Early Childhood Development – Flashcards
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Which one of the following best illustrates physical development as a developmental domain?
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hold and use a pencil more easily than they could last year.
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Which one of the following best illustrates social-emotional development as a developmental domain?
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Carlos is learning how to play cooperatively with his preschool classmates.
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Many psychologists are interested in the influence of "nature versus nurture" in child development. Which one of the following examples illustrates the influence of nature?
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Fourteen-year-old Deborah is starting to grow pubic hair, and she's just had her first menstrual period.
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Which one of the following statements reflects what developmentalists mean by the term maturation?
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Developmental changes that are controlled largely by heredity
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Many developmental theorists are interested in the influence of "nature versus nurture" in child development. The term nurture refers to:
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Environmental conditions that influence development.
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Leanna believes that children have a natural curiosity that makes them eager to learn. LeRoy believes that children's motivation to learn is fostered by good nutrition, positive relationships with other people, and opportunities to explore a complex environment. This difference in viewpoints best reflects the issue of:
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Nature vs. nurture
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Three of the following statements are true regarding the interplay between heredity and environment in child development. Which statement is false?
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Heredity is more influential when children live in extremely impoverished circumstances than when they have good nutrition and other environmental supports.
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The concept of universality in development refers to:
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Developmental progressions shared by virtually all human beings
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Which one of the following statements best illustrates a universal in development as developmentalists define the term?
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Young children show similar patterns in their language development regardless of the specific language they learn.
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Many psychologists are concerned about whether certain aspects of development are marked by universality or diversity. Which one of the following statements illustrates diversity?
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On average, teenagers who live in middle-income neighborhoods have better study skills than those who live in low-income neighborhoods.
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Which one of the following best illustrates a qualitative (rather than quantitative) change in development?
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Micha used to be puzzled by statements such as "Look before you leap" but now understands their underlying meanings.
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Which one of the following best illustrates a quantitative (rather than qualitative) change in development?
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Robert knows many more addition facts than he did a few months ago.
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Which one of the following theoretical perspectives most emphasizes genetic and maturational contributions to children's development?
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Biological
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A teacher says to you, "I never believe my students have learned something new until I see their behavior change." Without knowing anything else about this teacher, you can guess that he or she agrees with the ________ perspective of development.
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Behaviorist
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One characteristic common to all behaviorist theories of development is an emphasis on:
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The effect of the environment on development
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Social learning theory can best be characterized as being concerned with:
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How children learn through observing what others do
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Which one of the following statements best describes a cognitive-developmental perspective of child development?
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Children actively try to make sense of the world from their experiences with the environment.
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After teaching kindergarten for fifteen years, Ms. Donnellen will be teaching third grade next year. She knows she must rethink her approach to teaching, because kindergartners and third graders tend to think very differently. Ms. Donnellen is taking a ________ approach to child development.
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cognitive-developmental
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Which one of these is central to a cognitive process approach to child development?
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How children's thinking changes over time
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Which of the following statements is the strongest argument to advocate for the importance of play in the life of a child?
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Play is a way to explore the world and learn to solve problems.
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Culture has a pervasive influence on child development. Which one of the following best describes the general nature of a culture?
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The behaviors and beliefs that characterize a social group
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A community contributes to children's development in three of the following ways. Which one of the following aspects of a community is least likely to have an impact on children's development?
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A community has definite geographical boundaries.
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Imagine that you are a teacher in an American school. If your students are representative of the overall population of American children, then how many of them probably live with two married parents?
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About 67% of them
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Three of the following statements are typically true of fathers. Which one is not typically true?
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Fathers spend more time than mothers addressing children's physical care.
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Which one of the following statements reveals a child who is talking about his or her extended family?
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Can I make a Valentine card to send to my grandmother?
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Which one of the following statements is true regarding blended families?
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Most children and adolescents adjust well to a blended family situation.
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Which one of the following best illustrates a blended family?
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After his wife dies, Jim marries Nancy, who helps him take care of his 6-year-old son Peter. Later, they add a newborn baby girl to the family.
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Which one of the following examples involving young adolescents reflects an authoritarian parenting style?
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Molly's parents are very strict, letting her know their high expectations and imposing strong penalties for failing or breaking their rules.
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Sixteen-year-old Bernard wants to go on a three-day trip with his friends, some of whom are female He tells his parents about the trip and asks if he can go. If Bernard's parents typically use an authoritarian parenting style, which one of the following responses is most likely?
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Absolutely not! Case closed.
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Authoritative parents can best be characterized as having which type of relationship with their children?
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High expectations, loving support, and shared decision making
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Other things being equal, which child is most likely to have come from a home in which parents use an authoritative parenting style?
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Frank is well-behaved and self-confident.
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A permissive parenting style is best illustrated by which one of these examples involving high school students?
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Bill's parents love their son and want him to be happy, so they let him decide when he wants to go to school and how late he wants to stay out with friends.
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Earlier in the evening 8-year-old James refused to eat his dinner. Now it's almost midnight on a school night. James is eating a third bowl of ice cream and tells his mother, "I'm not ready to go to bed yet. I want to watch more TV." James's mother says, "OK, honey, I'll watch with you for a while." Which one of the following parenting styles is James's mom displaying?
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Permissive
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Five-year-old René is easily frustrated and loses control of her emotions. She often comes to school hungry or inappropriately dressed for the weather. You might reasonably suspect that René's parents exhibit a(n) ________ parenting style.
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uninvolved
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Fourteen-year-old Liam has grown up as the only child in his family. Which one of the following characteristics is most likely to be true of Liam?
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He gets good grades.
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Three of the following statements are true about diversity in parenting styles. Which one is not necessarily true?
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Teenage single mothers tend to be more authoritarian than married couples.
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Ella's mother makes sure that Ella gets three good meals a day, but she constantly ridicules Ella for being too slow or too clumsy during typical day-to-day activities. You worry that Ella's mom is subjecting Ella to:
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Emotional abuse
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Parenting styles are different with respect to the degree of control that parents exert over their children. Which parenting style reflects the most control?
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Authoritarian
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Three of the following are recommended strategies for getting students' parents involved in school activities. Which one is not recommended?
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When divorced parents share custody of a student, communicate primarily with the parent who seems most involved in the student's day-to-day activities.
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What is not recommended to do in order to help children to achieve academic and social success?
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Have a surface contact with another culture.
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When communicating with families who do not yet speak English fluently, which is not recommended?
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Speak to the families only in English.
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Teachers who are successful at working with children and adolescents from diverse ethnic backgrounds typically:
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Learn about the practices and values of the cultures in which their students have been raised
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When considering children's and adolescents' cultural and ethnic backgrounds, it is important to keep in mind that:
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Some youngsters may simultaneously be active participants in two or more cultural groups.
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Three of the following strategies are effective with students from low-income families. Which one is unlikely to be effective?
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Lower the standards by which you evaluate students' academic performance.
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Three of the following strategies should help promote a sense of community in the classroom. Which strategy is least likely to promote a sense of community?
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Publicly praise individual students who show high academic achievement.
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The principle Children's bodies are dynamic systems means that:
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Development in one component of the body may affect development in another component.
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Physical development is characterized by both differentiation and integration. Which statement best describes the functioning of these two processes in physical development?
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Differentiation and integration occur simultaneously and interactively.
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At age 3, Michelle could scribble, her crayon tightly grasped in her fist. By age 4 she could color neatly in the lines of her coloring book. By age 5 she could better control a pencil and write her name legibly. This progression most clearly illustrates:
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Differentiation
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Which one of the following best describes how neurons transmit messages to one another?
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By sending chemical substances to one another
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As she runs a race, Aggie's heart starts beating faster to help her body keep up with its increasing need for oxygen. Aggie can largely thank her ________ for this change.
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hindbrain
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Rafael is carefully weighing the many advantages and disadvantages of attending a large state university rather than a small local college. Rafael can largely thank his ________ for the ability to make his decision.
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forebrain
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Imagine that you are the parent of a newborn baby boy. A pediatrician tells you, "About half of the neurons that your son produced in the early weeks after conception have died off." From this information, you should conclude that your son:
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Is normal
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Seventeen-year-old Jonathan has suddenly started "hearing scary voices" in his head, and he worries that someone is "out to get" him. Which one of the following brain abnormalities might we suspect?
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Schizophrenia
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The shift from generalized possibilities to specialized functioning over the course of development is known as:
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Differentiation
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In the human brain, a great deal of synaptic pruning occurs in the first few years of development. This pruning appears to be:
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An adaptive process that allows children to deal more efficiently with their environment
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The process of fingers becoming more adept at handling small objects is an example of:
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Integration
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Which one of the following conclusions is most warranted from research on brain development?
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Educational experiences can affect students' cognitive development throughout the elementary and secondary school years.
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Three of the following statements accurately describe the typical physical development of children in the elementary grades. Which one is not accurate?
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Children become more clumsy in their gross motor skills.
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Which one of the following is the best example of a gross motor skill?
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Skipping across the schoolyard
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The coordination between cells and body parts is known as:
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Integration
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You are watching a group of boys and girls interacting at a school fair. Many of the tallest youngsters are girls. The students you are observing are most likely to be:
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10-12 years old
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The timing of puberty seems to be affected in part by environmental causes. For example, puberty occurs early for:
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Girls in families with a lot of conflict
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The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends breastfeeding of infants due to its many advantages over other methods. Which of the following is not an advantage of breastfeeding?
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Breast milk is invariably safer than formula.
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Steven is a typical 17-year-old American boy. When given a choice, which one of the following is Steven most likely to eat for dinner?
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A high-fat, high-sodium, high-sugar meal
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Other things being equal, which one of the following adolescents is most likely to experience adjustment problems?
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Wilma, who had her first menstrual period at age 8
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Christine is an obese 12-year-old. What is one prediction about her health as an adult that cannot be made?
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There are no possible serious health risks that she will face in adulthood
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Six-year-olds Jason and Curtis are rolling around in the dirt in what appears to be a fight, yet they both get up smiling. Curtis then sticks out his tongue at Jason and runs off, and Jason follows him in hot pursuit. Which one of the following alternatives best describes their interaction?
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Rough-and-tumble play
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Which one of the following statements best describes the physical exercise of teenagers in the United States?
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Most do not get enough exercise to support good health in the course of their daily lives.
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Three of the following are recommended practices for encouraging physical activity and fitness in children. Which one is not consistent with experts' recommendations?
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Enroll infants in swimming lessons before six months of age.
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Fourteen-year-old Anna has what is politely referred to as a "healthy appetite," yet she maintains a trim figure with no apparent effort. You notice that Anna often disappears briefly after meals or snacks, but she becomes nervous if others insist on accompanying her to the restroom. Anna is probably suffering from:
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Bulimia
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Given the factors associated with alcohol and drug use, which one of the following teens is most likely to abuse alcohol and drugs?
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Lucinda, who is trying to "fit in"
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What is the ability to direct personal actions and emotions?
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Self-regulation
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Melissa is in third grade. She raises her hand when she wants to answer a question. She takes turns when using classroom materials. She keeps track of her homework assignments and submits her assignments on time. All of these actions she is able to do on her own. Which ability does Melissa demonstrate through these actions?
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Self-regulation
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Which one of the following statements is not one of the ways that infants and toddlers learn?
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Teacher-directed academic instruction
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Only one of the following statements about sleep is true. Which one?
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Lack of sleep can lead to difficulty controlling aggressive impulses.
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Jeremy's 4th grade teacher has been noticing that Jeremy has become increasingly short tempered and impatient. Which of the following suggestions for Jeremy's family would be a good idea to suggest first to try to address this emerging situation?
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Get more sleep.
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For which of the following is early stimulation necessary for normal development?
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Visual processing
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Which of the following is not a recommended action for educators who have students with chronic illnesses who may forget to take their medication?
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Respect their privacy by not mentioning anything about it.
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Genes influence physical development most directly by:
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Instructing the body to produce certain proteins
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Human cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes. Within each pair:
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One chromosome is inherited from the mother and the other from the father.
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More than 20,000 genes make up human DNA. Of these genes, how many do all human beings have in common?
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The great majority of them
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Which one of the following statements most accurately describes the effects of a particular gene on a child's development and functioning?
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A gene's effects depend partly on the child's health and activity levels and on environmental conditions in which the child lives.
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Reproductive cells (sperm in men and ova in women) are different from other human cells in that they:
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Have only half as many chromosomes
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Imagine that you are a beginning teacher and learn that your new class of students will include a pair of monozygotic twins. You should expect that
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You may initially have trouble telling them apart.
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The gene for red hair is a recessive gene. Luke has red hair, but neither of his biological parents has red hair. Given this information, we can reasonably guess that:
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Each of his parents has one (but only one) red-hair gene.
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Most complex psychological traits in human beings are probably shaped by:
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Multifactorial trait and environmental experiences
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Mary is pregnant with her first child and has recently had genetic testing to determine whether her baby-to-be is growing normally. Among other things, her test results indicate that the twenty-third chromosome pair of her fetus includes one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. This means that:
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Mary is expecting a boy.
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Imagine that you are a preschool teacher and want to foster your students' development in a variety of domains. In which of the following areas is canalization most likely to be a significant factor in their development?
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Motor skills
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A pre-school teacher who works with infants and toddlers makes sure to talk with her young students frequently. She sings nursery rhymes with them. She is taking advantage of which of the following with them?
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Sensitive period
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A small mass has been in a mother's placenta for several weeks. A small head is distinguishable from the body, and tiny buds that will become arms and legs are just beginning to sprout fingers and toes. What word is typically used for a baby-to-be at this stage of development?
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Embryo
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A tiny cluster of cells has just traveled down one of its mother's fallopian tubes and implanted itself in the mother's uterus. What word is typically used for a baby-to-be at this stage of development?
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Zygote
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A pregnant woman has an ultrasound to assess the progress of the twins she is expecting. Her doctor says, "From what I can see on the screen, Ms. Black, it looks as if you will have a boy and a girl." In what stage of development must the twins be?
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Fetus
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A pregnant woman regularly uses cocaine and heroin throughout her pregnancy. Chances are that her baby will:
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Be born prematurely and show unusual irritability
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Three of the following are sound words of advice for any pregnant woman. Which piece of advice is not sound?
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Stop taking all prescription medication immediately.
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Three of the following are common practices in caring for a premature infant. Which one is not recommended?
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Give the infant plenty of light.
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Some physical disabilities are the result of genetic abnormalities. An example is Down syndrome, in which:
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Children have an extra chromosome
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What is the practice called when the needs of children who have biologically based disabilities are accommodated in the regular classroom?
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Inclusion
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Babies are considered premature when they are:
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Born before the end of 37 weeks after conception
