Modules 11-14

accommodation:

(1) in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. (2) in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina.

teratogens:

(literally, "monster maker") agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

The period of adolescence is lengthening in industrialized cultures such as Europe, the United States, and Australia. Adolescents are taking more time to finish their education and establish careers. The average age for a first marriage in the United States is now 29 for men and _______ for women.

27

In a survey, 75 percent of the participants reported being sexually active into their _____.

80s

Imogine finds that as she is grows older her memory isn't as good as it once was. What can she do to improve her memory?

Be more physically active.

_____ is an area of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change through the life span.

Developmental psychology

Three-month-old Jake is no longer interested in a puppet head. What has happened?

He has become habituated.

Jason is 16 years old. One day he has blonde hair; the next day it is green. One day he looks "goth" and the next he looks like a jock. He recently asked his parents if he could get a tattoo. Should Jason's parents be worried?

No, this is just Jason trying to find his identity.

Which of the following provides evidence against the idea that our development is mostly continuous?

Our brain goes through growth spurts that correspond roughly with Jean Piaget's stages.

Those who emphasize change over stability would choose which of the following statements to illustrate their viewpoint?

The first two years of life provide a poor basis for predicting a person's eventual traits.

Why is it that older people account for fewer than 10 percent of all automobile crashes when they have slower reaction time and attend less to other vehicles on the road as compared to younger adults?

They drive less than younger adults.

Kendra is a 20-month-old baby who is still crawling. She has not started to walk yet. What would her pediatrician likely say to her mother?

This is actually rare, as most babies are walking by the time they are 15 months of age.

developmental psychology:

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.

schema:

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

autism spectrum disorder (ASD):

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors.

emerging adulthood:

a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults.

temperament:

a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.

cross-sectional study:

a study in which people of different ages are compared with one another.

Childhood is to adolescence as concrete images are to _____ ideas.

abstract

After Clara learned that penguins are birds that cannot fly, she had to modify her existing concept of birds. This best illustrates the process of _____.

accommodation

basic trust:

according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers.

cognition:

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

attachment:

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.

critical period:

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.

Michael demands total obedience from his children. There is no discussion and no arguing, and he has zero tolerance for anyone breaking the rules he has decreed. Michael has a(n) _____ parenting style.

authoritarian

Amelia is 3 years old and fights with her mother each morning over what to wear. Her mother almost always tries to convince her that her mismatched outfit is not suitable for an outing but eventually gives in because of Amelia's persistence. According to Erikson's psychosocial theory, Amelia is dealing with which of the following issues?

autonomy versus shame and doubt

Sam is a 12-month-old infant who just began crawling. This may be a result of Sam sleeping on his:

back

maturation:

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

Which of the following has research demonstrated is NOT a possible biological cause of autism spectrum disorder?

childhood MMR vaccinations

Two beakers contain what are clearly identical amounts of a liquid. However, a child suddenly judges them as holding different amounts of liquid after the liquid in one beaker is poured into a shorter, wider beaker. The child apparently lacks a:

concept of conservation.

Childhood is to adolescence as:

concrete images are to abstract ideas.

Jessica acts so differently with her parents than with her girlfriends that she often thinks her personality is completely phony. Erik Erikson would have suggested that Jessica is experiencing role _____.

confusion

Eric is 17 years old and has decided to volunteer at Buddy Ball this summer, helping disabled children play baseball. Eric knows that this will look good on his college applications. He is probably in the _____ stage of moral development.

conventional

Thirteen-year-old David repeatedly tells his mother not to drive too fast and to make a complete stop at the light in order to avoid getting a ticket. Lawrence Kohlberg would suggest that this illustrates _____ morality.

conventional

The association areas of the _____ are the last brain areas to develop.

cortex

Studies that compare people of different ages with one another are called _____ studies.

cross-sectional

The National Institute of Mental Health is conducting a study of older adults (30 to 75 years of age) regarding memory and response time in relation to timed tasks. They are bringing in all age groups at once to compare the differences. This is a(n) _____ study.

cross-sectional

habituation:

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

As a young child, Samantha was extremely shy. She spent most of her time alone in her room while the other children played together outside. As an 11-year-old, she spends her time outdoors with a group of newly acquired friends. Samantha's behavior is consistent with the view that:

developmental patterns can change.

Compared with a century ago, menarche now occurs _____ in life and adult independence begins _____ in life.

earlier; later

Mike is 25 years old and just graduated from college. What stage of development is he in?

early adulthood

Viki's cousin miscarried during her eighth week of pregnancy. Her baby was in the _____ stage of prenatal development.

embryo

Heavy alcohol use by an expectant mother can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome in the child because it leaves chemical marks on DNA that switch genes abnormally on or off. This is an example of the _____.

epigenetic effect

The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth is called the _____.

fetus

John acts "goth" at school. At home, he is the football player. What is John trying to do?

find his identity

Following the death of a local teenager, Jo came to believe that the teen had been profiled as a potential threat because he was African-American. She decided to join in the protests and actively engaged in public demonstrations in her community and high school. Jo has entered the _____ stage of cognitive development, according to Piaget.

formal operational

At 19, Abbey is beginning to plan for her future. She wants to become a doctor, so she knows she has buckle down in school. Most likely, Abbey's _____ are developing.

frontal lobes

Marcia is in her forties and has the intense desire to create a mentoring program at her company. According to Erik Erikson, she is likely experiencing the _____ versus stagnation stage.

generativity

Puberty follows a surge of:

hormones.

A short story tells about a baby bird that hatches while its mother is away. The hatchling leaves the nest in search of its mother. The baby bird follows the first thing it sees. Which of the following attachment concepts is an aspect of this story?

imprinting

Mark is 17 years old and drinks heavily. Which of the following is Mark likely to experience as an adult?

impulsivity

intimacy:

in Erikson's theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood.

egocentrism:

in Piaget's theory, the preoperational child's difficulty taking another's point of view.

preoperational stage:

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to about 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

sensorimotor stage:

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.

concrete operational stage:

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events.

formal operational stage:

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

Mike is 68 years old and is sitting in his recliner reflecting on the mistakes he made in his life, as well as the dreams that went unfulfilled. According to Erik Erikson, Mike is in the stage of development called:

integrity vs. despair.

According to Erik Erikson, older adults can most effectively cope with the prospect of their own death if they have achieved a sense of:

integrity.

assimilation:

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas.

Judith just turned 65. What stage of adult development is she in?

late adulthood

A researcher who administers a personality test to the same children every three years is conducting a _____ study.

longitudinal

Dr. Greco is conducting a study of military veterans from the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. He plans to evaluate them every year for 10 years to see if those with anxiety disorders have a more pronounced decline in mental abilities and overall memory. This is a(n) _____ study.

longitudinal

Luz and Julio are in love and have been married for 18 years. Which of the following is NOT a reason why their relationship has been able to endure for so long?

marrying before age 20

For many years, psychologists thought that _____ was a major key to attachment until an accidental discovery by psychologists Harry and Margaret Harlow overturned this assumption.

nourishment

Casey and Juan have been dating for over a year and are now engaged. Compared with their parents, they are more likely to have met:

online.

Which of the following is a psychological factor that helps people flourish in later life?

optimistic outlook

identity:

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

theory of mind:

people's ideas about their own and others' mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict

Ted's parents divorced when he was 5. His father moved out of state, and his mother is busy with work. Ted is now 13 and has been getting into some minor trouble with the law. Despite this, his mother allows Ted to come and go as he wishes and rarely, if ever, punishes him. She feels guilty about the divorce and his absent father. Ted's mother has a(n) _____ parenting style.

permissive

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS):

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, signs include a small, out-of-proportion head and abnormal facial features.

Amath has decided to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity this summer because he wants to give back to people who are not as fortunate as he is. Amath has probably reached the _____ stage of moral development.

postconventional

Chuck believes that choosing to violate government laws is morally justifiable if it is done to protect the lives of innocent people. Lawrence Kohlberg would suggest that this illustrates _____ morality.

postconventional

Judd believes that choosing to violate government laws is morally justifiable if it is done to protect the lives of innocent people. Lawrence Kohlberg would suggest that this illustrates _____ morality.

postconventional

According to Kohlberg, the majority of children younger than age 9 have a _____ morality.

preconventional

Children are able to represent things with words and images and use intuitive rather than logical reasoning during Piaget's _____ stage of cognitive development.

preoperational

_____ is the period of sexual maturation.

puberty

A developmental psychologist studies the responses of a newborn. She puts her finger in the baby's hand. The baby grasps it. Then she strokes the baby's palm and the baby puts his fist in his mouth and sucks. The psychologist is testing the baby's _____.

reflexes

Puberty is the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of _____.

reproducing

longitudinal study:

research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period.

As a child, Dianna was sexually abused by her uncle, who often cared for her when her mother worked at night. Dianna is now the mother of two and is an elementary school teacher. Dianna has demonstrated which of the following?

resilience

An adult who takes care of younger children and aging parents is said to be in the _____ generation.

sandwich

Dianne feels overwhelmed because she never has a moment to herself. She helps her adult daughter financially and cares for her grandchildren. She also is the primary caregiver of both her aging mother and her father-in-law. Dianne is a part of the _____ generation.

sandwich

Mark is 13 months old. When he is with his mother, he feels free to explore his environment and plays comfortably. When his mother leaves, he cries but is comforted when she returns. Mark is displaying which of the following forms of attachment?

secure attachment

Three-year-old Adam happily explores the attractive toys in the dentist's waiting room while his mother is in the room. He becomes distressed when she leaves for a few moments and runs to her when she returns. Then he resumes playing, periodically going to her for reassurance. Adam MOST clearly displays signs of:

secure attachment.

Antonio is a star basketball player on the high school team. He is very tall. He is also very popular with both boys and girls. Antonio is more likely to be:

sexually active.

Thirty-year-old Ana frequently spends nights alone and knows she is not getting any younger. She is worried about finding the "right man." According to Erik Erikson, Ana is MOST likely:

struggling with intimacy issues.

It would be harder for a person in late adulthood to win a game of Jeopardy because it:

takes longer to react.

Lauryn has suffered from epilepsy all her life. She takes Trileptal to control her seizures. Recently she found out she is pregnant with her first child. She read that her medication is a Category C medication, meaning the benefits may outweigh the risks. However, no adequate studies have been performed on the medication for pregnant women. She should ask her doctor if Trileptal is a(n) _____.

teratogen

Anders is in his mid-fifties. Anders can expect that he will experience a gradual decrease in _____.

testosterone

social identity:

the "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships.

object permanence:

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived.

Mason has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. When others around him yawn, he does not yawn. When asked to imitate someone's facial expression, he cannot and does not experience a similar emotion. This difficulty in imitating has been attributed to:

the brain's inability to mirror observed activities.

social clock:

the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement

fetus:

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth.

embryo:

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month.

stranger anxiety:

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age.

zygote:

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo.

Five-year-old Ling is beginning to show signs of being able to plan ahead in a somewhat rational manner. At her age, this development is likely due to:

the growth of neural networks in her frontal lobes.

Mary's inability to toilet train her 10-month-old infant is MOST likely because:

the necessary physical skills have not yet matured.

puberty:

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing.

conservation:

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects.

imprinting:

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life.

menopause:

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines.

adolescence:

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

Fran's life is more hectic than ever. She is 55 years old and has a full-time job. Her son just graduated from college and is living at home. Her mother is becoming frail, so Fran is thinking about putting her in an assisted-living facility. Fran is experiencing:

the tugs of the sandwich generation.

A child's realization that others may have beliefs the child knows to be false BEST illustrates the development of:

theory of mind.

Ethel loves to talk about when she and her husband first were married. She has so many stories about their struggles and accomplishments. This is common, as older adults tend to remember:

things that happened during their teens and twenties well.