Question 1

Hannah, a newborn infant, is coming home from the hospital for the first time. Her parents want her nursery to provide optimal visual stimulation. Research would support including all of the following features except

Accepted Answer

Newborns prefer high contrast patterns and colors because their vision is not fully developed, making it easier for them to see and focus on such patterns. Pastel colors are too soft and do not provide the level of contrast that stimulates a newborn's visual development.

Question 2

When 1-year-old Beatrice tried a small piece of garlic bread, her reaction showed that she liked the taste and wanted to eat more of it - which she did. This reaction may reflect the fact that

Accepted Answer

Beatrice's positive reaction to garlic bread likely reflects her familiarity with the taste of garlic, which could have been introduced through her mother's breast milk if her mother consumed a lot of garlic-flavored foods. This suggests that early exposure to certain flavors can influence a child's taste preferences.

Question 3

If infants look longer at a video display that shows another infant's legs moving than at a video display that shows their own legs moving, researchers studying intermodal perception have concluded that

Accepted Answer

Infants looking longer at another infant's legs moving than at their own suggests they are sensitive to the mismatch or lack of contingency between their own movements and what they see, indicating an awareness of the difference between self-generated actions and those of others.

Question 4

In one ingenious study of _____ perception, researchers first gave 1-month-old infants a bumpy pacifier to feel in their mouth and only later allowed them to look at that pacifier - after they had placed it next to a smooth pacifier that they had not explored orally.

Accepted Answer

Cross-modal perception refers to the ability to integrate information from different sensory modalities, such as touch and sight, which is what the study described is investigating.

Question 5

One-month-old Carlos sometimes flings his arms and legs out quickly when he is placed onto the mattress in his crib. This action stimulates his _____ sense.

Accepted Answer

The action described is stimulating Carlos's vestibular sense, which is related to balance and movement. The vestibular system helps us understand our body's position in space, and sudden movements or changes in position, like being placed onto a mattress, can activate this sense.

Question 6

When infants grasp objects between finger and thumb, they are demonstrating

Accepted Answer

Fine motor skills involve the coordination of small muscles in movements—usually involving the synchronization of hands and fingers—with the eyes. When infants grasp objects between finger and thumb, they are demonstrating fine motor skills, as this action requires precise movements and coordination.

Question 7

The factor that appears to be most strongly related to infants' and toddlers' ability to judge and adjust their own physical abilities in novel settings is

Accepted Answer

The factor most strongly related to infants' and toddlers' ability to judge and adjust their own physical abilities in novel settings is their cumulative locomotor experience. This experience helps them learn how to navigate different environments and challenges, improving their motor skills and spatial awareness.

Question 8

Infants whose parents help them practice specific locomotor skills, such as sitting upright on their own, tend to develop those specific skills

Accepted Answer

Infants whose parents help them practice specific locomotor skills tend to develop those specific skills earlier than infants who did not receive any assistance, as practice can accelerate skill acquisition.

Question 9

The normal range for infants to take their first independent steps is between

Accepted Answer

The normal range for infants to take their first independent steps is between 9 to 17 months. This developmental milestone varies among children, but most start walking within this age range.

Question 10

Handedness - a consistent preference for using one hand or the other in activities such as self-feeding - typically is evident by the age of

Accepted Answer

Handedness typically becomes evident by the age of 12 months, as infants start showing a consistent preference for using one hand over the other in activities such as self-feeding.

Question 11

When infants and toddlers achieve control over balance and posture that enables them perform actions such as sitting upright, crawling, and taking their first independent steps, they are using _____ motor skills.

Accepted Answer

Gross motor skills involve the large muscles of the body and are responsible for major movements such as sitting, crawling, and walking, which are the actions described in the question. Fine motor skills, on the other hand, involve smaller movements using the hands and fingers.

Question 12

Which order for the development of gross motor skills is the most typical one?

Accepted Answer

The typical progression of gross motor skills development in infants starts with achieving head control, followed by rolling over, then sitting independently, and finally walking independently. This sequence supports the gradual increase in strength and coordination needed for more complex movements.

Question 13

In which order do the following fine motor skills usually develop?

Accepted Answer

Fine motor skills development typically starts with prereaching movements, progresses to smooth reaching, then to adjusting hands to grasp objects without visual feedback, and finally to more complex skills like drawing with objects such as crayons and markers.

Question 14

Motor milestones are usually included in infant assessments of development

Accepted Answer

Motor milestones are included in infant assessments because they typically appear in a predictable order, which helps in assessing the development of normally developing infants.

Question 15

All of the following statements about infants' motor development are accurate except

Accepted Answer

The perception system and the action (motor) system in infants are not functionally separate but are interconnected. Infants use perceptual information to guide their motor actions, indicating a close relationship between these systems.

Question 16

In the United States and most developed countries, infants

Accepted Answer

In the United States and most developed countries, it is common for infants to be moved about in containers with wheels, such as strollers, for convenience and mobility.

Question 17

If Daisy is developing typically, she will be most likely be able to run by the age of about

Accepted Answer

Typically, children begin to run between 24 to 36 months of age as they develop better coordination and muscle strength.

Question 18

Megan's parents hoped that she would learn to walk at an early age, so they gave her lots of time in an infant walker. According to studies of locomotor development, the most likely result will be that Megan will

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that infants who spend a significant amount of time in walkers may actually learn to walk later than those who do not. This is because walkers can prevent babies from seeing their legs and engaging in the normal trial-and-error process of learning to walk, which can delay the development of walking skills.

Question 19

Anthony's childcare center follows the recommendations of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education for infants and toddlers. This is evident in

Accepted Answer

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends a combination of structured physical activities and free play for toddlers, reflecting a balanced approach to physical development.

Quiz 6: Sensation, Perception, and Motor Development