Question 1

Which of the following statements about group differences in IQ scores of American children is true?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the gap in IQ scores between black and white children has been decreasing over time, but it still remains a significant difference. Option A is not correct as studies have found that black children tend to score lower on average, whereas option B is incorrect as there is no evidence to suggest that black children score higher than Hispanic children. Option D is also not correct as research indicates that the gap has been narrowing, not widening.

Question 2

Which of the following interventions is useful in reducing cultural bias in testing?

Accepted Answer

School programs promoting self-affirmation for minority children can help reduce cultural bias in testing by increasing their sense of belonging and self-esteem, which can in turn improve their performance on tests. Options A, B, and D do not directly address cultural bias in testing. However, they may indirectly contribute to a more supportive and inclusive educational environment, which could potentially reduce cultural bias in testing over the long-term.

Question 3

According to the Flynn effect, IQs have __________ from one generation to the next.

Accepted Answer

According to the Flynn effect, IQs have increased steadily from one generation to the next. This phenomenon was first observed by James R. Flynn, who found that IQ scores had been increasing across several countries since the early 20th century. The increase in IQ scores is thought to be due to improvements in nutrition, education, and technology, among other factors.

Question 4

Arthur Jensen's "How Much Can We Boost IQ and Scholastic Achievement?" claims that __________ is largely responsible for individual, ethnic, and SES variations in intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Jensen's article argues that heredity plays a significant role in determining individual intelligence, as well as ethnic and socioeconomic differences in IQ scores. While education, child rearing, and culture can all impact cognitive development, Jensen argues that they are not as important as genetic factors.

Question 5

When assessing students, Mrs. Carter introduces purposeful teaching into the testing situation to find out what the child can attain with social support. Mrs. Carter is using

Accepted Answer

Dynamic assessment involves evaluating a student's ability to learn with teacher support and guidance. Mrs. Carter's use of purposeful teaching during testing is an example of dynamic assessment as she is seeking to understand what the child can achieve with social support. Disengagement, static assessment, and componential analysis do not fit the description provided in the question.

Question 6

Kyle recognizes and classifies all varieties of animals and plants. According to Gardner, Kyle excels in __________ intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Kyle's ability to recognize and classify different varieties of animals and plants indicates proficiency in the naturalist intelligence, which is the ability to observe, identify, and understand patterns in the natural world.

Question 7

Ms. Setzer provides her second graders with opportunities to communicate in many situations. Her students show gains in the communicative side of language. Ms. Setzer emphasizes

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics is the branch of linguistics that deals with language in use and the contexts in which it is used. By providing opportunities for communication in different situations, Ms. Setzer is helping her students develop pragmatic skills, which is reflected in their gains in the communicative side of language. Semantics, grammar, and syntax are important aspects of language development as well, but they are not specifically focused on communicative competence in context.

Question 8

Research on African-American children adopted into economically well-off white homes during the first year of life suggests that

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that the environment, including factors associated with socioeconomic status (SES), plays a significant role in the development of intelligence. The statement that poverty severely depresses the intelligence of ethnic minority children (B) aligns with findings that children from low-SES backgrounds, when adopted into higher-SES homes, often show improvements in IQ scores. This suggests that environmental factors, rather than purely genetic ones, have a substantial impact on the development of intelligence.

Question 9

Javier's father works together with him in a coordinated, fluid way. Each focuses on the same aspect of a problem. Javier's father prefers a(n) __________ style of communication.

Accepted Answer

A collaborative style of communication focuses on working together in a fluid and coordinated manner, which is exactly what is described in the scenario between Javier and his father. The other options (hierarchical, abstract, authoritarian) do not fit the scenario as well.

Question 10

Over middle childhood, Neveah, an African American, became increasingly conscious of ethnic stereotypes. By early adolescence, she stopped caring about her grades and said that school was not important to her. Neveah's attitude is an example of

Accepted Answer

Neveah's disengagement from school is likely a result of her awareness of negative stereotypes about her ethnic group, which can lead to a diminished sense of belonging and interest in school. This is a common phenomenon among ethnic minority students and can have significant long-term consequences for academic achievement and life outcomes.

Question 11

Mrs. Noneman directs her children to each carry out an aspect of a task. Each child is expected to work independently. Mrs. Noneman prefers a(n) __________ style of communication.

Accepted Answer

A hierarchical style of communication involves directing individuals to perform specific tasks independently, reflecting a top-down approach.

Question 12

Gardner believes that each intelligence

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gardner believes that each intelligence
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Question 13

In middle childhood, children's attitude toward language undergoes a fundamental shift as they develop

Accepted Answer

Metalinguistic awareness is the term used to describe the ability to think and talk about language itself, as an object of concrete analysis. This development allows children to observe and understand the structural and functional elements of language and how they are used to convey meaning, and is a crucial step in language acquisition and development.

Question 14

Adoption studies consistently reveal that

Accepted Answer

Adoption studies show that environmental factors, such as being raised in a caring and stimulating home, can have a significant positive impact on a child's IQ. This supports the idea that while genetics play a role in intelligence, environmental factors are also crucial in intellectual development.

Question 15

White children's narratives are usually __________ than those of African-American children.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that on average, white children's narratives tend to be shorter and less complex than those of African-American children. This may be due in part to differences in cultural storytelling traditions and communication styles.

Question 16

Gardner's __________ and __________ intelligences include a set of skills for accurately perceiving, reasoning about, and regulating emotion that has become known as emotional intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Gardner's interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences are the two types of intelligences that contribute to emotional intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence involves understanding and interacting effectively with others, while intrapersonal intelligence involves self-reflection and understanding one's own emotions and motivations. Together, these intelligences form the basis of emotional intelligence, which is the ability to accurately perceive, reason about, and regulate emotions in oneself and others.

Question 17

Large, environmentally induced gains in IQ present a major challenge to the assumption that

Accepted Answer

The statement is referring to the fact that environmental factors, rather than genetics, can have a significant impact on IQ. Therefore, the assumption that ethnic variations in IQ are solely determined by genetics is challenged.

Question 18

Eight-year-old Goran immigrates to the United States with his family. About how long will it take Croatian-speaking Goran to attain speaking and writing skills in English on a par with his English-speaking agemates?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that it takes about 5 to 7 years for a child to attain proficiency in a second language on par with their age mates. This may vary depending on how much exposure the child has to the language and how much support they receive from their environment.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about vocabulary and reading is true?

Accepted Answer

According to research, avid readers are exposed to more than 4 million words per year. This is significantly more than the average number of words encountered by children who do not read as much. While preschoolers' reading habits can have an impact on later vocabulary size, it is not necessarily a strong predictor, and the average number of new words learned per day can vary widely. Therefore, option B is the only statement that is consistently supported by research.

Question 20

When asked to define "bicycle," Emi said, "It's got wheels, a chain, and handlebars." Emi is probably a

Accepted Answer

Emi's definition of a bicycle includes basic features that a first grader would likely identify. As children get older, they would probably add more specific details about brakes, frames, gears, etc.

Quiz 12: Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood