Psyc Module 2

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Questions and Answers

What is the role of epigenetic mechanisms in genetic expression?

They entirely change the DNA sequence.

They are responsible for gene replication.

They determine the overall number of chromosomes.

They regulate which genes are activated or deactivated. (correct)

How does a parent's interaction with an offspring influence genetic expression?

It prevents any epigenetic changes from occurring.

It solely changes the offspring's physical traits.

It can activate epigenetic mechanisms that affect the offspring. (correct)

It has no significant effect on genetic traits.

What do prenatal predictive-adaptive responses refer to?

The unborn child's reliance on external factors for survival.

The fetus's ability to eliminate unnecessary genes.

The fetus's capacity to predict future environmental conditions based on current cues. (correct)

The genetic inheritance passed from father to offspring.

What is a characteristic of dominant-recessive inheritance?

A single dominant gene can determine the phenotype. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes multifactorial inheritance from other inheritance patterns?

It is influenced by both genes and environmental interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant strength of the psychoanalytic perspective in child development?

It highlights the essential role of parental influence on childhood experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable weakness of the psychoanalytic theory as it pertains to child development?

Many of its concepts come from individual case studies which are hard to generalize. Signup and view all the answers

What does the humanistic perspective emphasize in relation to personal growth?

It asserts every individual has an inherent drive for personal growth. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary strength of behaviorism according to the discussed theories?

It provides an accurate account of how behaviors are learned. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a notable weakness of Piagetian Theory of Cognitive Development?

It underestimates children's reasoning abilities. Signup and view all the answers

What does Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory emphasize as crucial for cognitive development?

Social interactions and communication. Signup and view all the answers

According to the information processing theory, which factor changes human cognitive functioning?

Brain maturation and practice. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant limitation of Bandura’s Social-Cognitive theory?

Biological influences are underemphasized. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary strength of Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory?

It examines individual and contextual variables over time. Signup and view all the answers

One weakness of learning theories is that they typically do not address which aspect of development?

Changes throughout the lifespan. Signup and view all the answers

What is an inherent optimism found in strength-based approaches to development?

People possess the ability to control and shape their well-being. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of human cognition does the information processing theory fail to provide?

An overall picture of cognitive development. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant weakness related to verbal instructions in Vygotsky’s theory?

They may not be effective in certain cultural contexts. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Epigenetics and Gene Expression

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression by signaling genes to activate or deactivate.
Specific genes turn on to produce proteins necessary for cellular structure.
Parental interactions can trigger epigenetic mechanisms that influence offspring development.
Epigenetic changes in parents can be inherited by offspring.
Fetuses adapt to environmental cues through prenatal predictive-adaptive responses, enhancing chances of survival.

Genetic Inheritance Patterns

Dominance-Recessive: A dominant gene influences phenotype; two recessive genes are required for an associated trait.
Polygenic Inheritance: Trait expression is controlled by multiple genes.
Multifactorial Inheritance: Inheritance patterns are shaped by both genetic and environmental factors.
Mitochondrial Inheritance: Mitochondrial DNA is inherited exclusively from the mother.

Psychoanalytic Perspective

Development occurs due to internal drives and emotions affecting behavior (Sigmund Freud).
Strength: Highlights the significant role of parents in shaping early childhood experiences.
Weakness: Concepts are hard to measure and may not apply universally due to reliance on individual case studies.

Humanistic Approach

Emphasizes innate goodness and personal growth potential for each individual.
Strength: Focuses on individual choices rather than purely biological or societal forces; optimistic outlook on personal agency.
Weakness: Concepts are not easily testable due to vague propositions.

Behaviorism

Behavior is shaped by environmental conditioning, focusing on observable actions rather than internal mental processes.
Strength: Learning theories effectively explain behaviors and their modifications through changing reinforcement systems.
Weakness: Traditional behaviorism lacks a developmental perspective, offering little insight into lifespan changes.

Piagetian Theory of Cognitive Development

Cognitive reasoning progresses through four universal stages from birth to adolescence, with unique cognitive schemes at each stage.
Strength: Clarifies how children's thinking evolves with age.
Weakness: The exact ages for skills development are often inaccurate, and may lead adults to underestimate children's abilities.

Information Processing Theory

Cognitive functioning evolves through encoding, storage, and retrieval informed by brain maturation and practice.
Strength: Aids in understanding how information management varies across different ages and individual differences.
Weakness: The complexity of human information processing exceeds that of computers, failing to present a comprehensive developmental picture.

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory

Highlights the importance of social interactions in cognitive development through guided problem-solving during verbal exchanges.
Strength: Emphasizes cultural context and social interaction in cognitive growth.
Weakness: Verbal instructions may not benefit all cultural contexts.

Learning occurs through observing models, influenced by personal cognitive development and situational interpretation.
Strength: Explores the impact of models on behavior, integrating cognitive, emotional, social, and environmental factors.
Weakness: Lacks a holistic view of development by downplaying biological influences.

Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory

Development is shaped by the interplay of individual characteristics and contextual variables over time.
Strength: Encourages research into the complex interactions of various influencing factors.
Weakness: Minimizes the role of physical environmental factors like pollution, nutrition, and disease on development.

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Description

This quiz explores the fascinating mechanisms of epigenetics and their impact on gene expression. Learn how epigenetic factors influence the activation and silencing of specific genes, and discover the implications of these changes on offspring. Test your understanding of the predictive-adaptive responses in fetal development.