Question 1

For the majority of individuals, the right hemisphere is responsible for an individual's ability to __________.

Accepted Answer

During this period of brain development, the two hemispheres become increasingly specialized. Lateralization occurs and the left hemisphere tends to specialize in verbal skills while the right hemisphere develops strengths in nonverbal areas.

Question 2

Each of the two hemispheres begins to process information in a slightly different manner. Whereas the __________ hemisphere considers information sequentially, one piece of data at a time, the __________ hemisphere processes information in a more global manner, reflecting on it as a whole.

Accepted Answer

The left hemisphere considers information sequentially, one piece of data at a time; the right hemisphere processes information in a more global manner, reflecting on it as a whole.

Question 3

Left-handed or ambidextrous individuals often have language centered in their __________ hemispheres or have no specific language center.

Accepted Answer

There are individual differences in lateralization. For example, left-handed or ambidextrous individuals often have language centered in their right hemispheres or have no specific language center.

Question 4

Males tend to show greater lateralization of language in the __________.

Accepted Answer

Boys tend to show greater specialization of language in the left hemisphere.

Question 5

Girls tend to process language in __________.

Accepted Answer

Among females, language is more evenly divided between the two hemispheres.

Question 6

Females' language development proceeds at a faster rate in comparison to males' language development, because females use __________ for this task.

Accepted Answer

Boys tend to process language in the left hemisphere, whereas girls' language processing is more evenly divided among the two hemispheres. This difference may help to explain why girls' language development occurs at a more rapid pace than boys'.

Question 7

One explanation for differences in language processing based on gender suggests that the brain may be structured differently in boys and girls. This would suggest that gender differences in brain lateralization are the result of __________ factors.

Accepted Answer

Although there is more than one explanation for differences in lateralization based on gender, this explanation suggests a genetic base that accounts for a different brain structure.

Question 8

One explanation for differences in language processing based on gender suggests that parents tend to provide greater encouragement for verbalization in girls than in boys. This would suggest that gender differences in brain lateralization are the result of __________ factors.

Accepted Answer

While there is more than one explanation for differences in lateralization based on gender, this explanation suggests an environmental base that accounts for learned changes.

Question 9

Researchers have found that spurts in electrical activity in the brain are related to __________ development.

Accepted Answer

By recording the electrical activity spurts in the brain, researchers are able to link them with the corresponding spurts of cognitive development (e.g., language development).

Question 10

Between 1½ and 2 years of age, there is an increased level of brain activity. This spurt in brain electrical activity is likely due to __________ development.

Accepted Answer

Measurements of brain electrical activity seem to hit a peak period between 1½ and 2 years of age. It is during this time that language abilities increase rapidly.

Question 11

Advances in cognitive development and the rapid increase in the weight of the brain may both result, in part, from greater __________.

Accepted Answer

An increase in myelin, the protective insulation that surrounds the parts of the neuron, speeds the transmission of electrical impulses along brain cells and increases the weight of the brain.

Question 12

Conner and his father went to an art museum. When they got back, Conner told his mother about his favorite picture. Conner described in detail every single aspect of the picture. He gave so many details that his mother could not begin to guess what the picture was. Conner's descriptive style is the result of young children __________.

Accepted Answer

Preschool-age children view objects by focusing on the individual parts. Therefore, Conner's description is an account of the detail that he noticed when viewing the picture.

Question 13

The difficulty in detecting changes in visual stimuli is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Change blindness is term for the difficulty in detecting changes in visual stimuli.

Question 14

Research on developmental changes in visual perception suggests that __________.

Accepted Answer

Change blindness is the difficulty in detecting changes in visual stimuli. Research suggests that young children display a reduced susceptibility to change blindness.

Question 15

As many as __________ of preschool age children have difficulty getting to and staying asleep.

Accepted Answer

Although most children settle down to sleep fairly easily, as many as 20 to 30 percent of preschool-age children experience difficulties, lasting more than an hour in getting to sleep.

Question 16

Cassidy, a 4-year-old girl, is struggling to fall asleep at night. Which of the following may reduce Cassidy's sleep disturbance?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that having a consistent bedtime routine and eliminating media exposure close to bedtime can reduce sleep disturbances.

Question 17

Nightmares are more frequent in boys than in girls, and they usually occur __________.

Accepted Answer

Nightmares are vivid bad dreams, usually occurring toward morning.

Question 18

Intense physiological arousals that cause a child to wake up in a severe state of panic are __________.

Accepted Answer

Night terrors produce intense physiological arousal and cause a child to wake up in an intense state of panic.

Question 19

Three-year-old Trent woke one night screaming and shaking with fright. It took his parents a great deal of time to calm him down. The next morning, he could not recall the event. Trent experienced a __________.

Accepted Answer

After waking from a night terror, children are not easily comforted, they cannot say why they are so disturbed, and they cannot recall having a bad dream. But the following morning, they cannot remember anything about the incident.

Question 20

Night terrors occur in __________ of children.

Accepted Answer

Night terrors, which occur in just 1 to 5 percent of children, are less frequent than nightmares.

Quiz 8: Physical Development in the Preschool Years