Final Exam: Essay Questions With
Complete Solutions
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,Compare the views of Locke and Rousseau in relationship to the "nature-versus-nurture"
debate. Pages 9-12 - ANS Locke viewed children's development as entirely shaped by
their experience. Therefore, Locke would subscribe to the notion that nurture, our environmental
influences, shape and affect development. Alternatively, Rousseau viewed children as born with
an innate sense of right and wrong and that growth occurred in stages and unfolded
automatically. He is more closely aligned with the nature camp in this issue. Nature is defined as
A
traits, abilities, and capacities that are inherited.One additional note, Rousseau did believe that
the environment could affect these stages, thus taking a contemporary approach to the notion
that behavior and development are shaped by both nature and nurture.
R
Define continuous change and discontinuous change. Pages 10-11 - ANS Continuous
change is gradual, where achievements at one level building on the previous level. Continuous
change is quantitative. Discontinuous change occurs in distinct steps or stages. Behavior and
U
processes are qualitatively different at different stages.
Outline the major points of the critical versus sensitive periods issue encompassing the field of
LA
child development today. Pg. 11 - ANS A critical period is a specific time during
development when a particular event has its greatest consequences. Critical periods occur
when the presence of certain kinds of stimuli are necessary for development to proceed
normally. In a sensitive period, organisms are particularly susceptible to certain kinds of stimuli
in the environment. A sensitive period represents the optimal period for development, but
consequences of absent stimuli are reversible.
C
Identify two advantages of taking a lifespan approach to development. Pgs 11-12 - ANS
The entire period encompassing conception to adolescence is important. Growth and change
continue over the entire lifespan that is reflected in current research. In order to understand
O
social influences on children, we need to understand the people of different ages who make up
the social environment. This allows us to understand the impact of various influences of
individuals in the environment.
D
Identify three future trends likely to emerge in the field of child development. Pgs 12-13` - ANS
The field will become increasingly specialized and new areas of study will emerge. Information
about genes and genetics will influence all spheres of child development. Research will be
influenced by major public-interest issues, such as violence, poverty, childcare and family life.
The increasing diversity of the population will lead to more focus on issues of diversity. A
growing number of professionals from a variety of fields will draw from the field of child
development to pursue their own work.
, List three strategies for assessing information in the field of child development. Pg. 14 - ANS
Consider the source of the advice. Evaluate the credentials of the person providing the advice.
Understand the difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence. Keep cultural
context in mind.Do not assume that widely held beliefs are necessarily true. Scientific evidence
has often found that even some of the most basic presumptions are invalid.
What is child development? Pg. 3 - ANS Child development: takes a scientific approach
focuses on human development, specifically on the process from conception through childhood
and adolescence studies change, growth, consistency, and continuity
What is the scope of the child development field? Pgs. 3-8 - ANS The scope of child
A
development encompasses three main topical areas: physical development cognitive
development personality and social development held development typically examines specific
age categories: prenatal development infant and toddlerhood (birth through age 3) preschool
R
(age 3 through age 6) middle childhood (age 6 through 12) adolescence (age 12 through 20).In
addition, child development must consider the cultural context: broad—such as individualistic
and collectivist orientation specific—such as ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, and genderFinally, it
is important to consider the influences on development: history-graded cohort influences
U
age-graded cohort influences sociocultural graded cohort influences non-normative life events
Clues to the changing perspective of childhood are evident in the culture and the culture's
LA
artifacts. For example, during the medieval times, children were thought of as miniature adults,
and this perspective was portrayed in the clothing they wore and their representations in art of
that time. Consider the perspective of childhood today and give evidence from our society of
that perspective. Pgs. 8-12 - ANS There are many answers that may be given, but primarily
the student should identify the child-centered perspective of our society and then give evidence
that may include (but not limited to): toys, television, and books targeted to specific ages of
C
children laws that protect children from exploitation diversity of schools and preschool programs
for children availability of diverse athletic, cultural, and recreational activities for children
What are the key issues and questions in the field of child development? Pgs. 10-12 - ANS
O
whether developmental change is continuous or discontinuous whether development is largely
governed by critical or sensitive periods during which certain influences or experiences must
occur for development to be normal whether to focus on certain particularly important periods in
D
human development or on the entire life span the nature-nurture question, which focuses on the
relative importance of genetic versus environmental influences
What are the five levels of the environment according to the bioecological approach? Provide an
example of each. Pgs. 27-29 - ANS microsystem—everyday immediate environment
examples may include family, friends, teachers, caregivers mesosystem—layer that links the
structures within the microsystem examples may include connections between children's
teachers and their parents exosystem—social institutions local government, churches, schools
macrosystem—larger cultural influences (outermost level) cultural values, customs and laws
Complete Solutions
A
R
U
LA
C
O
D
,Compare the views of Locke and Rousseau in relationship to the "nature-versus-nurture"
debate. Pages 9-12 - ANS Locke viewed children's development as entirely shaped by
their experience. Therefore, Locke would subscribe to the notion that nurture, our environmental
influences, shape and affect development. Alternatively, Rousseau viewed children as born with
an innate sense of right and wrong and that growth occurred in stages and unfolded
automatically. He is more closely aligned with the nature camp in this issue. Nature is defined as
A
traits, abilities, and capacities that are inherited.One additional note, Rousseau did believe that
the environment could affect these stages, thus taking a contemporary approach to the notion
that behavior and development are shaped by both nature and nurture.
R
Define continuous change and discontinuous change. Pages 10-11 - ANS Continuous
change is gradual, where achievements at one level building on the previous level. Continuous
change is quantitative. Discontinuous change occurs in distinct steps or stages. Behavior and
U
processes are qualitatively different at different stages.
Outline the major points of the critical versus sensitive periods issue encompassing the field of
LA
child development today. Pg. 11 - ANS A critical period is a specific time during
development when a particular event has its greatest consequences. Critical periods occur
when the presence of certain kinds of stimuli are necessary for development to proceed
normally. In a sensitive period, organisms are particularly susceptible to certain kinds of stimuli
in the environment. A sensitive period represents the optimal period for development, but
consequences of absent stimuli are reversible.
C
Identify two advantages of taking a lifespan approach to development. Pgs 11-12 - ANS
The entire period encompassing conception to adolescence is important. Growth and change
continue over the entire lifespan that is reflected in current research. In order to understand
O
social influences on children, we need to understand the people of different ages who make up
the social environment. This allows us to understand the impact of various influences of
individuals in the environment.
D
Identify three future trends likely to emerge in the field of child development. Pgs 12-13` - ANS
The field will become increasingly specialized and new areas of study will emerge. Information
about genes and genetics will influence all spheres of child development. Research will be
influenced by major public-interest issues, such as violence, poverty, childcare and family life.
The increasing diversity of the population will lead to more focus on issues of diversity. A
growing number of professionals from a variety of fields will draw from the field of child
development to pursue their own work.
, List three strategies for assessing information in the field of child development. Pg. 14 - ANS
Consider the source of the advice. Evaluate the credentials of the person providing the advice.
Understand the difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence. Keep cultural
context in mind.Do not assume that widely held beliefs are necessarily true. Scientific evidence
has often found that even some of the most basic presumptions are invalid.
What is child development? Pg. 3 - ANS Child development: takes a scientific approach
focuses on human development, specifically on the process from conception through childhood
and adolescence studies change, growth, consistency, and continuity
What is the scope of the child development field? Pgs. 3-8 - ANS The scope of child
A
development encompasses three main topical areas: physical development cognitive
development personality and social development held development typically examines specific
age categories: prenatal development infant and toddlerhood (birth through age 3) preschool
R
(age 3 through age 6) middle childhood (age 6 through 12) adolescence (age 12 through 20).In
addition, child development must consider the cultural context: broad—such as individualistic
and collectivist orientation specific—such as ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, and genderFinally, it
is important to consider the influences on development: history-graded cohort influences
U
age-graded cohort influences sociocultural graded cohort influences non-normative life events
Clues to the changing perspective of childhood are evident in the culture and the culture's
LA
artifacts. For example, during the medieval times, children were thought of as miniature adults,
and this perspective was portrayed in the clothing they wore and their representations in art of
that time. Consider the perspective of childhood today and give evidence from our society of
that perspective. Pgs. 8-12 - ANS There are many answers that may be given, but primarily
the student should identify the child-centered perspective of our society and then give evidence
that may include (but not limited to): toys, television, and books targeted to specific ages of
C
children laws that protect children from exploitation diversity of schools and preschool programs
for children availability of diverse athletic, cultural, and recreational activities for children
What are the key issues and questions in the field of child development? Pgs. 10-12 - ANS
O
whether developmental change is continuous or discontinuous whether development is largely
governed by critical or sensitive periods during which certain influences or experiences must
occur for development to be normal whether to focus on certain particularly important periods in
D
human development or on the entire life span the nature-nurture question, which focuses on the
relative importance of genetic versus environmental influences
What are the five levels of the environment according to the bioecological approach? Provide an
example of each. Pgs. 27-29 - ANS microsystem—everyday immediate environment
examples may include family, friends, teachers, caregivers mesosystem—layer that links the
structures within the microsystem examples may include connections between children's
teachers and their parents exosystem—social institutions local government, churches, schools
macrosystem—larger cultural influences (outermost level) cultural values, customs and laws
