intro lecture study questions Flashcards
Marjorie’s case of childhood depression illustrates which characteristic of development?
plasticity
its cumulative nature
its holistic nature
that it is influenced by historical events
plasticity
Plasticity refers to the capacity of the brain and behavior to change in response to experiences.
What does Jessica’s pride in completing a puzzle demonstrate about development?
Development is plastic.
Development is influenced by cultural and historical context.
Development is holistic.
Development is influenced by cultural and historical context
Social stimulation can significantly impact socio-emotional development.
The Great Depression is an example of a(n) _________ on development.
age-graded influence
history-graded influence
nonnormative influence
history-graded influence
History-graded influences are events that affect a specific cohort’s development.
Allie’s progression from painting by numbers to freestyle painting illustrates the ________________ nature of development.
plastic
cumulative
age-graded
cumulative
Cumulative nature of development indicates that earlier experiences impact later abilities.
Rijlaarsdam et al. (2013) showed that SES predicted behavior problems in three-year-olds, but it was working through other variables like maternal depression and harsh discipline. How does this example illustrate the idea of plasticity in development?
If someone is born into a low SES household, he or she is at risk for behavior problems. However, interventions aimed at helping depressed mothers and teaching discipline strategies could reduce that risk.
If someone is born into a low SES household, he or she will develop behavior problems by age three.
If someone is born into a low SES household, he or she will develop behavior problems even if the mother does not suffer from depression.
If someone is born into a low SES household, he or she will develop behavior problems if and only if the parents use harsh discipline.
Interventions can reduce risk of behavior problems for children in low SES households
This shows that environmental factors can modify developmental outcomes.
True or False: A cohort is a group of people born at around the same time.
True
A __________________ is a time during which an experience is NECESSARY for development; a ____________________ is a time during which we BENEFIT MOST from an experience.
sensitive period; critical period
critical period; sensitive period
normative developmental period; a non-normative developmental period
a non-normative developmental period; a normative developmental period
critical period; sensitive period
Critical periods are crucial for certain developmental milestones, while sensitive periods are optimal for learning.
It is important for developmental psychologists to study the mechanisms of change. This means that:
developmental psychologists must explain what caused a certain change during a person’s life
developmental psychologists must accept that culture is solely responsible for changes in a person’s life
developmental psychologists must accept that biology is solely responsible for changes in a person’s life
developmental psychologists must understand that development occurs from conception to death
They must explain what caused a certain change during a person’s life
Understanding mechanisms helps in comprehending how development occurs over time.
Which of the following is closest to the job description of a developmental psychologist?
Dr. Johnson, who studies pronoun use in two-year-olds.
Dr. Adams, who documents changes in pronoun use from two to seven years of age.
Dr. Elliot, who examines changes in the self-concept during early childhood.
Dr. Freidman, who investigates how changes in pronoun use from two to seven years of age are related to changes in the self-concept during that period.
Dr. Freidman, who investigates how changes in pronoun use from two to seven years of age are related to changes in the self-concept during that period
This reflects a comprehensive understanding of developmental processes.
Why was Esther Thelen’s work on the stepping reflex significant?
It illustrated the importance of searching for mechanisms of development.
It showed that experience fully explains the development of walking.
It showed that maturation explains the development of walking.
It illustrated that experience has nothing to do with the development of walking.
It illustrated the importance of searching for mechanisms of development
Her work emphasized that both experience and maturation play roles in development.
