Chapter Five

Question 1

developmental psychology

Answer 1

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.

Question 2

Developmental researchers who emphasize learning and experience are supporting ___________; those who emphasize biological maturation are supporting ___________.

Answer 2

continuity; stages.

Question 3

What findings in psychology support (1) the stage theory of development and (2) the idea of stability in personality across the life span?

Answer 3

(1) Stage theory is supported by the work of Piaget (cognitive development), Kohlberg (moral development), and Erikson (psychosocial development). (2) Some traits, such as temperament, exhibit remarkable stability across many years.

Question 4

zygote

Answer 4

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo.

Question 5

embryo

Answer 5

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month.

Question 6

fetus

Answer 6

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth.

Question 7

teratogens

Answer 7

(literally, “monster makers”) agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

Question 8

habituation

Answer 8

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

Question 9

Infants’ ___________ to repeated stimulation helps developmental psychologists study what they can learn and remember.

Answer 9

habituation

Question 10

maturation

Answer 10

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

Question 11

The biological growth process, called _____________, explains why most children begin walking by about 12 to 15 months.

Answer 11

maturation

Question 12

cognition

Answer 12

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Question 13

schema

Answer 13

concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

Question 14

assimilation

Answer 14

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas.

Question 15

accommodation

Answer 15

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information.

Question 16

sensorimotor stage

Answer 16

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.

Question 17

object permanence

Answer 17

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived.

Question 18

preoperational stage

Answer 18

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic.

Question 19

conservation

Answer 19

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects.

Question 20

egocentrism

Answer 20

in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view.

Question 21

theory of mind

Answer 21

people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict.

Question 22

concrete operational stage

Answer 22

in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events.

Question 23

formal operational stage

Answer 23

in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

Question 24

scaffold

Answer 24

in Vygotsky’s theory, a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking.

Question 25

Object permanence, pretend play, conservation, and abstract logic are developmental milestones for which of Piaget’s stages, respectively?

Answer 25

Object permanence for the sensorimotor stage, pretend play for the preoperational stage, conservation for the concrete operational stage, and abstract logic for the formal operational stage.

Question 26

Match the correct cognitive developmental stage (a–d) to each developmental phenomenon (1–6).
Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete operational
Formal operational
Thinking about abstract concepts, such as “freedom.”
Enjoying imaginary play (such as dress-up).
Understanding that physical properties stay the same even when objects change form.
Having the ability to reverse math operations.
Understanding that something is not gone for good when it disappears from sight, as when Mom “disappears” behind the shower curtain.
Having difficulty taking another’s point of view (as when blocking someone’s view of the TV).

Answer 26

1. d, 2. b, 3. c, 4. c, 5. a, 6. b

Question 27

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Answer 27

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors.

Question 28

What does theory of mind have to do with autism spectrum disorder?

Answer 28

Theory of mind focuses on our ability to understand our own and others’ mental states. Those with autism spectrum disorder struggle with this ability.

Question 29

stranger anxiety

Answer 29

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age.

Question 30

attachment

Answer 30

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation.

Question 31

critical period

Answer 31

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.

Question 32

imprinting

Answer 32

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life.

Question 33

What distinguishes imprinting from attachment?

Answer 33

Attachment is the normal process by which we form emotional ties with important others. Imprinting occurs only in certain animals that have a critical period very early in their development during which they must form their attachments, and they do so in an inflexible manner.

Question 34

basic trust

Answer 34

according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers.

Question 35

self-concept

Answer 35

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”

Question 36

The four parenting styles may be described as “too hard, too soft, too uncaring, and just right.” Which parenting style goes with each of these descriptions, and how do children benefit from the “just right” style?

Answer 36

The authoritarian style would be described as too hard, the permissive style too soft, the negligent style too uncaring, and the authoritative style just right. Parents using the authoritative style tend to have children with high self-esteem, self-reliance, self-regulation, and social competence.

Question 37

adolescence

Answer 37

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

Question 38

puberty

Answer 38

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing.

Question 39

According to Kohlberg, ___________ morality focuses on self-interest, ___________ morality focuses on self-defined ethical principles, and ___________ morality focuses on upholding laws and social rules.

Answer 39

preconventional; postconventional; conventional.

Question 40

How has Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning been criticized?

Answer 40

Kohlberg’s work reflected an individualist worldview, so his theory is less culturally universal than he supposed.

Question 41

identity

Answer 41

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles.

Question 42

social identity

Answer 42

the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships.

Question 43

intimacy

Answer 43

in Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood.

Question 44

emerging adulthood

Answer 44

a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults.

Question 45

RP-13 Match the psychosocial development stage below (1–8) with the issue that Erikson believed we wrestle with at that stage (a–h).
Infancy
Toddlerhood
Preschool
Elementary school
Adolescence
Young adulthood
Middle adulthood
Late adulthood
Generativity vs. stagnation
Integrity vs. despair
Initiative vs. guilt
Intimacy vs. isolation
Identity vs. role confusion
Competence vs. inferiority
Trust vs. mistrust
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt

Answer 45

1. g, 2. h, 3. c, 4. f, 5. e, 6. d, 7. a, 8. b

Question 46

menopause

Answer 46

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines.

Question 47

cross-sectional study

Answer 47

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time.

Question 48

longitudinal study

Answer 48

research that follows and retests the same people over time.

Question 49

neurocognitive disorders (NCDs)

Answer 49

acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse. In older adults, neurocognitive disorders were formerly called dementia.

Question 50

Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 50

a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities.

Question 51

social clock

Answer 51

the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement.

Question 52

Freud defined the healthy adult as one who is able to ___________ and to ___________ .

Answer 52

love; work

Question 53

What are some of the most significant challenges and rewards of growing old?

Answer 53

Challenges: decline of muscular strength, reaction times, stamina, sensory keenness, cardiac output, and immune system functioning. Risk of cognitive decline increases. Rewards: positive feelings tend to grow, negative emotions are less intense, and anger, stress, worry, and social-relationship problems decrease.