PSDE1624
Developmental Psychology
Child and Adolescent development section (Book 1)
Practice test questions to check your knowledge in preparation for upcoming quizzes
and tests
1. The goals of child psychology are the following:
a. To describe the characteristic changes from conception to 18 years of age.
b. To explain the causes of developmental changes.
c. To predict possible future behaviour.
d. To improve children’s well-being.
e. All the above.
2. The term tabula rasa refers to:
a. a blank slate on which experience is written.
b. the killing of infants.
c. inborn characteristics.
d. child slavery.
e. None of the above.
3. Which one of the following statements is TRUE about the current view of children?
a. Children are the property of their parents.
b. Children are blank slates upon which experience will write a
developmental story.
c. Children are not supposed to have any rights.
d. Children have certain rights that need to be protected.
e. None of the above.
4. The development of a child is divided into different stages because
a. it gives an indication of certain characteristics that are believed to be common
in different stages.
b. it gives an indication of their readiness for certain occurrences.
c. it gives an indication whether a child’s development is below or above the
norm.
d. All the above.
e. None of the above.
,5. Which four areas of development are usually studied by developmental
psychologists?
a. Gross motor development, moral development, socialisation, personality
development.
b. Fine motor development, development of attachment, development of cognition,
schema development.
c. Physical development, cognitive development, personality development, social
development.
d. Motor development, intellectual development, identity development, moral
development.
e. In each of the above a major area is left out.
6. Which of the following statements concerning the nature-nurture debate are TRUE?
1. The nature-nurture debate has not yet been fully resolved.
2. The nature-nurture debate is currently fully resolved.
3. Most psychologists agree that it is more important to focus on how each of
these factors contribute to specific behaviours than which factor is the most
influential.
4. The interaction between the factors is more important than the specific
contribution of each.
5. A useful guideline is that heredity sets the limits, and the environment
determines to what extent a specific characteristic will develop between these
limits.
a. All the above.
b. None of the above.
c. 2
d. 2, 3, 4 and 5
e. 1, 3, 4 and 5
7. Is development usually characterised by continuity or discontinuity?
a. Continuity.
b. Discontinuity.
c. Neither – both concepts have been rejected.
d. Both ‒ it may depend upon what aspect of development is being studied.
, e. These concepts are only applicable to the animal and plant kingdom
8. Developmental psychologists disagree on the extent to which children contribute
directly to their own development. This is known as the … issue.
a. active-passive
b. continuity-discontinuity
c. nature-nurture
d. biological-interaction
e. All the above
9. Lerato grew up in a household with an abusive father, very little academic stimulation
and almost no support for her schoolwork and academic pursuits. However, by
working hard, she managed to complete matric, went to university and is currently
busy with her doctoral degree. Her achievements can be explained by the fact that
a. it provides proof for John Locke’s blank slate theory.
b. children are significantly influenced by the environment.
c. mothers are more important than fathers in the development of children.
d. children can play an active role in their own development.
e. None of the above.
10. Human development begins with a process called
a. meiosis.
b. mitosis.
c. conception.
d. crossover.
e. None of the above
11. The egg and sperm cells are called
a. chromosomes.
b. genes.
Developmental Psychology
Child and Adolescent development section (Book 1)
Practice test questions to check your knowledge in preparation for upcoming quizzes
and tests
1. The goals of child psychology are the following:
a. To describe the characteristic changes from conception to 18 years of age.
b. To explain the causes of developmental changes.
c. To predict possible future behaviour.
d. To improve children’s well-being.
e. All the above.
2. The term tabula rasa refers to:
a. a blank slate on which experience is written.
b. the killing of infants.
c. inborn characteristics.
d. child slavery.
e. None of the above.
3. Which one of the following statements is TRUE about the current view of children?
a. Children are the property of their parents.
b. Children are blank slates upon which experience will write a
developmental story.
c. Children are not supposed to have any rights.
d. Children have certain rights that need to be protected.
e. None of the above.
4. The development of a child is divided into different stages because
a. it gives an indication of certain characteristics that are believed to be common
in different stages.
b. it gives an indication of their readiness for certain occurrences.
c. it gives an indication whether a child’s development is below or above the
norm.
d. All the above.
e. None of the above.
,5. Which four areas of development are usually studied by developmental
psychologists?
a. Gross motor development, moral development, socialisation, personality
development.
b. Fine motor development, development of attachment, development of cognition,
schema development.
c. Physical development, cognitive development, personality development, social
development.
d. Motor development, intellectual development, identity development, moral
development.
e. In each of the above a major area is left out.
6. Which of the following statements concerning the nature-nurture debate are TRUE?
1. The nature-nurture debate has not yet been fully resolved.
2. The nature-nurture debate is currently fully resolved.
3. Most psychologists agree that it is more important to focus on how each of
these factors contribute to specific behaviours than which factor is the most
influential.
4. The interaction between the factors is more important than the specific
contribution of each.
5. A useful guideline is that heredity sets the limits, and the environment
determines to what extent a specific characteristic will develop between these
limits.
a. All the above.
b. None of the above.
c. 2
d. 2, 3, 4 and 5
e. 1, 3, 4 and 5
7. Is development usually characterised by continuity or discontinuity?
a. Continuity.
b. Discontinuity.
c. Neither – both concepts have been rejected.
d. Both ‒ it may depend upon what aspect of development is being studied.
, e. These concepts are only applicable to the animal and plant kingdom
8. Developmental psychologists disagree on the extent to which children contribute
directly to their own development. This is known as the … issue.
a. active-passive
b. continuity-discontinuity
c. nature-nurture
d. biological-interaction
e. All the above
9. Lerato grew up in a household with an abusive father, very little academic stimulation
and almost no support for her schoolwork and academic pursuits. However, by
working hard, she managed to complete matric, went to university and is currently
busy with her doctoral degree. Her achievements can be explained by the fact that
a. it provides proof for John Locke’s blank slate theory.
b. children are significantly influenced by the environment.
c. mothers are more important than fathers in the development of children.
d. children can play an active role in their own development.
e. None of the above.
10. Human development begins with a process called
a. meiosis.
b. mitosis.
c. conception.
d. crossover.
e. None of the above
11. The egg and sperm cells are called
a. chromosomes.
b. genes.
