Developmental Psychology: Nature vs. Nurture

Questions and Answers

Which of the following statements is similar to Plato's view on the question of nature and nurture in development?

Children are born knowing things. (correct)

Children will develop optimally on their own, without interference from others.

Infants are innately good.

Infants are blank slates, and have no knowledge.

In a cross-sectional design:

Children of different ages are studied at the same time. (correct)

The same children are studied repeatedly over a short period of time.

Individual patterns of change are observed over long periods of time.

Individual patterns of change over a short period of time are revealed.

Which of the following statements is true about the role of nature in development?

It explains how biology, nutrition, and disease affect rates of growth.

It focuses on cultural differences in child-rearing practices.

It refers to environmental and experiential influences on development.

It refers to all the biological and genetic factors that influence development. (correct)

How in the deserted island example did we evaluate the effect of nurture on development?

Children who all have the same genes (clones) experienced varying nutrition, exercise, etc. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best explains epigenetics?

Development results from the constant interplay between genetics and environment. Signup and view all the answers

Prenatal screening tests typically occur early in pregnancy.

True Signup and view all the answers

Of all of the senses, ______________ is the least developed before birth.

sight Signup and view all the answers

One way in which genes and environment work together in development is through niche-picking. An example of niche-picking is:

An active child choosing to participate in many athletic events. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following has the longest sensitivity period for teratogens?

Central nervous system Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true about newborns' visual acuity?

It is very poor, and rapidly develops. Signup and view all the answers

The development of the use of monocular depth cues, or cues that can be used even with just one eye, can be measured by:

Presenting objects to the infant and noting what they reach for. Signup and view all the answers

Joyce is interested in whether infants can tell the differences between male faces and female faces. Which of the following is most like what Joyce probably did in her study?

Present two faces side by side and measure how long they looked at each. Signup and view all the answers

Ndidi is interested in how infants come to understand that the same object can be experienced in different modalities. Ndidi's view is closest to which of the following theories?

Intersensory redundancy Signup and view all the answers

According to a maturational explanation of motor development, the fact that infants progress through motor milestones in roughly the same order is due to:

A genetic blueprint for motor development. Signup and view all the answers

One piece of evidence that supports the nativist view of language development is:

Language is only observed in humans. Signup and view all the answers

The story of Genie, the child who was raised without exposure to language, helps to illustrate which aspect of language development?

The role of critical periods in language development. Signup and view all the answers

One hypothesis is that language is learned primarily as a part of social interactions. What behaviors are observed in infancy that support this hypothesis?

A parent following a child's gaze or point and commenting on what interests the child. Signup and view all the answers

Children have several biases, or constraints, for helping them to learn the meanings of new words. This constraint is called:

The mutual exclusivity constraint. Signup and view all the answers

When children use words like 'goed' or 'feets':

They are engaging in overregularization. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Nature vs. Nurture

Plato believed children are born with innate knowledge, contrasting with the view that infants start as blank slates.
The role of nature in development encompasses all biological and genetic factors influencing growth.

Research Designs

Cross-sectional design involves studying different age groups at the same time, allowing comparison across developmental stages.
Nurture's effects can be assessed through examples like children with identical genes experiencing varied environments.

Epigenetics

Epigenetics illustrates the dynamic interaction between genetics and environmental influences in shaping development.

Prenatal Development

Prenatal screening tests are commonly performed early in pregnancy to assess genetic risks for the fetus.
Sight is the least developed sense prior to birth, with newborns having very poor visual acuity that improves rapidly.

Motor and Sensory Development

Niche-picking allows children to select environments and experiences that complement their natural tendencies.
The central nervous system has the longest sensitivity period for teratogens, indicating critical development stages.

Visual and Auditory Perception

Newborns' visual acuity is characterized by rapid development, transitioning from very poor vision.
Visual preference procedures assess infants' ability to differentiate between male and female faces.

Theories of Development

Intermodal perception, or intersensory redundancy, explains how infants integrate information from different sensory modalities.
Motor development follows a genetic blueprint, with infants progressing through milestones in a consistent order.

Language Development

The nativist perspective argues that language is uniquely human, with critical periods influencing language acquisition.
Development can be fostered through social interactions, with behaviors such as parent-child engagement supporting language learning.

Constraints in Language Learning

Children exhibit biases when learning new words, such as assuming unfamiliar words reference objects without existing labels, known as the mutual exclusivity constraint.
Overregularization is evident when children incorrectly apply language rules, such as using "goed" instead of "went."

Key Takeaways

Understanding the interplay of nature and nurture, the importance of epigenetics, and the critical roles of social interaction and sensory development are essential in child development studies.

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Description

Explore the fascinating debate of nature versus nurture in developmental psychology. This quiz delves into the impact of genetics, environment, and epigenetics on growth and development through various research designs and stages. Test your knowledge on prenatal development, sensory growth, and the interplay between biology and environment.