Q&A Hero

Q: Dr. Jackson's research has found that the correlation between IQ and head circumference is +.10. From this information, we can conclude that: A. people with large heads have a higher IQ than people with smaller heads. B. there is a weak relationship between head size and IQ. C. people with small heads tend to have a higher IQ than people with large heads. D.

Q: Ariel wants to describe the strength of the relationship between the number of airplane companies in the world and global warming. Which of the following kinds of research is Ariel most likely to perform? A. Descriptive B. Correlational C. Collaborative D.

Q: Which of the following is a criticism of standardized tests? A. They allow a person's performance to be compared with that of other individuals. B. They assume a person's behavior is consistent and stable. C. They provide information about individual differences among people. D.

Q: Cynthia is conducting a survey on the prevalence and patterns of substance abuse in her city. Which of the following problems is she likely to encounter while using this method of data collection? A. The assumption that a person's behavior is consistent and stable. B. The inability to sample a large number of people. C. The assumption that surveys have to be conducted only in person. D.

Q: Flevy, a marketing researcher, is conducting an extensive market study and has hired a big group of college students to hand out a standard set of questions to shoppers at malls and supermarkets and to seek their responses. Which of the following methods of data collection is Flevy using? A. Laboratory research B. Survey C. Naturalistic observation D.

Q: Which of Urie Bronfenbrenner's environmental systems consists of the patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course, as well as sociohistorical circumstances? A. Mesosystem B. Chronosystem C. Macrosystem D.

Q: The _____ involves the culture in which individuals live. A. chronosystem B. mesosystem C. ethnosystem D.

Q: The _____ consists of links between a social setting in which an individual does not have an active role and the individual's immediate context. A. microsystem B. mesosystem C. exosystem D.

Q: The _____ involves relations between microsystems or connections between contexts. A. metasystem B. mesosystem C. chronosystem D.

Q: According to Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, a person's family, peers, school, and neighborhood constitute his/her: A. microsystem. B. mesosystem. C. chronosystem. D.

Q: In Lorenz's view, imprinting needs to take place at a certain, very early time in the life of the animal, or else it will not take place. This period of time is called the: A. receptive period. B. sensitive period. C. critical period. D.

Q: Konrad Lorenz performed research with goslings and found that many, upon hatching, identified him as their mother. He coined this form of attachment _____. A. conditioning B. imprinting C. internalizing D.

Q: A recent television documentary concluded that, from birth, girls are more nurturing than are boys. Daniel agrees with this because he believes nurturing is an evolutionary trait passed on through the generations, because females needed to be more nurturing to aid the survival of the species. Daniels view reflects the _____ perspective of development. A. ideological B. clinical C. ethological D.

Q: Fernando believes that as individuals adapt to their environment, development, or phylogeny occurs. He further believes that there are critical periods that have also been selected for. He is most likely taking a(n) _____ approach. A. behavioral B. ethological C. social cognitive D.

Q: Bandura's most recent model of learning and development includes three elements: behavior, environment, and: A. person/cognition. B. culture. C. education level. D.

Q: Danny's mother is even-tempered, fair, and tactful. Seeing this, Danny is growing up to be a polite, good-natured boy too. This imitation or modeling of behavior mirrors the concept of _____ in Bandura's social cognitive theory. A. operant conditioning B. observational learning C. salient stimuli D.

Q: B.F. Skinner, a behaviorist, would argue that the most important things that shape development are _____. A. thoughts and feelings B. unconscious motivations C. rewards and punishments D.

Q: Nellie, 3, bangs her head against the wall repeatedly throughout the day. How could Skinner's concept of operant conditioning be applied to address this behavior? A. Explore experiences from Nellie's early childhood and address them in therapy B. Test Nellie to determine her current level of cognitive functioning C. Investigate her psychosocial environment and eliminate stressors D.

Q: Dr. Nasrin believes that associating behavior with consequence can shape the probability of a behavior occurring. He is arguing that _____ conditioning is important for behavioral modification. A. stimulus B. operant C. classical D.

Q: Behavioral and social cognitive theories emphasize: A. unconscious motives. B. discontinuity in behavior. C. continuity in development. D.

Q: A characteristic feature of information-processing psychologists are that they are most likely to: A. emphasize the influence of culture on development. B. emphasize that individuals manipulate information, monitor it, and strategize about it. C. state that individuals develop a gradually decreasing capacity for processing information. D.

Q: Vygotsky's theory emphasizes how _____ guides cognitive development. A. culture and social interaction B. biology C. the unconscious mind D.

Q: Sandrine is now able to use abstract thought as well as logic; Piaget would argue that she is in the _____ stage of development. A. preoperational B. concrete operational C. formal operational D.

Q: Hidalgo, 8, is very good at addition and subtraction, but he has a hard time understanding the complex algebraic problems that his 14-year-old sister does. Hidalgo is currently in which of Jean Piaget's stages of development? A. Preoperational B. Concrete operational C. Formal operational D.

Q: Lynne, 5, loves to draw and color. She represents the world with words and her drawings. According to Piaget's cognitive development theory, Lynne is in the _____ stage of cognitive development. A. preoperational B. sensorimotor C. formal operational D.

Q: Piaget's four stages of cognitive development: A. start at conception and continue until adulthood. B. start at birth and end at death. C. span from conception to death. D.

Q: Amir is 18 months old. According to Piagets theory, he is in which of the following stages of cognitive development? A. Preoperational B. Sensorimotor C. Formal operational D.

Q: According to Piaget's theory, two processes underlie children's cognitive construction of the world: A. assimilation and generalization. B. adaptation and abstraction. C. association and abstraction. D.

Q: Dr. Wong is a cognitive developmental theorist, so we know that he will stress the importance of _____ in understanding development. A. conscious thoughts B. repressed memories C. biological processes D.

Q: Roger looks back on his life and feels that he failed to reach his potential, squandered opportunities, and hurt a lot of people. At 82 years of age, he knows it is too late to make amends. Roger is slipping into: A. stagnation. B. identity confusion. C. despair. D.

Q: The final stage of Erik Erikson's developmental theory is: A. generativity versus stagnation. B. trust versus mistrust. C. integrity versus despair. D.

Q: The term "generativity" as described in Erikson's seventh stage of development primarily reflects a concern for: A. helping the younger generation to develop and lead useful lives. B. forming healthy friendships and an intimate relationship with another. C. developing healthy ego boundaries. D.

Q: Caitlin, age 25, has a good job as a financial analyst but she has few friends and has had no success in dating. She admits that being close to others is a problem for her. According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, Caitlin is at a risk of reaching the state of: A. stagnation. B. guilt. C. isolation. D.

Q: During early adulthood, Erik Erikson's developmental stage of _____ occurs. A. intimacy versus isolation B. integrity versus despair C. initiative versus guilt D.

Q: Jessica, 16, is in the process of deciding what she wants to study in college. She wants to be an engineer one day and a painter the next day. Erik Erikson would say Jessica is in the _____ stage of development. A. intimacy versus isolation B. identity versus identity confusion C. initiative versus guilt D.

Q: The elementary school years where children need to direct their energy toward mastering knowledge and intellectual skills is when Erikson's stage of _____ takes place. A. intimacy versus isolation B. integrity versus despair C. autonomy versus shame and doubt D.

Q: Edwin was a neglected child in his infancy. Now, at 31 years of age, he is highly cynical about the world and feels that no one can be relied upon. Whenever he is in a relationship with a woman, he has tremendous feelings of suspicion toward his partner, and these feelings eventually lead to the breakup of the relationship. According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, this is a good indication that Edwin did not successfully resolve the _____ stage of development, which in turn is causing him to experience _____ in his current developmental stage. A. identity versus identity confusion; stagnation B. trust versus mistrust; isolation C. autonomy versus shame and doubt; confusion D.

Q: Erik Erikson's developmental theory consists of _____ stages that last from the first year of life to: A. seven; early adulthood. B. eight; late adulthood. C. six; adolescence. D.

Q: Johnny is attempting to resolve the crisis of initiative vs. guilt. According to Erik Erikson, he is most likely in _____. A. preschool B. elementary school C. junior high school D.

Q: McKenzie, age 2, wants to do everything on her own. Her mother punishes her when she attempts to pour her own milk or tries to answer the phone. Erikson would say that McKenzie is likely to develop a sense of: A. inferiority. B. autonomy. C. stagnation. D.

Q: Two-year-old Julia is learning to talk, and her parents would say that her favorite word is "no". This would be considered normal for a child in Erik Erikson's life-span stage of: A. initiative versus guilt. B. intimacy versus isolation. C. autonomy versus shame and doubt. D.

Q: Kelly responds to her infant's needs in a consistent and timely way. When he is tired she puts him down for a nap, and when he is hungry she feeds him. Erikson would say that Kelly is helping her son to develop a sense of: A. autonomy. B. initiative. C. trust. D.

Q: The first stage in Erickson's theory is: A. autonomy versus shame and doubt. B. initiative versus guilt. C. generativity versus stagnation. D.

Q: As defined by Erik Erikson, a crisis: A. will leave permanent psychological scars. B. will leave psychological scars that will eventually fade over time. C. will have a catastrophic impact on a person's development, and will leave a psychological scar that will fade over time. D.

Q: One of the differences between Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson is that: A. Freud underestimated the role of the unconscious mind in determining the life-span development of an individual. B. Erikson believed that development lasted only until the age of 20. C. Erikson emphasized the importance of both early and later experiences. D.

Q: The theory that was created by Erik Erikson is known as the _____ theory of development. A. psychobiological B. psychogenic C. psychosocial D.

Q: Most contemporary psychoanalytic theorists believe that Sigmund Freud: A. proposed a theory that has stood the test of time and needs no revisions. B. overemphasized sexual instincts. C. overemphasized cultural experiences as determinants of an individual's development. D.

Q: According to Freud, our adult personality is determined by: A. the way we resolve conflicts between home life and professional life. B. the resolution of adult realities versus childhood fantasies. C. the way we maintain a balance between family and friends. D.

Q: Identify the correct sequence of the five stages of psychosexual development described in Freud's theory of development. A. Genital, oral, anal, phallic, and latency B. Oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital C. Anal, genital, oral, phallic, and latency D.

Q: Dr. Berenstein holds the view that behavior is merely a surface characteristic and that a true understanding of development requires analyzing the symbolic meanings of behavior and the deep inner workings of the mind. Dr. Berenstein can be described as a(n): A. psychoanalytic theorist. B. evolutionary theorist. C. cognitive theorist. D.

Q: _____ theories describe development as primarily unconscious and heavily colored by emotion. A. Behavioral B. Social-cognitive C. Evolutionary D.

Q: Dr. Perkins predicts that children who spend years playing a musical instrument are smarter than children who do not play music. This testable prediction is known as a(n) _____. A. hypothesis B. classification C. variable D.

Q: Dr. Drew is a scientist interested in the effects of music on cognitive development. Which of the following describes the sequence he should go through? A. Collect data, conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, analyze data, and draw conclusions. B. Conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, collect data, analyze data, and draw conclusions. C. Collect data, analyze data, conceptualize a process or problem to be studied, and draw conclusions. D.

Q: The concept of discontinuity is characterized by: A. qualitative change. B. quantitative change. C. collective change. D.

Q: In the continuity-discontinuity issue in development, continuity refers to _____, while discontinuity implies _____. A. abrupt change; stability B. gradual change; distinct stages C. qualitative change; quantitative change D.

Q: Gina's therapist attributes her delinquent behavior to heredity and to the gross neglect she suffered as a baby at the hands of her alcoholic mother. Gina's therapist appears to be emphasizing the _____ aspect of her development. A. personality B. life-long learning C. discontinuity D.

Q: The _____ issue involves the degree to which early traits and characteristics persist through life or alter. A. growth-decline B. stability-change C. traits-characteristics D.

Q: In the nature-nurture issue, nature refers to an organism's _____, nurture to its _____. A. personality traits; abilities B. attributes; ecological heritage C. biological inheritance; environmental experiences D.

Q: The 35-year-old grandmother, the 65-year-old father of a preschooler, the 15-year old surgeon, and the 70-year-old student, all serve to illustrate that: A. old assumptions about the proper timing of life events no longer govern our lives. B. developmental age is becoming increasingly irrelevant. C. chronological age is becoming a more accurate predictor of life events in our society. D.

Q: In predicting an adult woman's behavior, it may be more important to know that she is the mother of a 3-year-old child than to know whether she is 20 or 30 years old. This reflects the concept of: A. chronological age. B. social age. C. psychological age. D.

Q: _____ age is an individual's adaptive capacities compared with those of other individuals of the same chronological age. A. Social B. Psychological C. Physical D.

Q: Ramada, 69, an avid golfer and fitness enthusiast, recently got a comprehensive health exam done, and her physician remarked that her vital organs were in such good shape that her _____ age was about 10 years less than her chronological age. A. social B. mental C. biological D.

Q: Determining _____ age involves knowing the functional capacities of a person's vital organs. A. social B. chronological C. biological D.

Q: Life-span developmentalists who focus on adult development and aging describe life-span development in terms of four "ages". The "third age" in this conceptualization spans from: A. adolescence to prime adulthood. B. twenties through fifties. C. approximately 60 to 79 years of age. D.

Q: Sharon is a 30-year-old stay-at-home mother to a toddler. Life-span developmentalists would consider her to be: A. in the second age of prime adulthood. B. transitioning from early adulthood to middle adulthood. C. a middle-aged woman. D.

Q: Which of the following statements about the "young-old" is true? A. They are people between 60 and 65 years of age. B. They have little potential for physical and cognitive fitness. C. They show considerable loss in cognitive skills. D.

Q: Katie-Lou is 88 years old. Katie would most likely be characterized as: A. young-old. B. old-old. C. oldest-old. D.

Q: _____ has the longest span of any period of development and the number of people in this age group has been increasing dramatically. A. Middle and late childhood B. Adolescence C. Middle adulthood D.

Q: Jessica spends a lot of time thinking about the choices she has made in her life and the events she has witnessed. She is adjusting to decreasing strength and health, and she has made several lifestyle changes as a result. Jessica is most likely in the _____ period of development. A. adolescence B. early adulthood C. middle adulthood D.

Q: Late adulthood is a time of: A. life review, adjustment to new social roles, and diminishing strength and health. B. expanding personal and social involvement and responsibility. C. establishing personal and economic independence and advancing in a career. D.

Q: Peter is a senior partner at his law firm and is an important member of his church and community. Both his children are in college. Peter's situation is most representative of which period of development? A. Early adulthood B. Middle adulthood C. Late adulthood D.

Q: Palma and her husband Frankie are in their mid-forties. Which of the following developmental periods are they currently in? A. Central adulthood B. The nesting years C. Middle adulthood D.

Q: Travis spends a great deal of time working and trying to establish his career. He is also wondering if he should move in with his girlfriend and about their long-term prospects. Travis is most likely in the _____ period of development. A. late adolescence B. early adulthood C. middle adulthood D.

Q: _____ is a time of establishing personal and economic independence, career development, and, for many, selecting a mate, learning to live with someone in an intimate way, starting a family, and rearing children. A. Early adulthood B. Late adolescence C. Middle adulthood D.

Q: Brittany is preoccupied with the pursuit of independence and identity and is spending more time with friends and less with family. Her thoughts are more logical, abstract, and idealistic. She is also experiencing rapid physical changes such as gain in height and weight. Which of the following periods of development is Brittany most likely in? A. Middle childhood B. Late adulthood C. Late childhood D.

Q: Joey has shot up in height over the past year, has developed a deeper voice, and is starting to grow facial hair. He is preoccupied with the pursuit of independence and identity and is spending more time with friends and less with family. Which of the following periods of development is Joey in? A. Middle childhood B. Adolescence C. Early adulthood D.

Q: Mary is three years-old, and in preschool. Identify the development period that Mary is currently in. A. Infancy B. Early childhood C. Middle childhood D.

Q: Jonathan is almost completely dependent on his parents for his wants and needs and is only just beginning to acquire language skills and sensorimotor coordination. Which of the following development periods is Jonathan in? A. Late childhood B. Middle childhood C. Early childhood D.

Q: The _____ period is the time from conception to birth. A. perinatal B. prenatal C. neonatal D.

Q: The developmental period, when one is an infant, adolescent, or middle-aged person, refers to: A. a historical circumstance common to people of a particular generation. B. a time frame in a person's life that is characterized by certain features. C. a time frame in which a person experiences maximum change. D.