Question 1

The developmental timetables established by Arnold Gesell and his colleagues:

Accepted Answer

Gesell's developmental timetables, which outline the typical ages at which children reach various developmental milestones, are still referenced and used today in the field of child development. They were based on systematic observations of a large number of children, not just his own.

Question 2

A nursery school teacher who was comparing a group of 3-year-olds in terms of such physical skills as walking, running, and skipping might use as a reference:

Accepted Answer

Gesell's statistical norms are used to compare children in terms of physical development, including skills like walking, running, and skipping. Arnold Gesell developed a set of norms to describe the typical sequence and rate of childhood development, which can serve as a reference for evaluating individual children's physical skills.

Question 3

Parents who resist pressure from grandparents to begin potty training their 18-month-old son because of a belief that he is simply not ready hold a view of development consistent with that of:

Accepted Answer

Gesell's theory emphasizes maturation and the idea that development is a biological process that occurs in predictable sequences and at specific ages. The parents' belief that their son is not ready for potty training aligns with Gesell's view that children reach developmental milestones, including readiness for potty training, at their own pace.

Question 4

Who of the following theorists held that development is guided largely by biological influences?

Accepted Answer

Gesell believed that development is primarily influenced by biological processes. He emphasized the role of genetics and maturation in development, suggesting that children's growth unfolds in a predetermined sequence influenced by their biology.

Question 5

Freud's greatest contribution to the field of developmental psychology was his:

Accepted Answer

Freud's stage theory of psychosexual development was a foundational concept in developmental psychology, outlining stages from infancy to adulthood.

Question 6

Freud based his model of child development on:

Accepted Answer

Freud's model of child development was primarily based on his own experiences and the recollections of his patients' childhood experiences. He did not rely on laboratory studies, large-scale questionnaires, or directly on Darwin's theory of evolution for this aspect of his work.

Question 7

Although only 18 years old, T. has a criminal record that dates back 10 years. He has recently been found guilty of a series of brutal crimes. A psychologist asked to testify in court attributes T.'s behaviour to a cold and neglectful mother, an absent father, and fixation at an earlier stage of development. It appears that the court psychologist has been influenced by the writings of:

Accepted Answer

The psychologist's explanation for T.'s behavior, which includes references to a cold and neglectful mother, an absent father, and fixation at an earlier stage of development, aligns with Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Freud emphasized the importance of early childhood experiences and family dynamics in the development of personality and behavior.

Question 8

According to Freud's theory of development, movement to a new stage is associated with:

Accepted Answer

Freud's theory of psychosexual development posits that progression through the stages is marked by the movement of the libido (sexual energy) to different areas of the body, which he identified as erogenous zones. Each stage is characterized by the focus of pleasure on a different area, starting from the oral stage to the genital stage.

Question 9

Freud believed that children in the phallic stage:

Accepted Answer

During the phallic stage, Freud believed that children experience the Oedipus complex (for boys) or Electra complex (for girls), leading them to direct their sexual desires towards the opposite-sex parent and view the same-sex parent as a rival. To resolve these conflicts and reduce anxiety, they repress these desires into the unconscious, aligning with choice C.

Question 10

According to Freud's theory, identification refers to the process by which children:

Accepted Answer

Identification, according to Freud's theory, involves children adopting characteristics of the same-sex parent as they resolve their Oedipus or Electra complex, which includes repressing their attraction for the opposite-sex parent and identifying with the same-sex parent.

Question 11

One of Freud's influential ideas was that:

Accepted Answer

Freud's theory of psychosexual development emphasizes that early childhood experiences have a profound impact on an individual's personality and behavior in later life. He believed that unresolved conflicts during specific stages of childhood could lead to psychological issues in adulthood.

Question 12

Who, from among the following, was the first major developmentalist to argue for an interactionist model of development?

Accepted Answer

Sigmund Freud was the first major developmentalist to argue for an interactionist model of development, emphasizing the interactions between biological maturation and experiences with parents in shaping personality development.

Question 13

When evaluating Freud's ideas, developmentalists consider ______ of his theoretical contributions to be most influential: His _______________.

Accepted Answer

Freud's interactionist perspective and the view that early experiences significantly impact later life are considered his most influential contributions by developmentalists.

Question 14

Studies of Native American tribes, inner city youth in the U.S., and people in India exemplify Erikson's:

Accepted Answer

Erikson's psychosocial model emphasizes the social and cultural factors that influence personality development across the lifespan, which is exemplified by studies across diverse groups such as Native American tribes, inner city youth in the U.S., and people in India.

Question 15

According to Erikson, healthy resolution of a developmentally based crisis:

Accepted Answer

Erikson's theory of psychosocial development posits that healthy resolution of developmental crises involves achieving a balance between positive and negative outcomes, with a primary emphasis on the positive but an acknowledgment of the negative's role in development.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT consistent with Erikson's model of human development?

Accepted Answer

Erikson's model of human development emphasizes that personality continues to evolve through a series of stages across the lifespan, rather than being fixed in early childhood. This contrasts with Freud's theory, which suggested personality was largely determined by early childhood experiences.

Question 17

Erikson's model of human development:

Accepted Answer

Erikson's model of human development indeed has eight stages, covers the entire lifespan, and reflects an interactionist perspective, which means all of the provided alternatives are correct.

Question 18

A researcher is studying cortisol levels in internationally-adopted children when they're 1 year old, 2 years old, and then again at 5 years old. This type of research would exemplify what value of conducting research on children?

Accepted Answer

This research exemplifies all the provided values: it captures a period of rapid development in early childhood, investigates the long-term influences of early experiences on later outcomes, and has real-world applications in understanding and potentially improving the well-being of internationally-adopted children.

Question 19

A researcher who explains the aggressive behaviour of preschool boys as being due to their television viewing habits emphasizes which influence on development?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is emphasizing the role of environment (television viewing habits) in development, which aligns with the concept of nurture.

Question 20

Theorists who emphasize the importance of early experience on later development most likely believe:

Accepted Answer

Theorists who emphasize the importance of early experiences typically view development as continuous, suggesting that early experiences can have a lasting impact on later development stages. This perspective often involves the idea that development is a gradual accumulation of experiences that shape an individual over time.

Quiz 1: Background and Theories