Developmental Psychology Flashcard Practice

Front

At what age should a child begin being able to sit without support?

Back

6 months

Answer explanation

A child typically begins to sit without support around 6 months of age. This milestone indicates developing core strength and balance, which are crucial for further motor skills.

Front

This debate in psychology says that our behavior is shaped by how our genetics interact with our experiences.

Back

Nature v. nurture

Answer explanation

The debate of 'nature v. nurture' explores how genetics (nature) and experiences (nurture) shape our behavior, making it the correct choice for the question about the influence on behavior.

Front

The prenatal stage of the first 2 - 8 weeks where organs begin to develop.

Back

embryo

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'embryo' because during the prenatal stage of 2 to 8 weeks, the developing organism is referred to as an embryo, and this is when major organs begin to form.

Front

What stage of cognitive development is exemplified by 5-year-old Tammy, who mistakenly believes that her short, wide glass contains less soda than her brother’s tall, narrow glass, even though both glasses contain the same amount?

Back

Preoperational

Answer explanation

Tammy's misunderstanding of the volume in different glass shapes illustrates the preoperational stage, where children lack the ability to understand conservation of quantity, leading to misconceptions based on appearance.

Front

Betsy believes that grass grows out of the ground in order to cushion her if she falls when she is playing outside. What concept is being illustrated?

Back

Egocentrism

Answer explanation

Betsy's belief that grass grows to cushion her falls illustrates egocentrism, as she is viewing the world solely from her perspective, assuming that nature exists to serve her needs.

Front

Dimitri is only able to focus on one aspect of a problem, which makes it impossible for him at this age to master conservation tasks. What stage of cognitive development is this?

Back

Preoperational

Answer explanation

Dimitri's inability to focus on multiple aspects indicates he is in the preoperational stage, where children struggle with conservation tasks and think intuitively rather than logically.

Front

What stage of cognitive learning is demonstrated when Gerard correctly identifies that there are more cars than station wagons among five toy station wagons and three toy convertibles?

Back

Concrete Operational

Answer explanation

Gerard's ability to determine that there are more cars than station wagons indicates he is in the Concrete Operational stage, where children can think logically about concrete events and categorize objects based on multiple attributes.

Front

Vygotsky disagreed with Piaget’s ages and stages approach and believed that development is continuous and that children can do more with scaffolding and assistance in this:

Back

Zone of proximal development

Answer explanation

Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development emphasizes that children can achieve more with guidance and support, contrasting with Piaget's fixed stages. This highlights the importance of social interaction in learning.

Front

In which level of moral development would a person obey laws in order to gain reinforcements or avoid punishments?

Back

Preconventional

Answer explanation

In the preconventional level of moral development, individuals make decisions based on the consequences of their actions, such as gaining rewards or avoiding punishments, which aligns with obeying laws for personal gain.

Front

Timothy volunteers at the local food bank because he wants his friends and family to think he is a responsible young man. Which level of moral development is Timothy operating under according to Kohlberg?

Back

Conventional

Answer explanation

Timothy's motivation to volunteer stems from a desire for approval from friends and family, indicating he values social norms and expectations. This aligns with Kohlberg's Conventional level of moral development.