Erik Erikson - Psychology 1/8

Multiple Choice

A developmental psychologist studies the relationship between childhood temperament and adult personality. She follows the same group of 500 participants, assessing their behavioral characteristics at age 4, then again at ages 8, 12, 16, and 25. By tracking the same individuals over 21 years, she can observe how early temperament traits evolve into adult personality patterns and identify factors that influence stability or change. This method of studying the same participants repeatedly over an extended time period illustrates:

• Longitudinal research

• Cross-sectional research

• Case study method

• Cross-sequential design

Multiple Choice

 An 8-year-old student experiences contrasting situations in different subjects. In math, she successfully completes assignments, receives praise from her teacher, and feels capable when helping classmates. However, in writing, she struggles to keep up, receives lower grades despite effort, and feels embarrassed when reading aloud. As a result, she begins to view herself as competent in math but "stupid" in writing, affecting her willingness to attempt writing tasks. This development of either competence or inadequacy through experiences of success or failure during the elementary school years illustrates Erikson's stage of:

• Trust versus mistrust

• Initiative versus guilt

• Industry versus inferiority

• Identity versus role confusion

Multiple Choice

A memory researcher wants to understand how processing speed changes across the lifespan. Rather than waiting decades, she tests four different age groups during the same month: 20-year-olds, 40-year-olds, 60-year-olds, and 80-year-olds, with 100 participants in each group. She compares how quickly each age group completes the same cognitive tasks to draw conclusions about age-related changes in processing speed. This method of studying different age groups simultaneously to make inferences about developmental changes illustrates:

• Longitudinal research

  
  

• Cross-sectional research

• Time-lag study

• Case study method

Multiple Choice

A 16-year-old student experiences intense uncertainty about her future. She switches between wanting to be a doctor like her parents, a musician like her friends, or an environmental activist based on her values. She experiments with different clothing styles, friend groups, and beliefs, sometimes feeling confident in her choices and other times completely lost. She questions her religious upbringing, political views, and career aspirations, trying to figure out who she truly is. This adolescent struggle to develop a coherent sense of self illustrates Erikson's stage of:

• Industry versus inferiority

• Intimacy versus isolation

• Initiative versus guilt

• Identity versus role confusion

Multiple Choice

Identical twins are separated at birth and raised in different countries. Despite never meeting, they show remarkable similarities: both become architects, prefer jazz music, and struggle with anxiety. However, one twin speaks fluent Japanese and values collective harmony due to her Japanese upbringing, while the other speaks only English and displays more individualistic traits from her American culture. Their father and brother are also architects, suggesting a genetic influence on career interests. This interaction between genetic predispositions and environmental influences in shaping development illustrates how:

• Environment alone shapes development

• Genetics alone determines developmental outcomes

• Development results from the interplay of nature and nurture

•  Cultural influences override genetic tendencies