Developmental Psychology Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which factor is primarily debated in the nature versus nurture issue in development?

Attachment styles

Heredity vs environment (correct)

Critical periods

Qualitative changes

What characterizes a critical period in development?

Specific events must occur for normal development (correct)

Developmental milestones are gradually achieved

Learning can take place at any age

Optimal learning occurs without pressure

Which of the following describes continuity in development?

Gradual and stable growth over time (correct)

Emergence of skills followed by disappearance

Development characterized by rapid, distinct phases

Periodic regressions in skills and abilities

What does a longitudinal study primarily involve?

Testing the same individuals multiple times over years Signup and view all the answers

At what age do infants typically show a preference for their mother?

6 to 8 months Signup and view all the answers

Which type of research design combines the elements of cross-sectional and longitudinal methods?

Sequential design Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'attachment' primarily refer to in development?

Close emotional bonds between infants and caregivers Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about attachment development is true?

Maternal sensitivity contributes to attachment styles Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential effect of negative, over-controlling parenting on an adult's self-perception?

Feelings of guilt and inadequacy Signup and view all the answers

During the Industry versus Inferiority stage, what is a key outcome for children who learn to function well outside the family?

Sense of competence and pride in achievement Signup and view all the answers

What primarily contributes to behavioral maturity as individuals transition from adolescence to adulthood?

Gradual changes in brain matter and emotional regulation Signup and view all the answers

What cognitive characteristic typically emerges during adolescence?

Enhanced reasoning abilities and egocentrism Signup and view all the answers

What does research suggest about cognitive functioning in older adults?

Use it or lose it; engagement in cognitive activities can maintain function Signup and view all the answers

Which type of exercise is associated with generating new neurons in the hippocampus during later adulthood?

Aerobic exercise Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about cognitive processing in adulthood is most accurate?

Adult intellectual changes can include slower processing speed Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about cognitive abilities in older adults?

Cognitive functions decline in a predictable manner for all individuals Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable characteristic of cognitive development in adulthood?

Enhanced efficiency in processing information Signup and view all the answers

What cognitive development occurs as adolescents gain new reasoning skills?

Ability to think abstractly with reduced impulsiveness Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of moral development does Kohlberg's Stage Theory primarily focus on?

Moral reasoning Signup and view all the answers

At which level of Kohlberg's theory is moral reasoning primarily concerned with avoiding punishment?

Pre-conventional Level Signup and view all the answers

Which stage within the Conventional Level reflects an orientation towards obeying societal laws?

Stage 4 Signup and view all the answers

In which stage of Erikson's theory does the conflict between trust and mistrust primarily occur?

Trust versus Mistrust Signup and view all the answers

What outcome is expected if a child successfully navigates the Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt stage?

Sense of self-sufficiency Signup and view all the answers

What is a key assumption of Kohlberg's Stage Theory?

Stages occur in an invariant sequence Signup and view all the answers

What might signify a child’s struggle with Initiative versus Guilt according to Erikson?

Experiencing fear of parental approval Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Stage 2 in Kohlberg's Pre-conventional Level?

Satisfying personal needs Signup and view all the answers

What outcome might occur if a child's basic needs are poorly met during the Trust versus Mistrust stage?

Distrusting personality Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between moral development and behavior according to Kohlberg?

Higher stages strengthen relationship between reasoning and behavior Signup and view all the answers

What stage reflects a focus on maintaining the approval of friends and family?

Stage 3 Signup and view all the answers

What is associated with the transition from the Pre-conventional to the Conventional Level?

Understanding of social rules and laws Signup and view all the answers

During which stage does a child begin to experiment and take initiative while sometimes conflicting with parental rules?

Initiative versus Guilt Signup and view all the answers

What is a fundamental principle of the Post-conventional Level?

Morality reflects self-chosen ethical principles Signup and view all the answers

Which type of attachment is characterized by infants who are upset when the mother leaves but comforted upon her return?

Secure attachment Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome for securely attached infants as they develop into toddlers?

Greater resilience and social skills Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is least likely to contribute to the quality of attachment between parent and child?

Geographical location Signup and view all the answers

Which cultural norm is associated with a high percentage of avoidant attachment patterns?

German culture Signup and view all the answers

What is the suggested impact of daycare on attachment if provided in a good environment?

May enhance attachment security in some children Signup and view all the answers

What attachment style is likely to be escalated by a child's frequent experiences of maternal separation?

Anxious-ambivalent attachment Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe parenting that is controlling and unresponsive, often leading to negative outcomes for children?

Authoritarian parenting Signup and view all the answers

According to the research, what do difficult babies generally contribute to their mothers' responsiveness?

Reduced maternal responsiveness Signup and view all the answers

What does research suggest about the relationship between attachment styles in infants and adults' future romantic relationships?

Insecure attachments lead to poorer relationship choices Signup and view all the answers

How does the environment contribute to a child's attachment style, according to Belsky's perspective?

Shapes the entire outcome of social developments Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected outcome for children raised by neglectful parents?

They often display aggressive and impulsive behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What element in child-rearing styles contributes to the development of self-centered tendencies in children?

Indulgent parenting Signup and view all the answers

How does culture impact the development of attachment styles in children?

Cultural values dictate parenting practices Signup and view all the answers

What behavior is typically exhibited by infants having avoidant attachment styles?

Engage little with the mother and show no distress upon separation Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

Cognitive development occurs in a series of predefined stages. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines accommodation in Piaget's theory?

A change in an existing schema based on new information. Signup and view all the answers

In which stage of Piaget’s cognitive development does a child develop object permanence?

Sensorimotor period Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic is NOT typical of the preoperational period according to Piaget?

Mastery of conservation Signup and view all the answers

During which stage do children begin to understand the concept of reversibility?

Concrete operational period Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following abilities is characteristic of the formal operational stage?

Ability to apply logic and think systematically Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects a common misconception regarding Piaget's stages?

Development is continuous rather than stage-based. Signup and view all the answers

What is centration in the context of Piaget's preoperational stage?

The ability to think about one aspect of a problem. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a critique of Piaget's stage theory?

It does not consider individual differences in development. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of egocentrism in children according to Piaget?

Assuming that others see the world exactly as they do. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following developments occurs in the sensorimotor stage?

Understanding object permanence. Signup and view all the answers

In the concrete operational stage, what critical cognitive skill begins to decline?

Egocentrism Signup and view all the answers

What impact does culture have on Piaget's stages of cognitive development?

Cultural differences can affect the age at which stages are reached. Signup and view all the answers

How does Piaget define schemas in the context of cognitive development?

Dynamic mental representations of how the world works. Signup and view all the answers

Which stage is primarily focused on logical reasoning with tangible objects?

Concrete operational stage Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Major Issues in Development

Nature vs. nurture: The debate on whether heredity or environment plays a more significant role in development.
Critical and sensitive periods: Critical periods are stages where specific events must occur for development to proceed (e.g., sight). Sensitive periods involve optimal times for development (e.g., language).
Continuity vs. discontinuity: Whether development is a gradual process (continuity) or involves distinct, qualitative changes (discontinuity) across the lifespan.

Types of Developmental Change

No change: Some functions (e.g., breathing, burping) remain relatively constant throughout life.
Continuous change: Some abilities develop gradually and remain consistent over time (e.g., some forms of intelligence).
Stages: Development can involve distinct stages, each with rapid shifts from the previous one (e.g., cognitive abilities).
Inverted U-shaped function: Abilities emerge, peak, and then decline with age (e.g., separation anxiety, visual acuity).
U-shaped function: Abilities are present early, disappear temporarily, and then reappear later in development (e.g., newborns turning towards off-centered sounds).

Research Designs for Studying Development

Cross-sectional design: Compares people of different age groups at one point in time (e.g., 10, 20, 30-year-olds).
Longitudinal design: Repeatedly tests the same group of people over a long period of time (tracking the same individuals).
Sequential design: A combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, allowing researchers to compare different age groups at multiple time points.

Attachment

Attachment definition: Close emotional bonds between infants and caregivers.
Progression of attachments: Begins with the mother, but expands to include fathers, grandparents, and others over time.
Emergence of attachment: Attachment develops gradually, not immediately.
Attachment and temperament: Babies with more difficult temperaments (fussy, irritable) can impact a parent's responsiveness, which can affect attachment style.
Role of mother and baby: Both maternal sensitivity and child temperament influence the attachment process.

Styles of Attachment

Secure attachment: Babies feel secure in the mother's presence, show distress when she leaves, and are comforted when she returns.
Anxious-ambivalent attachment: Babies are anxious around the mother, protest strongly when she leaves, and are not easily comforted when she returns.
Avoidant attachment: Babies show little interest in the mother, show little distress when she leaves, and are not easily comforted when she returns.

Effects of Secure Attachment

Resilience and competence: Securely attached infants often become resilient, competent toddlers with high self-esteem.
Preschool years: Display more persistence, curiosity, self-reliance, and leadership.
Elementary years: Develop stronger social skills, more close friends.
Potential adult predictions: Early attachment patterns may influence adult relationship patterns and other aspects of life.

Role of Culture in Attachment

Universal aspects: Some aspects of attachment (e.g., stranger anxiety) appear to be universal across cultures.
Cultural variations: Child-rearing practices and cultural norms influence attachment styles with notable differences across countries (US/Canada vs. Germany vs. Japan).

Importance of Attachment

Evolutionary perspective: Attachment serves an evolutionary purpose, as it increases the likelihood of infant survival.
Biological factors: Infants are biologically programmed to elicit affectionate responses from caregivers.
Reproductive fitness: Attachment helps children develop important social skills necessary for future relationships and reproduction in adulthood.

Attachment Deprivation

Harlow's monkey study: Harlow's experiments demonstrated the importance of early social interactions and attachments for normal socioemotional development. Socially isolated monkeys had impairments.
Isolated children: Studies of children raised in isolation also highlight the profound impact of early social experiences on development.

Day Care and Attachment

Potential negative impact: Frequent separations from primary caregivers (especially in poor quality daycares).
Potential benefits: High-quality day care can be beneficial in some cases where the home environment may not be supportive.
Cultural relativity: In some cultures, communal child rearing is the norm, where children develop attachments with multiple caregivers, not just one.

Styles of Parenting

Authoritative: Warm, controlling, clear rules, and explanations.
Authoritarian: Controlling, cold, unresponsive.
Indulgent: Warm, but lack guidance and discipline.
Neglectful: Lacking warmth or rules and guidance.

Stage Theories

Definition: Development stages representing periods where specific behaviours and capacities are established.
Assumptions: Stages occur in a specific order, progression is related to age, and development involves abrupt transitions.

Cognitive Development (Piaget)

Focus: Transitions in thinking patterns, including reasoning, memory, and problem-solving.
Schema concept: Brain’s representation of how the world works.

Piaget's Assimilation and Accommodation

Assimilation: Incorporating new experiences into existing schemas (e.g., labeling a horse a “big dogie").
Accommodation: Modifying schemas to fit new experiences (e.g., realizing a cat is not a “dogie").

Piaget's Four Stages of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor: Birth to 2 years - Object permanence begins to develop; symbolic thought emerges.
Preoperational: 2 to 7 years - Symbolic thinking grows, but conservation, centration, irreversibility, and egocentrism are present).
Concrete operational: 7 to 11 years - Mental operations involving concrete objects are possible; decentration and reversibility develop.
Formal operational: 11 years and onward - Mental operations involving abstract concepts are achieved.

Evaluating Piaget's Theory

Research support: Research has shown support for the general framework of Piaget's theory.
Limitations: Piaget's theory underestimates development at certain ages, and doesn't fully account for individual differences.

Sociocultural Context of Cognitive Development (Vygotsky)

Focus: The role of social interaction in cognitive development.
Zone of proximal development (ZPD): The difference between a learner’s potential with assistance versus what they can accomplish independently.

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

Focus: Moral reasoning processes, not necessarily behavior.
Levels:
- Preconventional: Morality based on consequences (avoid punishment, satisfy needs).
- Conventional: Morality based on social norms and rules.
- Postconventional: Morality based on self-chosen ethical principles (justice, fairness, etc.).

Erikson's Psychosocial Stages

Focus: Social development across the lifespan.
Stages: 8 stages, each with a psychosocial crisis that focuses on social relationships. The first four are critical for most courses.

Adolescent and Adult Development Concepts

Adolescent brain development: Development continues into late adolescence and early adulthood with various changes to the brain, focusing on the frontal cortex.
Adolescent egocentrism: The tendency of adolescents to focus on themselves, impacting decision making
Cognitive development through adulthood: Declines in cognitive factors (e.g., memory); however, exercise, social stimulation, and good health can benefit cognitive maintenance in older adulthood.

Maintaining Cognitive Functioning

Use it or lose it: Cognitive stimulation and engagement are crucial for preserving cognitive functioning.
Lifestyle factors: Physical activity, healthy diet, and social interaction are important for cognitive health.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts in developmental psychology, including nature versus nurture, critical periods, and attachment. This quiz covers various research methodologies and stages of development, providing an overview of important theories and findings in the field.