Unit 1 - The Nature of Child Development: Introduction

Question 1

Define Natural Selection

Answer 1

Darwin, depends on variations among species members;will tend to the preservation of that individual, and will generally be inherited by its offspring. The offspring, also, will thus have a better chance of surviving.

Question 2

What’s a reflex?

Answer 2

Relationship between a specific event and a simple response to that event - not all useful and are highly stereotypic

Question 3

What is a Model Action Pattern (MAP)?

Answer 3

A series of related acts found in all or nearly all member of a species (aka instincts).also Fixed action pattern or species specific behaviour. Differ from reflexes as they are more complex and more variable

Question 4

Once a species is well adapted to its environment, the rule seems to be:

Answer 4

no change in the environment, no change in the species.

Question 5

What is a releaser?

Answer 5

An event that triggers a model action pattern

Question 6

Do MAP’s evolve through Natural Selection?

Answer 6

Yes, because they contribute to the survival of the species.

Question 7

What are general behaviour traits?

Answer 7

the tendency to engage in a certain kind of behavior. Examples include the tendency to be shy (or outgoing), aggressive (or mild-mannered), adventurous (or cautious), anxious (or relaxed), and obsessive-compulsive (or impulsive).

Question 8

How do General Behaviour Traits and MAP’s differ?

Answer 8

modal action patterns are elicited by fairly specific kinds of environmental events, called releasers; Behavior traits, on the other hand, occur in a wide variety of situations. . plasticity of the behavior is another difference. Behaviour traits are more variable.

Question 9

Natural selection produces three categories of behaviour, which are:

Answer 9

Modal Action Patterns
General Behavior Traits
Reflexive Behaviour

Question 10

What is the chief problem with natural selection as a way of coping?

Answer 10

It is slow

Question 11

Natural selection helps the ____ adapt to change, not the ______

Answer 11

Species; Individual

Question 12

What are mutations?

Answer 12

abrupt changes in genes,

Question 13

What is hybridization?

Answer 13

the cross-breeding of closely related species, can also aid species adaptation

Question 14

Define learning

Answer 14

a change in behavior due to experience/the environment

Question 15

What else does learning mean?

Answer 15

Learning means a change in some aspect of behavior such as its frequency, intensity, speed, or
form

Question 16

Define “behavior”

Answer 16

Behavior may be defined as anything a person or other animal does that can be measured. if it can be measured, it qualifies as behavior.