Ch4. Development Flashcards
Which of the following topics would not be studied by a developmental psychologist?
a
How infants and children react to familiar individuals and strangers from the time they are born until they are five years old
b
Whether sleep habits are associated with academic achievement in 10-year-olds
c
Whether changes in cognitive functioning are observed from adulthood into old age
d
Whether three-year-olds engage in different types of play than five-year-olds or seven-year-olds
b
Whether sleep habits are associated with academic achievement in 10-year-olds.
Biological changes that occur over time are part of what developmental psychologists study. Reactions to strangers (attachment research) are influenced by the caregiver-child bond, and stages of development influence the type of play based on age. Developmental researchers are also interested in cognitive (or brain) development in early childhood through old age. We’ll talk about each of these areas of childhood developmental research throughout the chapter. We won’t cover sleep until states of consciousness in Chapter 6.
Match the provided descriptions of developmental research to the domain of development under investigation:
(Answer Cognitive or Social Development.)
- Examining how language develops over the first two years of life.
- Studying how the characteristics of children’s friendships change as they age.
- Examining how children form close relationships with their caregivers.
- Studying the development of memory from infancy to childhood.
- Studying how children process and interpret the behaviors of their peers at school.
- Examining how children come to understand that their thoughts and feelings may differ from those of their peers.
- Cognitive development
- Social development
- Social development
- Cognitive development
- Social cognition
- Social cognition
Language and memory are cognitive and involve specific regions of the brain. Relationships and friendships are social and involve interactions with others (parents or friends). Interpreting the behavior of peers (e.g., Bandura’s aggression) and how our thoughts and feelings are different from those of others (theory of mind) are social and cognitive. We’ll talk more about each of these areas of research throughout the chapter.
The primary characteristic of the period of the zygote is _________________.
rapid cell division
How is an ectopic pregnancy problematic?
a
The fallopian tube cannot expand to support a growing zygote or contract during childbirth.
b
The uterus cannot expand to support a growing zygote or contract during childbirth.
c
An ectopic pregnancy is not problematic and can proceed without intervention.
d
The uterus could rupture as the zygote grows, resulting in harm to the pregnant woman
The fallopian tube is too small to allow space for rapid cell division and doesn’t provide a mechanism for removing a developed fetus from the mother’s body. The uterus, however, can expand and contract.
Think about the process of twinning, as described above. Which of the following statements is correct?
a
Monozygotic or identical twins can be different sexes.
b
It is possible for a woman to be pregnant with dizygotic or fraternal twins that were conceived by sperm from two different men.
c
Some dizygotic or fraternal twins are genetically identical.
d
Dizygotic or fraternal twins are more alike genetically than two siblings who were born years apart.
b
It is possible for a woman to be pregnant with dizygotic or fraternal twins that were conceived by sperm from two different men.
Explanation
Monozygotic twins come from one egg and one sperm, so the children are going to be genetically identical and therefore the same sex. Dizygotic twins come from two eggs which are fertilized by different sperm (potentially from different men) and are therefore no more closely related than children born years apart.
Period of the fetus is the ______ period of prenatal development, occurring from the ninth week of gestation until birth.
final period
What is the defining feature of the period of the fetus?
a
Implantation of the blastocyst in the uterine wall
b
The brain develops sulci and gyri
c
Rapid cell division
d
The emergence and development of major bodily systems
b
The brain develops sulci and gyri
The brain develops more completely, and the fetus moves so that the head faces the cervix to prepare for childbirth during the period of the fetus.
Which of the following is not a teratogen?
a
Maternal mental illness
b
Cigarette use
c
Illegal drug use
d
Environmental toxins
a
Maternal mental illness
Teratogens originate from outside the mother’s body and could harm a growing fetus. Drugs, toxins, and viral infections are teratogens.
Which of the following is true concerning the ethics of conducting experiments to determine whether teratogens cause negative outcomes in developing humans?
a
It is unethical to randomly assign pregnant women to an experimental condition (e.g., exposure to teratogens) that might negatively impact their developing infant.
b
It is unethical to conduct experiments on teratogens in humans unless their participation is expected to benefit them directly.
c
It is not unethical to assign pregnant women to any experimental condition as long as they are aware of the possible risks beforehand.
d
It is important to know definitively whether an environmental agent is a teratogen, so such research is warranted, even when conducted with humans.
a
It is unethical to randomly assign pregnant women to an experimental condition (e.g., exposure to teratogens) that might negatively impact their developing infant.
It is not ethical to randomly assign participants to receive a treatment that is expected to harm them.
Which of the following statements about teratogens is incorrect?
a
Teratogens cannot cause any negative developmental effects before a person knows they are pregnant.
b
Teratogens do the most damage to major bodily structures during the period of the embryo.
c
Exposure to teratogens during the period of the fetus can cause damage to the brain and negatively impact cognitive functioning over the long term.
d
People who are attempting to become pregnant should limit their exposure to known teratogens.
a
Teratogens cannot cause any negative developmental effects before a person knows they are pregnant.
Whether an individual knows they’re pregnant or not does not affect whether teratogens harm a zygote or embryo. That is, teratogens may affect zygotes or embryos even when individuals are not aware that they are pregnant. For example, drinking water with high levels of lead may harm a developing infant even if the pregnant individual doesn’t know there’s lead in the water or that they are pregnant.
Which of the following is a sleeper effect?
a
A newborn infant experiences increased irritability shortly after birth as a result of prenatal exposure to illegal drugs.
b
Seemingly for the first time, a child experiences difficulty concentrating in class, potentially as a result of prenatal exposure to alcohol.
c
A newborn experiences low birth weight as a result of cigarette exposure in utero.
d
An infant is born with shortened limbs as a result of prenatal exposure to thalidomide.
b
Seemingly for the first time, a child experiences difficulty concentrating in class, potentially as a result of prenatal exposure to alcohol.
Sleeper effects are those that take a while to manifest. Sleeper effects won’t be obvious at birth. The sleeper effects may show up years after birth.
Which of the following is not an outcome experienced by infants who were exposed to Zika in utero?
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a
Stillbirth
b
Stunted limb growth
c
Altered brain development
d
Microcephaly
b
Stunted limb growth
Which of the following is NOT a long-term correlate of prenatal Zika exposure?
a
Extreme friendliness
b
Microcephaly
c
Seizures
d
Motor impairments
a
Extreme friendliness
People can transmit the Zika virus through sexual contact after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and pregnant individuals and developing infants are susceptible to the Zika virus. People should avoid exposure to the Zika virus, especially in places with confirmed cases of the virus.
Which of the following statements regarding associations about the COVID-19 virus, pregnancy, and childbirth is true?
a
Pregnant individuals or those who are considering becoming pregnant during the pandemic should not worry about the impact COVID-19 may have on them or their developing infant.
b
Pregnant individuals or those who are considering becoming pregnant during the pandemic should not consult with medical professionals about the most recent research.
c
One small study revealed no evidence to indicate that COVID-19 was transmitted from pregnant individuals to infants who were born by Cesearean section.
d
Studies conclusively indicate that COVID-19 is not passed from pregnant individuals to their infants during childbirth.
c
One small study revealed no evidence to indicate that COVID-19 was transmitted from pregnant individuals to infants who were born by Cesearean section.
In which of the following examples are children constructing, or actively working toward, developing their own understanding of the world?
a
A child watches his mother as she tries to complete a difficult puzzle.
b
A peer shows a child how to tie her shoe.
c
A child bangs on different items with a wooden spoon to produce different sounds.
d
A child watches her sister drop different toys off the side of her high chair.
c
A child bangs on different items with a wooden spoon to produce different sounds.
In three of the examples, the child is being shown what happens by someone else; the other person is guiding the child’s construct of the world. The child initiating the contact between the spoon and other objects is guiding their own understanding of the world.
A young child is fascinated with animals and, as a result, enjoys going to the zoo. While at the zoo, she encounters the duck-billed platypus, an interesting mammal that bears some physical similarity to a duck and also lays eggs. The child includes this new animal in her existing schema for ducks. Which of the following cognitive processes did this child use to classify the platypus?
a
Equilibration
b
Accommodation
c
Disequilibration
d
Assimilation
d
Assimilation
The platypus is all new information, and the platypus is categorized in an already-existing category, which is assimilation. Had the platypus been organized into a new category, that would be evidence for accommodation.
Which of the following statements is not true about Piagetian theory?
a
Recent research confirms all of Piaget’s findings
b
Piaget’s theory describes cognitive development in ways that are easily accessible and observable
c
Children must progress through each stage in order
d
Some individuals may never achieve the formal operational stage
a
Recent research confirms all of Piaget’s findings.
Theories are not usually unanimously supported by experimental findings, and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is no exception. For example, research with newer methods have not supported some of Piaget’s earlier assertions.
Describe the 4 major stages of development.
- Sensorimotor
Age: 0 to 2 years
Learns about the world largely through motor abilities - Preoperational
Age: 2 to 7 years
Can mentally represent the past, but experiences issues with animism and egocentrism; routinely fails at conservation tasks - Concrete operational
Age: 7 to 11 years
Reasons well about concrete events and routinely passes conservation tasks; still experiences difficulty thinking and reasoning abstractly. - Formal operational
Age: 12 years and up
Able to think and reason about hypothetical situations and/or abstract problems.
–>Some people never reach this stage.
Define Primary Circular Reactions.
Primary circular reactions are where they engage in repeated actions on their own bodies. For example, an infant might routinely suck on different parts of her hand, ultimately learning that certain parts (such as her fingers) are easier to suck on than others (such as her palm). These actions are called “primary” because they are focused on the infant’s own body, and they are called “circular” because infants engage in these behaviours repetitively.
Define Secondary Circular Reactions
Secondary Circular Reactions are repeated actions on objects outside of their own bodies. At this point in time, for example, infants might enjoy repeatedly dropping toys off the side of their high chairs. As infants engage in these behaviors, however, parents might notice that what is out of sight for infants at this age is also out of mind.
Object permanence is required for infants to be successful in which of the following scenarios?
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a
An infant sees her mother walk into an adjacent room and starts playing with a new toy.
b
An infant sees her toy peeking out from under a rug and crawls over to grab it.
c
An infant drops a Cheerio off her high chair and looks to find it.
d
An infant sees a toy on top of her blanket and reaches over to grab it.
c
An infant drops a Cheerio off her high chair and looks to find it.
If a child drops a Cheerio on the floor, the high chair and tray might be in the child’s way, blocking their vision of the Cheerio on the floor. In order to look for the Cheerio on the floor, children must know that objects still exist even when they can’t see them (object permanence).
Which of the following examples describe a situation in which scaffolding is occurring?
a
A mother watches as her son tries to learn to tie his shoes by himself.
b
A father helps his daughter complete difficult math problems by giving her worksheets.
c
A child watches cartoons on an iPad with his younger sister.
d
A grandmother runs behind her grandson’s bike, holding onto the seat until he gains his balance. She then lets go and watches as he rides down the street.
d
A grandmother runs behind her grandson’s bike, holding onto the seat until he gains his balance. She then lets go and watches as he rides down the street.
The grandmother provides the basis for her grandson’s bike riding success. The grandson had some of the skills for riding bicycles in his skill set but could not have gained his balance and pushed off from a stop without her help.
Which of the following conclusions about emotion recognition and mask wearing is correct?
a
Preschool-aged children were less able to accurately infer emotions when adults wore masks relative to elementary schoolers and adult participants.
b
Preschool-aged children and elementary schoolers were less able to accurately infer emotions when adults wore masks relative to adult participants.
c
Elementary schoolers were least able to infer emotions when adults wore masks relative to preschoolers and adult participants.
d
Preschoolers, elementary schoolers, and adults only use facial cues to help them infer emotion.
a
Preschool-aged children were less able to accurately infer emotions when adults wore masks relative to elementary schoolers and adult participants.
According to the video of Harlow’s research, how much time did infant monkeys generally spend on their cloth mothers?
a
Approximately 12 hours per day (an even split amongst both mothers)
b
Approximately 1 hour per day
c
Approximately 17-18 hours per day
d
0 hours per day (all time was spent on the wire mother)
c
Approximately 17-18 hours per day
