The science of child development has evolved in the past century. Today’s research
questions typically require multidisciplinary approaches. Current experts in child
development criticize Piagetian theory because:
a. it does not provide information about cognitive development that is useful for
teachers.
b. it overly reflects the activities and expectations of Western cultures.
c. it places too much emphasis on organization and does not address adaptation.
d. it represents the inconsistencies in children’s thinking at the various stages.
Body image is a key concern for adolescents in general. In terms of ethnic differences,
which group of adolescents is generally most satisfied with their body image?
a. Chinese Americans
b. Hispanics
c. Japanese Americans
d. African Americans
Ramona is an 11 year-old girl who strongly believes she can control her anxiety enough
during the audition to be selected for the play being held at her local community theater.
Ramona’s belief is a good example of a child with a positive sense of:
a. self-esteem.
b. self-concept.
c. industry.
d. emotional self-efficacy.
In the US, what are the legal requirements for reporting abuse?
a. US law requires teachers to report abuse.
b. Most staes have laws about school personnel reporting abuse.
c. All 50 states have laws about reporting suspected abuse.
d. There are no legal requirements, but moral codes require everyone to report
suspected abuse.
Rick is worried because his newborn daughter cries and wants to eat every 90 minutes.
Rick called his pediatrician, who told him:
a. he should bring his daughter in for a check-up.
b. it is perfectly normal for an infant to eat every 90 minutes.
c. he should not worry; however, his daughter should be eating at least once per hour.
d. he should be concerned that her crying and overeating may be symptomatic of colic.
For more than 30 years, the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment
(HOME) has focused on:
a. assessing parenting styles and family dynamics.
b. predicting children’s risk for school failure and dropout.
c. assessing children’s cognitive and social emotional development.
d. assessing children’s readiness for preschool and kindergarten.
One of the areas in which the United States has been effective in reducing the
environmental hazards over the past 50 years is:
a. the elimination of pollution from mass transportation vehicles.
b. the elimination of the effects of second-hand smoke.
c. the reduction of childhood deaths due to poisoning..
d. the elimination of respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
The first phase of pregnancy is known as the _________ and it typically lasts about
__________.
a. gestation stage; two weeks
b. embryonic stage; eight weeks
c. germinal stage; two weeks
d. germinal stage; six weeks
Which of the following adolescents is most likely to reach his or her maximum height
at the earliest age?
a. Selena, a Latina girl
b. Corrinne, a European American girl
c. Marcus, an African American boy
d. Jade, an Asian American girl
According to Part C of IDEA, each state must:
a. avoid policy issues and focus only on direct support services to families.
b. provide a rigorous definition of developmental delay for children.
c. follow the federal definition of developmental delay for children.
d. use state funds for physical disabilities rather than mental health disorders.
Bone mass typically peaks during what age?
a. preschool years
b. mid-20s
c. late adulthood
d. before the onset of adolescence
Which child is most likely to be exposed to lead poisoning?
a. Riley, who lives in a shared and crowded living space.
b. Victor, who lives in an upper-class neighborhood with parents who smoke..
c. Thomas, who lives in a new home with chemicals in the dry wall.
d. Aaron, who lives in an old home with deteriorating paint.
Jamie heard the news anchor report facts about her favorite football player, but she
refuses to believe he is capable of drug trafficing. She knows too many good things
about him. He raised money to support kids in his old neighborhood. Jamie believes in
him and supports him on her blog. Her adolescent response is an example of:
a. availability heuristic.
b. belief perseverance.
c. confirmation bias.
d. representativeness heuristics.
One key dimension of self that is likely to differ between American children and
Japanese children is:
a. the identification with individualism versus collectivism.
b. personal agency versus self-esteem.
c. social self versus subjective self.
d. self-representation versus social-representation.
Shonda is a 9-year-old girl who loves to spend time with her family and enjoys helping
her grandmother cook. Her grandmother has developed osteoporosis, and Shonda’s
parents want to help Shonda prevent the disease. What should they do?
a. Encourage weight-bearing exercises and a diet that is high in calcium.
b. Discourage cooking with her grandmother and encourage a lowfat diet.
c. Begin the use of dietary supplements to increase muslce mass.
d. Limit athletic activities that involve rigorous running such as soccer.
If 10-year-old Rubin’s body growth is typical for boys his age, he:
a. has few gains in motor coordination despite his fast growth at this age.
b. probably weighs between 100 and 105 pounds.
c. is growing slowly and steadily and has more bone mass than the girls his age.
d. is having sudden growth spurts and is taller than most girls his age.
The “natural” or “prepared” childbirth movement that began in the middle of the last
century in the United States has:
a. reduced the number of caesarean births.
b. limited the role of a doula in the birthing process.
c. decreased the number of birthing centers in hospitals.
d. promoted the philosophy that childbirth is not like an illness.
Which of the following adolescents are most likely to engage in a sexual relationship
later in adolescence rather than early?
a. adolescent boys who date younger girls
b. adolescent girls who date younger boys
c. adolescent boys who are shy
d. adolescent boys who experience same-sex attraction
Taylor is a typical adolescent in that he is constantly fighting with his parents about his:
a. political ideologies.
b. curfew time on the weekends.
c. religious beliefs.
d. plans for college.
Mrs. Schwartz teaches fifth grade math and science. Based on research about
elementary teachers’ treatment of boys and girls, which pattern is Mrs. Schwartz likely
to follow in her math and science classes?
a. Mrs. Schwartz will probably give girls more attention to encourage them to go into
math and science related careers.
b. Mrs. Schwartz will probably interact more with the boys in her class than the girls.
c. Mrs. Schwartz, being a female teacher, will probably provide more detailed feedback
to the girls in her class compared to the boys.
d. Mrs. Schwartz, being a female teacher, will probably give equal treatment to the boys
and girls in her class.
When children are in the stages of “initiative versus guilt” and “industry versus
inferiority,” teachers and families can take steps that encourage positive resolution of
these psychosocial crises. All of the following are recommended EXCEPT:
a. Provide support to children when they seem discouraged and think about giving up.
b. Make sure they have a chance to experience success in games and school activities.
c. Encourage children to engage in make-believe with a wide variety of roles.
d. Assist children when they attempt to do things independently and help them avoid
mistakes and accidents.
The Institutional Review Board exists to ensure:
a. researchers do not claim causation when they are conducing correlational research.
b. researchers conducting research involving human subjects are following all ethical
guidelines.
c. the microgenetic approach to research is used if the sample of children is under the
age of 18.
d. the institution’s resources are appropriately allocated among departments and
researchers.
What is the value of Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences for teachers and
the teaching and learning process in the classroom?
a. Incorporate the eight multiple intelligences into every lesson.
b. Use the multiple intelligences to teach verbal instruction.
c. Use the multiple intelligences to differentiate instruction.
d. Replace content area reading with lessons using the multiple intelligences.
Mr. Carpenter is ready to begin his first year of teaching at Hawthorne Elementary
School. He researched to find information about the qualities or characteristics of
classroom teaching that influence children’s development and learning. Which of the
following did he most likely find?
a. Teacher emotional support is one of the key dimensions of classroom climate related
to development and learning in middle childhood.
b. Teacher organization is the most important characteristic in predicting children’s
academic achievement and development in middle childhood.
c. The influence of teachers is statistically insignificant in determining children’s
learning and development in middle childhood.
d. Classroom and lesson management are the most important characteristics in
predicting children’s academic achievement in middle childhood.
In supporting media literacy, families and teachers are encouraged to:
a. ask children to look for specific details when they watch a movie or video and
practice general observation skills.
b. expect children to spend at least one hour per day on the Internet with academically
relevant content and tasks.
c. limit children’s exposure to commercials and advertisements and avoid media bias.
d. allow children autonomy in discovering the perspective of mediated messages.
Of the causes that are understood, what is the leading cause of mental retardation in
children?
a. Maternal rubella (German measles) during pregnancy
b. Maternal sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
c. Fetal alcohol syndrome
d. Prescription drug use by the mother during pregnancy
Kristina has just learned that she is pregnant and wants to begin preparing the nursery.
She and her husband bought a historic home, and one of the bedrooms will become the
nursery. Kristina plans to remove old paint in the nursery, repaint to create a nature
scene, and refurnish the room. Should she carry out her plan? Why or why not?
a. Yes, positive achievements help the mother relax, and the mother’s healthy emotional
state promotes normal prenatal development.
b. No, the activity involved in removing paint and painting may result in muscle strain
and harm the embryo/fetus.
c. Yes, the exercise and activity involved in the project prepare the mother for a healthy
delivery and promote development of the embryo/fetus.
d. No, the old paint is likely to have lead content that will harm the embryo/fetus.
Robert feels lost in his biology class. He wants to raise his hand and ask the teacher to
explain how two cells that have the same genetic material can have different
morphology and behavior. He doesn”t raise his hand because he is so afraid the other
students will laugh at him, call him ‘stupid,” and talk about him after class. Robert’s
thinking is typical of what researchers refer to as:
a. reversion to childhood egocentricism.
b. the sense of an imaginary audience.
c. phobia of taking risks.
d. dual processing.
Myelination is a process that:
a. controls emotions and impulses.
b. stimulates physical growth and muscle mass development.
c. increases brain efficiency and memory.
d. prunes away less adaptive circuits.
Adolescents’ most important developmental task is to resolve the crisis of identity
versus role confusion. Which category of identity status results from healthy
exploration of roles and commitment to beliefs and choices?
a. identity achievement
b. identity diffusion
c. identity foreclosure
d. moratorium
Sixteen-year-old Camila is complaining about the test she just completed for a
university research team. The test administrator sneered at her when she asked a
question about the instructions. She didn’t know how to answer questions about
football. She couldn”t understand the questions about cultural norms in early America.
She was uncomfortable answering questions about religious beliefs. She didn’t like
questions implying that Latino children may not have high expectations for learning.
She and the other girls in her group noticed that only ethnic minority students were
being tested. Explain the validity of Camila’s complaints and the weaknesses of the
research plan.
Food security is defined as:
a. the government’s guarantee that the food is healthy and nutritious.
b. the consistent access to sufficient quantities of food.
c. the right of parents to choose the food their child eats.
d. the nutrition labels on all food products.
Which adolescent was most likely to have been obese?
a. Sarah, who was 15 in 2004
b. Briana, who was 15 in 1990
c. Amanda, who was 15 in 1980
d. Vicki, who was 15 in 1970
During a family picnic, somehow the topic shifted to what you are learning in college
and the study of child and adolescent development. In discussing the contexts of
development, one of your cousins makes the point that the issue of socioeconomic
status in the United States is over rated. Your cousin argues that educators and
researchers have exaggerated the impact of poverty on children and schooling. How
might you respond to your cousin’s point of view based on what you have learned in
Woolfolk and Perry’s book on Child and Adolescent Development?
On the basis of Lev Vygotsky’s theories, how might we regulate the behaviors of an
impatient child who refuses to take turns while playing games and often interrupts when
other children are talking in kindergarten class?
In your fifth grade science class, one of your students asks, “Why am I a boy?” How
might you explain to your fifth grade class in very simple terms how sex is determined?
What accounts for American children’s physical inactivity and why should we be
concerned about this issue?
What kinds of ball games might you have children play at age two, four, and six that
would be developmentally appropriate for their gross motor skills at the three different
age levels?
Discuss three benefits associated with children’s participation in organized sports.
Monika, who will turn forty next month, is very upset because she has not been able to
get pregnant. Monika and her husband have been trying for nearly five years to
conceive a child. They have made the decision to see a doctor about reproductive
technologies. What options are they going to hear from their doctor, and what is a
strength and limitation associated with the various reproductive technologies?
Discuss four strategies athletic coaches, band directors, or advisors to student clubs
could use to promote prosocial behaviors in middle childhood.
Samantha’s parents are growing tired of her best friend Kiki, Samantha’s pretend
playmate. She only exists in Samantha’s imagination. However, to Samantha, Kiki is
real. Samantha’s family thought it was cute at first, but now they are becoming
frustrated with the inconveniences of Kiki’s existence. Samantha insists on setting a
place at the dinner table for Kiki. She insists that Kiki be buckled into a seatbelt every
time they get into the car. Is Samantha’s behavior normal? What should her parents do
about Kiki?
Mrs. Kouros believes the best way to ensure a successful life for her children is to
accelerate their learning at a very early age. Thus, she was thrilled when she saw the
advertisement for “tech camp” designed for children age four to six. The tech camp is a
four day summer sleep-over camp that provides young children the opportunity to gain
accelerated mathematics and technological skills beyond what they will learn in
pre-school or kindergarten. The camp brochure notes that children’s cognitive
capabilities will develop by leaps and bounds with the intense practice sessions and
accelerated curriculum at tech camp. If Jean Piaget were alive today, what advice would
he give to Mrs. Kouros who is intrigued by the idea that a camp experience can ‘speed
up” her child’s cognitive development?
Describe the process used in cognitive apprenticeships and give an example of a
cognitive apprenticeship in a high school classroom.
Give an example of a police officer’s use of fluid intelligence and crystallized
intelligence in everyday police work.
Discuss three key ways in which adolescents’ thinking or cognitive development
changes compared to their middle childhood years.
A parent comes to you and shares that her youngest child was diagnosed with ADHD.
The mother is trying to decide whether or not she will put her child on medication.
Without conveying a position of personal bias, what information might you share about
the benefits and costs (pros and cons) of giving prescription drugs to children with
ADHD?
Brandon, who is a social work major, was thrilled to start his internship at the local
family social services agency. During the first week of his internship, his supervisor
offered him an opportunity to respond to a federal “Request for Proposal” and apply for
a grant. Brandon is charged with writing a grant to secure funds to develop an
educational program for prenatal care. The grant application requires narrative that
presents the “need for the project.” Discuss four major points Brandon could make in an
effort to justify the need for a prenatal education program for new parents?
You are new to your job as a part-time tennis instructor with the city recreation
program. Your supervisor informs you that the most important thing for you to do is
learn the names of all your students by the second day of class. You have two tennis
classes, each with eight children. What can you do to ensure that you will know all of
your student’s names by the second tennis class?
In general, what is the psychological impact of the onset of puberty for boys and girls?
How does the timing of puberty (early or late maturation) affect boys and girls?
During a family trip to the zoo, 7-year-old Brandon happened to come across a bizarre
incident. A man entered one of the cages and tried to mount and ride one of the zoo
camels. The police quickly removed the man from the camel area and arrested him for
trespassing. The police interviewed the eye witnesses about the incident and wanted to
ask Brandon some questions. There were conflicting accounts of the incident. One
witness said the man climbed over the fence. A second witness claimed another man
boosted the intruder over the fence. In order to obtain reliable information from
Brandon, what should the police officer do to ensure the accuracy of Brandon’s
testimony?
How do siblings influence gender stereotyping?