LearningCurve 3a. Developmental Psychology's Major Issues; Prenatal Development and The Newborn

Chromosomes are composed of _____, which are composed of _____.

DNA; genes

_____ psychology examines growth and change in physical, cognitive, and social areas across the life span.

Developmental

Danielle is consulting her college's course catalog. The description of one psychology course begins, "This course surveys growth and change across the life span in physical, cognitive, and social domains." This course is MOST likely titled:

Developmental Psychology

The correct order of prenatal development is zygote, _____, and fetus.

Embryo

Meena and several classmates are participating in a debate concerning continuity versus stages in development. Meena's task is to support stage theories. Which of the following points is Meena LEAST likely to make in the debate?

Most contemporary developmental psychologists are stage theorists.

Dr. Joachim warned a pregnant patient that her recreational use of a particular drug might cause harm to her fetus. The drug would be classified as:

a teratogen.

An introductory psychology student expresses an interest in growth and change during childhood and adolescence. Which psychology course should they consider taking next semester?

developmental

Dr. Murphy studies a group of schoolchildren and follows their progress through college. Dr. Murphy is MOST likely a _____ psychologist.

developmental

Research on how people change physically, mentally, and socially across the lifespan is MOST often conducted by _____ psychologists.

developmental

The most immediate and direct function of the rooting reflex is the facilitation of:

feeding.

Nature is to nurture as _____ is to _____.

genes; experience

What do developmental psychologists seek to understand?

growth and change across the lifespan

Dr. Towne believes that genetics are primarily responsible for personality traits. Dr. West believes that experiences are primarily responsible for personality traits. The two psychologists are on different sides of the _____ debate.

nature and nurture

The textbook asks whether some of the similarities between identical twins may be explained by shared experiences rather than by shared genes. The textbook's question BEST reflects developmental psychology's major issue of:

nature and nurture.

Which of the following major issues is NOT among those emphasized by developmental psychologists?

person and situation

Developmental psychology investigates:

physical, cognitive, and social changes across the lifespan.

Dr. Babineaux asks a sample of 8-year-old children to complete measures of several personality traits. When the same children are 16 years old, she asks them to complete measures of the same traits. Dr. Babineaux then computes correlations between the two sets of measures. Her results are MOST relevant to the _____ issues.

stability and change

When Mrs. Perez touched her newborn's lips, he produced an automatic response called the ______ reflex.

sucking

In prenatal development, the first 2 weeks of a pregnancy are termed the period of the:

zygote