AP Psychology Unit 3 (Development) — Worksheet Questions

Dr. Aris is conducting a study where she tests the spatial reasoning skills of a group of 10-year-olds, 20-year-olds, and 40-year-olds all during the same week in 2024. Which research design is Dr. Aris using?

• Longitudinal design

• Cross-sectional design

• Naturalistic observation

• Experimental design

Section 1: Themes and Research Methods — A developmental psychologist is interested in whether an individual's personality remains the same from childhood through old age or if it changes significantly. This interest aligns with which enduring theme in developmental psychology?

• Nature vs. Nurture

• Continuity vs. Discontinuity

• Stability vs. Change

• Critical vs. Sensitive periods

Section 1: Themes and Research Methods — Which research method is best suited for studying "stability vs. change" in personality by tracking the same group of people over 30 years?

• Cross-sectional

• Longitudinal

• Case Study

• Double-blind experiment

Section 2: Physical and Prenatal Development — A woman consumes significant amounts of alcohol during her pregnancy. Her child is born with distinct facial misproportions and cognitive impairments. In this scenario, the alcohol acted as a:

• Critical period

• Genetic mutation

• Teratogen

• Secondary sex characteristic

Section 2: Physical and Prenatal Development — When a nurse touches the cheek of a newborn, the baby immediately turns its head toward the touch and opens its mouth. This reflex is known as:

• The Moro reflex

• The Babinski reflex

• The rooting reflex

• Habituations

Section 2: Physical and Prenatal Development — A 6-month-old infant is placed on the "visual cliff" apparatus. If the infant refuses to crawl over the clear glass surface onto the deep side, researchers conclude that the infant has developed:

• Object permanence

• Depth perception

• Conservation

• Social referencing

Section 2: Physical and Prenatal Development — Lorenz found that certain species of birds will follow the first moving object they see after hatching. This survival mechanism is an example of:

• Scaffolding

• Assimilation

• Imprinting

• Accommodation

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-4

Section 2: Physical and Prenatal Development — During puberty, 13-year-old Sarah begins to experience her first menstrual period. This specific milestone is known as:

• Spermarche

• Menarche

• Secondary sex characteristic

• Menopause

As 70-year-old Harold ages, he finds it increasingly difficult to solve complex puzzles quickly or come up with novel solutions to tech problems. However, he is excellent at crossword puzzles and has an expansive vocabulary. This demonstrates that:

• Fluid intelligence increases with age while crystallized intelligence decreases.

• Both fluid and crystallized intelligence decrease significantly.

• Fluid intelligence tends to wane while crystallized intelligence remains stable.

• Harold is likely developing early-onset dementia.

As adults enter their 50s and 60s, they typically experience a gradual decline in the ability to see fine detail and hear high-pitched sounds. This is characterized as a decline in:

• Crystallized intelligence

• Sensory acuity

• Object permanence

• Conservation