Colic - correct answer baby's frantic, continual crying during the first three months of life;
caused by an immature nervous system
