Exam Revision

Question 1

What is the Primary focus of the Nature vs Nurture debate in developmental psychology?

Answer 1

The role of genetics (Physiological and Cognitive factors) and the environment (Cultural) on development

Question 2

In Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, what is the concept of “object permanence”?

Answer 2

The understanding that objects still exist even when out of sight

Question 3

According to Lev Vygotsky, what is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?

Answer 3

The difference between what a learner can do independently and with assistance

Question 4

What does “nature” primarily refer to in the Nature vs. Nurture debate?

Answer 4

Genetic Factors

Question 5

In Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, what is the role of cultural tools in cognitive development?

Answer 5

Cultural tools, such as language and shared knowledge, play a significant role in cognitive development.

Question 6

What is a cognitive benefit of symbolic play in child development?

Answer 6

Enhanced problem-solving abilities

Question 7

What are protective factors in the context of resilience to trauma?

Answer 7

Conditions or characteristics that enhance an individual’s ability to recover from traumatic experiences

Question 8

According to Piaget, what characterizes the Concrete Operational Stage of cognitive development?

Answer 8

Improved logical thinking and the understanding of conservation

Question 9

What does “resilience” refer to in the context of trauma and development?

Answer 9

The ability to adapt and recover from adversity

Question 10

According to the attraction-similarity model, what do people tend to find attractive?

Answer 10

Individuals who are similar to themselves

Question 11

Which sociocultural factor significantly influences what is considered acceptable or desirable in a romantic partner?

Answer 11

Cultural norms and expectations

Question 12

How do critical periods relate to the impact of trauma on development?

Answer 12

Critical periods refer to stages that are most vulnerable to the effects of trauma.

Question 13

What best describes symbolic play or pretend play in child development?

Answer 13

A crucial developmental stage where children use symbols and imagination to represent other things

Question 14

What is the Halo Effect, and how does it influence our perception of people in the context of attraction and relationships?

Answer 14

To form deep friendships

Question 15

Discuss the effects of trauma on language development, emotional and social development, and cognitive development based on Genie’s case.

Answer 15

• Based on Genie’s case she was subjected to physical and mental abuse which stunted her language development to that of a toddler.
• She couldn’t recognise any words other than her name and the word ‘sorry’ which is likely a byproduct of the abuse from her father.

Question 16

Discuss the concept of resilience in the context of trauma and its effects on development. What are protective factors, and how do they contribute to an individual’s ability to recover from traumatic experiences?

Answer 16

Protective factors are factors (things like supportive friends and family, religion, practical skills and a sense of self-worth) that build up the a person’s resilience and aid them in bouncing back from adversity.

Question 17

How does the Social Penetration Theory explain the process of deepening interpersonal relationships? Discuss the concept of self-disclosure and its role in this theory.

Answer 17

The social penetration theory proposes that as relationships develop, interpersonal communication moves from relatively shallow, non-intimate levels to deeper, more intimate ones.

Self-disclosure involves sharing thoughts, feelings, and experiences with others, typically surrounding emotionally relevant and often difficult life experiences.

Question 18

What is the Halo Effect, and how does it influence our perception of people in the context of attraction and relationships?

Give examples of how the Halo Effect can affect our judgment of potential romantic partners.

Answer 18

The halo effect is the tendency for positive impressions of a person, company, country, brand, or product in one area to positively or negatively influence one’s opinion or feelings in other areas.

The halo effect may influence the opinion of our romantic partners my masking some of their flaws to complete a perfect image of that person.

Question 19

What is the Antidote to Criticism

Answer 19

Criticism: Attacks a person’s very character.

Antidote: using a soft or gentle start-up. Avoid saying “you,” which can indicate blame, and instead talk about your feelings using “I” statements and express what you need in a positive way.

Question 19

What is the antidote to contempt?

Answer 19

Contempt: Contempt shows up in statements that come from a position of moral superiority. Some examples of contempt include sarcasm, cynicism, name-calling, eye-rolling, sneering, mockery, and hostile humour.

Antidote: The antidote to contempt is to build a culture of appreciation and respect in your relationship,

Question 20

What is the antidote to defensiveness?

Answer 20

Defensiveness: Defensiveness is defined as self-protection in the form of righteous indignation or innocent victimhood in an attempt to ward off a perceived attack.

Antidote: Taking responsibility for part of the conflict (trying to leave too early), even while asserting that they don’t like to be late, this partner prevents the conflict from escalating by admitting their role in the conflict. From here, this couple can work towards a compromise.

Question 21

What is the antidote to stonewalling?

Answer 21

Stonewalling: Stonewalling is when someone completely withdraws from a conflict discussion and no longer responds to their partner

Antidote: The antidote to stonewalling is to practice physiological self-soothing, and the first step of self-soothing is to stop the conflict discussion and call a timeout:

Question 22

Explain Equity Theory and provide an example of how Equity Theory might be applied to understand infidelity in a relationship.

Answer 22

Equity Theory: Suggests that people are more satisfied with a relationship in which there is equal give and take by both parties.

Since the equity theory states that people are more satisfied when there is an equal give and take by both people in the relationship infidelity is likely caused by one party not contributing enough in the relationship causing the other one to resort to cheating to feel more satisfied.

Question 23

Provide an example of how the ZPD can be applied in an educational setting to support a child’s learning.

Answer 23

The core idea of the ZPD is that a more knowledgeable person can enhance a student’s learning by guiding them through a task slightly above their ability level. As the student becomes more competent, the expert gradually stops helping until the student can perform the skill by themselves.

Question 24

Explain the cognitive and social benefits of symbolic play and how it contributes to cognitive and emotional growth in children.

Answer 24

Cognitive: : Children learn many new skills through imitation. While engaging in symbolic play, they act out behaviors and scenarios they’ve observed in their daily life.

Emotional: Symbolic play can help give your child the tools and practice of being able to view the world around them through someone else’s perspective.

Question 25

How does Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory explain child development?

Answer 25

Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory asserts that learning is an essentially social process in which the support of parents, caregivers, peers and the wider society and culture plays a crucial role in the development of higher psychological functions.

Question 26

How do Piaget’s stages of cognitive development explain child development

Answer 26

To Piaget, cognitive development was a progressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of biological maturation and environmental experience. Children construct an understanding of the world around them, then experience discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover in their environment.

Question 27

Explain the Mere Exposure Effect and how it relates to the development of attraction in relationships. Provide examples of how this effect may be observed in real-life situations.

Answer 27

The mere-exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop liking or disliking for things merely because they are familiar with them. In social psychology, this effect is sometimes called the familiarity principle.

Question 28

Can the Mere Exposure Effect and the Halo Effect work in synergy to influence our attraction to someone? Provide a scenario to illustrate how these two psychological phenomena might interplay in forming romantic interest.

Answer 28

The mere exposure effect implies that people are more attracted to people they are familiar with rather than strangers and the halo effect implies that people view positive traits far more favourably and are more willing to disregard negative ones.

In terms of romantic interest, the mere exposure effect makes it so they are attracted to someone familiar to them and the halo effect makes it so their negative traits are looked over more often which creates an image of the perfect person.