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MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. A __________ is a logical system of concepts that provides a framework for organizing and interpreting
observations.
a. theory
b. variable
c. symbol
d. correlation
Conceptual p. 22 A
CO: 1 Easy
2. The guiding premises underlying the logic of a theory are its ________________.
a. predictions
b. assumptions
c. variables
d. applications
Conceptual p. 23 B
CO: 1 Easy
96 Test Bank Chapter 2
3. The function of a theory is to
a. dictate an appropriate research design.
b. describe unobservable processes and relate them to observable events.
c. develop hypotheses.
d. create symbols that society can agree upon.
Factual p. 23 B
*CO: 1 Moderate
4. Which of the following statements is considered a characteristic of a “good” formal theory?
a. It is logical and internally consistent.
b. It is unrelated to previous research.
c. It is focused on a relatively narrow, specific subject area.
d. It includes contradictory statements that can be tested.
Conceptual p. 23 A
CO: 1 Moderate
5. Which of the following statements best describes how theories help explain observations?
a. They rule on specific contradictory examples.
b. They identify orderly relationships.
c. They are based on random sampling.
d. They bring about change.
Conceptual p. 23 B
*CO: 1 Difficult
6. Theories are generally limited to explaining behaviors that fall within that theory‟s ____________.
a. life stage
b. range of applicability
c. operational definitions
d. statistical significance
Factual p. 23 B
CO: 1 Moderate
7. The textbook highlights three questions to ask in order to understand the theory. Which of the following is
not one of these questions?
a. Which phenomena is the theory trying to explain?
b. Who developed the theory?
c. What assumptions does the theory make?
d. What does the theory predict?
Factual p. 23 B
CO: 1 Moderate
8. In order to understand a theory, one question to ask is: Which phenomenon is the theory trying to explain?
Which of the following statements best describes how to answer this question?
a. Theories do NOT try to explain phenomena; theories focus on causes of behavior.
b. Theories explain the process for operationalizing concepts or phenomena that a researcher is to study.
c. The statistical significance of a correlation coefficient is the phenomena being explained.
d. The range of applicability based on the original intent of the theory is considered the phenomena.
Conceptual p. 23 D
CO: 1 Difficult
Major Theories for Understanding Human Development 97
9. In order to understand a theory, one question to ask is: What assumptions does the theory make? Which of
the following statements best describes how to answer this question?
a. Assumptions are developed after the theory has been tested.
b. The range of assumptions refers to the focus of the theory.
c. Assumptions are the guiding premises underlying the logic of a theory.
d. Theories do not make assumptions; theories focus on predicting assumptions.
Conceptual p. 23 C
CO: 1 Difficult
10. The assumptions of any theory may or may not be correct. Assumptions
a. are based on research results from over 50 years ago, so they may not be relevant today.
b. may be influenced by the cultural context of the theorist.
c. predict statistical significance of the current research design only.
d. may be the same as another theory.
Factual p. 23 B
CO: 1 Moderate
11. In order to understand a theory, one question to ask is: What does the theory predict? Which of the
following statements best describes how to answer this question?
a. Theories increase understanding by suggesting causal relationships as a prediction.
b. Predictions can only be made if research results are statistically insignificant.
c. Theories do not make predictions; theories focus on operationalizing concepts.
d. Theories can only predict relationships between humans.
Conceptual p. 23 A
CO: 1 Moderate
12. A theory of human development is expected to provide explanations for which of the following?
a. how society and economics change over time
b. how people change and grow over the life span
c. conflicts between ethnic subcultures
d. causes of illness and health over the life span
Factual p. 24 B
CO: 1 Moderate
13. A question that theory of human development should attempt to answer includes which of the following?
a. What are the mechanisms that account for growth across the life span?
b. What factors are likely to place a person at risk during specific life periods?
c. How do physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functions interact?
d. all of these
Factual p. 24 D
CO: 1 Moderate
14. Which of the following is considered the age range conceptualized by psychosocial theory?
a. infancy through age 12
b. adolescence
c. the entire life span
d. early through middle adulthood
Factual p. 24 C www
*CO: 1 Easy
98 Test Bank Chapter 2
15. Human development theories are needed to
a. help explain behavior at different levels of analysis.
b. assist in uncovering truths about humans and animals.
c. embellish case studies of families.
d. illustrate relationships from the beginning of time.
Factual p. 22 A
CO: 1 Easy
16. Evolutionary theory places the study of individual development in the context of
a. classical conditioning based on learning over time.
b. individual development in the context of the history of the species.
c. habituation with a mother/caregiver figure for survival.
d. biologically-guided genetic growth plans.
Factual p. 22 B
*CO: 1 Moderate
17. Which of the following is the best descriptor phrase for the laws of natural selection?
a. the genetic make-up of most species is remarkably similar
b. over time, species are becoming more and more responsive to radiation
c. over generations, species gradually change in response to changing environmental conditions
d. genetics alone account for species change
Factual p. 25 C
CO: 1 Easy
18. Which of the following terms focuses on describing the unique adaptive behaviors of specific species, such
as mating, caregiving, play, and strategies for obtaining resources?
a. chemistry
b. education
c. ethology
d. teratology
Conceptual p. 26 C
CO: 1 Moderate
19. The comparative study of unique adaptive behaviors is called ethology. This type of study helps clarify
______________ to the long-term survival of the species.
a. the contributions of culture
b. the importance of developmental males
c. the role of gender
d. the contributions of each generation
Conceptual p. 26 D
CO: 1 Moderate
20. Evolutionary psychology includes the study of
a. the future development of behavior.
b. the dominance of members of species currently living.
c. the origins of social behavior.
d. similarity of mammals in various environmental settings.
Conceptual p. 26 C
CO: 1 Moderate
Major Theories for Understanding Human Development 99
21. The continuation of a species depends on the capacity of its individual members to survive, mate,
reproduce, and
a. rear their offspring.
b. have reflexes.
c. use spoken language.
d. express emotion.
Factual p. 27 A
CO: 2 Easy
22. Which of the following statements is considered a major implication of evolutionary theory related to the
study of human development?
a. The importance of similarities among all humans allows for the scientific study of continuity over time.
b. Factors that influence reproductive success of a group have implications for the survival of the species.
c. The early years of childhood are most critical in shaping the structure of adult personality.
d. The course of human development is shaped by entries into and exits from key life roles.
Conceptual p. 27 B
*CO: 2 Moderate
23. Which of the following statements best illustrates the link between evolutionary theory and psychosocial
theory?
a. Through patterns of reinforcement, genetics is linked to individual development during adulthood.
b. Adults strengthen their genetic make-up and influence as they age.
c. The process of cultural survival is considered random in specific generations.
d. Individuals face a continuous struggle to adapt traits and abilities to environmental demands.
Conceptual p. 27 D
CO: 2 Difficult
24. Psychosocial evolution refers to
a. the survival of humans who progress through various life stages.
b. ways in which knowledge can alter or transform behavior and override genetically guided patterns.
c. the fact that psychosocial development cannot be influenced by individuals‟ conscious decisions.
d. strategies to achieve a positive resolution during a psychosocial crisis.
Conceptual p. 27 B
CO: 2 Difficult
25. According to psychosexual theory, what are the two instinctual drives that contribute to personality
development?
a. sexuality and shame
b. aggression and affiliation
c. sexuality and aggression
d. sexuality and inhibition
Factual p. 28 C www
CO: 1 Easy
100 Test Bank Chapter 2
26. Which of the following is considered the focus of Freud‟s psychosexual theory?
a. the influence of sexual and aggressive drives to motivate behavior
b. learned behaviors and habits on moral development
c. social roles on family uniqueness
d. goals and expectations on confidence building
Factual p. 28 A
CO: 1 Easy
27. Freud hypothesized that many explanations for seemingly natural behavior could be found by analyzing the
conflicting sexual and aggressive needs, fears, and wishes that are housed in the
a. metaconscious.
b. conscious.
c. ego.
d. unconscious.
Conceptual p. 29 D
CO: 1 Easy
28. Which of the following statements is considered an assumption of Freud’s psychosexual theory?
a. All behavior is a result of cultural conditioning.
b. Children‟s behavior is rational and thoughtful.
c. All behavior is motivated.
d. Most behavior is a result of random factors that cannot be explained.
Factual p. 28 C
*CO: 1 Moderate
29. In psychosexual theory, which of the following terms refers to reality-oriented functions such as
perception, learning, memory, and judgment?
a. superego
b. ego
c. id
d. unconscious
Conceptual p. 30 B
CO: 1 Moderate
30. According to psychosexual theory, which structure houses the person‟s moral and ethical principles?
a. id
b. ego
c. superego
d. guilt
Conceptual p. 30 C
CO: 1 Moderate
31. In psychosexual theory, how is the ego related to the id and the superego?
a. The ego is mostly unconscious, pushing the id and superego into awareness.
b. The ego tries to satisfy the id without offending the superego.
c. The superego is the commander-in-chief, the ego is the sergeant, and the id is the private.
d. The ego‟s moral and ethical principles dictate the actions of the id.
Conceptual p. 31 B
CO: 1 Moderate
Major Theories for Understanding Human Development 101
32. Which of the following terms refers to methods used to protect the person from anxiety?
a. defense mechanisms
b. adaptation
c. emotional intelligence
d. role enactment
Conceptual p. 32 A
CO: 1 Easy
33. _______ is a common defense mechanism used by children and adults in which they claim that a bad
experience never happened.
a. Denial
b. Projection
c. Rejection
d. Reality expansion
Conceptual p. 32 A
CO: 1 Easy
34. In terms of psychosexual theory, which of the following statements about defense mechanisms is most
accurate?
a. Children are so honest that they use only coping mechanisms.
b. Only very neurotic people use defense mechanisms.
c. The basic function of defense mechanisms is to protect the person from being overwhelmed by painful
thoughts and feelings such as anxiety and guilt.
d. After a long period, defense mechanisms lead to higher levels of functioning.
Conceptual p. 32 C
CO: 1 Moderate
35. According to psychosexual theory, the most significant personality developments take place during which
of the following life stages?
a. prenatal period
b. first, five or six years of life
c. adolescence
d. early adulthood
Factual p. 28 B
CO: 1 Easy
36. In psychosexual theory, development is divided into __________ stages.
a. three
b. five
c. seven
d. nine
Factual p. 31 B www
CO: 1 Moderate
102 Test Bank Chapter 2
37. According to psychosexual theory, what are the stages of development?
a. oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital
b. id, ego, superego
c. unconscious, preconscious, conscious
d. reaction formation, projection, and denial
Factual p. 31 A
CO: 1 Easy
38. Which of the following statements reflects an important contribution made by psychosexual theory to the
study of human development?
a. The role of childhood experiences can be used to explain adult behavior.
b. Parenting practices help shape biological sexual urges.
c. The foundation for sexual drives is projected to the next generation.
d. The unconscious is the main contributor to sexual development.
Factual p. 34 A
CO: 2 Moderate
39. Which of the following is considered a similarity between psychosexual theory and psychosocial theory?
a. use of a life span approach
b. description of the functions of the ego system
c. consideration of middle childhood as a „latent‟ and quiet life stage
d. incorporation of importance of schooling on development
Conceptual p. 35 B
CO: 2 Difficult
40. Which of the following statements is considered a difference between psychosocial and psychosexual
theory?
a. Psychosocial theory does not suggest stages of development.
b. Psychosocial theory is not interested in child-rearing practices.
c. Psychosocial theory suggests directions for development beyond adolescence into adulthood and old age.
d. Psychosocial theory places greater emphasis on infancy and toddlerhood.
Conceptual p. 35 C
CO: 2 Easy
41. Which of the following terms refers to the process of organizing and making meaning of experience?
a. equilibrium
b. repression
c. cognition
d. ethology
Conceptual p. 35 C
*CO: 1 Easy
42. Which of the following psychosexual terms is most closely related to the processes of cognition?
a. unconscious processing
b. impulse expression
c. ego functions
d. projection
Conceptual p. 35 C
CO: 1 Difficult
Major Theories for Understanding Human Development 103
43. Cognitive developmental theory focuses specifically on how
a. knowing emerges and is transformed into logical, systematic capacities for reasoning.
b. the ego interprets experiences into logical, systematic, thought processes.
c. evolution continues throughout the life span of a specific species based on cognition.
d. various systems within a family impact an individual’s capacity for thought.
Factual p. 35 A
CO: 1 Moderate
44. What is Piaget trying to explain in his cognitive development theory?
a. the process for how the capacity for logical thought develops
b. reasons why some children are mathematically gifted
c. individual differences in learning styles
d. the process for how culture influences cognition
Factual p. 36 A www
*CO: 1 Difficult
45. According to Piaget, organisms strive to achieve a balance of organized structures that provides effective
ways of interacting with the environment. This is known as
a. balancing.
b. intelligence.
c. equilibrium.
d. consciousness.
Conceptual p. 36 C
CO: 1 Easy
46. Equilibrium is achieved through ____________, a process of gradually modifying existing schemes in
order to take into account discrepancies between what is known and what is being experienced.
a. natural selection
b. evolution
c. adaptation
d. schematic overload
Conceptual p. 36 C
CO: 1 Moderate
47. In cognitive developmental theory, equilibrium is achieved through a process of
a. fixation.
b. adaptation.
c. conditioning.
d. rewards and punishments.
Conceptual p. 36 B
CO: 1 Easy
48. What is the difference between a scheme and an operation in cognitive developmental theory?
a. an operation is a verbal scheme
b. an operation is a mental manipulation of related schemes
c. a scheme is more complex than an operation
d. a scheme is in equilibrium and an operation is in disequilibrium
Conceptual p. 36 B
CO: 1 Difficult
104 Test Bank Chapter 2
49. In Piaget‟s theory, which of the following are considered the two complementary processes that account for
adaptation?
a. sensorimotor intelligence and preoperational thought
b. natural selection and fitness
c. cultural discontinuity and moral reasoning
d. assimilation and accommodation
Factual p. 36 D
*CO: 1 Moderate
50. Accommodation is referred to as the
a. resistance to changing familiar schemes held in place through equilibrium.
b. tendency to interpret new experiences in light of existing schemes.
c. desire to make meaning out of experience.
d. tendency to modify schemes to account for new attributes revealed through experience.
Conceptual p. 36 D
CO: 1 Moderate
51. Kendra has been breastfed. The first time she gets a bottle of apple juice, she uses the same sucking motion
she has been accustomed to using during breastfeeding. Juice floods out of the nipple of the bottle. This is
an example of
a. defensive behavior.
b. assimilation.
c. adaptive self-organization.
d. vicarious learning.
Application p. 36 B
CO: 1 Easy
52. The first stage in Piaget‟s cognitive developmental theory is
a. sensorimotor intelligence.
b. preoperational thought.
c. concrete operational thought.
d. formal operational thought.
Factual p. 36 A www
CO: 1 Easy
53. The preoperational thought stage is when
a. infants become toddlers.
b. children learn a language.
c. children can understand abstract concepts.
d. children become adolescents.
Factual p. 36 B
CO: 1 Moderate
54. Which of the following statements best describes a characteristic of formal operational thought?
a. Knowing is based primarily on instruction from others.
b. Logic is based on the creation of a system of interrelated rules that can be used for problem solving.
c. Knowing is based primarily on direct experience by the individual within a family context.
d. Logic is based largely on memories of past experiences.
Conceptual p. 37 B
CO: 1 Moderate
Major Theories for Understanding Human Development 105
55. Dakota has started to read short biographies of women she believes are important. She makes lists of who is
most important in categories like business leader, political leader, and star athlete. Then she starts to read
about the number one person in each category. Which of Piaget‟s stages do you think Dakota is in?
a. formal operational stage
b. concrete operational stage
c. preoperational stage
d. post formal operational stage
Application p. 37 B
CO: 1 Moderate
56. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, which of the following statements is most accurate?
a. Repetition is the most important experience for promoting cognitive growth.
b. Young children and adults approach problems using the same basic principles of logic and reasoning.
c. Encounters with discrepancy promote the growth of logical thinking.
d. Because they cannot use symbols, infants do not have the capacity for problem solving.
Conceptual p. 37 C
CO: 2 Difficult
57. Which of the following statements is considered an assumption of Piaget‟s cognitive development theory?
a. All behavior is motivated.
b. Advances in cognitive capacities occur into old age.
c. Personality development ends at age 6.
d. The roots of cognition lie in an infant’s biological capacities.
Factual p. 37 D
CO: 2 Moderate
58. Which of the following is considered one of Piaget‟s contributions to understanding infant cognition?
a. Infants are able to create and manipulate symbols.
b. For infants, most thinking is unconscious.
c. Infants have the same capacity for abstract reasoning as adolescents.
d. Infants establish logical connections.
Conceptual p. 37 D
CO: 2 Moderate
59. By asking children how they know what they know, Piaget introduced the study of
a. intelligence.
b. metacognition.
c. categorization.
d. morality.
Conceptual p. 38 B
CO: 2 Easy
60. In contrast to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky placed greater emphasis on
a. social context.
b. role of exploration and experimentation.
c. biological bases of cognition.
d. evolution.
Factual p. 38 A
*CO: 1 Easy
106 Test Bank Chapter 2
61. What are the central concepts of Vygotsky‟s theory of cognitive development?
a. id, ego, superego
b. assimilation, accommodation, schemes
c. culture, zone of proximal development, movement from intermental to the intramental
d. microsystem, exosystem, and mesosystem
Factual p. 38 C www
CO: 1 Moderate
62. Vygotsky emphasized the role of a culture’s __________ in shaping thought.
a. tools and signs
b. levels of continuity
c. boundaries
d. roles
Factual p. 38 A
CO: 1 Difficult
63. Vygotsky argued that complex mental operations exist first in the social world and are then internalized. He
described this as movement from the ___________ to the __________.
a. ego; superego
b. intermental; intramental
c. model; child
d. microsystem; mesosystem
Factual p. 38 B
CO: 1 Moderate
64. Ricky wants to play a computer game, but cannot quite figure out how to get the figures to jump and kick.
Ricky watches his older sister play the computer game for a few minutes and asks her a few questions.
Then Ricky is able to play the game by himself. According to Vygotsky’s theory, this is an example of
a. formal operational reason
