BAPSY - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Bachelor of Arts in Psychology: Dynamics of Human Development and Behavior 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, during which stage does a child first demonstrate object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight?
- Preoperational stage
- Sensorimotor stage (Correct answer)
- Concrete operational stage
- Formal operational stage
Correct answer: Sensorimotor stage
Object permanence develops during the sensorimotor stage (birth to approximately age 2), as infants begin to build mental representations of the world and understand that objects do not cease to exist when they are no longer visible.
Question 2: Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure identified an attachment pattern in which infants become highly distressed during separation but resist comfort and remain inconsolable when the caregiver returns. This pattern is called:
- Secure attachment
- Avoidant attachment
- Anxious-ambivalent attachment (Correct answer)
- Disorganized attachment
Correct answer: Anxious-ambivalent attachment
Anxious-ambivalent (also called resistant) attachment is characterized by intense distress upon separation combined with an inability to be soothed upon reunion, often because caregiving has been inconsistent, leaving the child uncertain about the caregiver's availability.
Question 3: Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (ZPD) is best defined as:
- The age range during which language acquisition occurs most rapidly
- The difference between what a learner can accomplish independently and what they can achieve with guidance from a more skilled partner (Correct answer)
- The maximum cognitive capacity determined by a child's genetic inheritance
- The period of development when abstract reasoning first becomes possible
Correct answer: The difference between what a learner can accomplish independently and what they can achieve with guidance from a more skilled partner
The ZPD represents the gap between a learner's current independent ability and their potential ability when supported by a more knowledgeable other, highlighting the social and collaborative nature of cognitive growth in Vygotsky's theory.
Question 4: At which level of Kohlberg's moral development theory does an individual reason that morality is defined by social contracts, democratic laws, and universal ethical principles that transcend specific rules?
- Preconventional level
- Conventional level
- Postconventional level (Correct answer)
- Transitional level
Correct answer: Postconventional level
At the postconventional level, individuals move beyond adherence to rules and social norms, instead grounding moral judgments in abstract principles such as justice, human rights, and the common good, even when these conflict with established laws.
Question 5: The term 'epigenetics' as used in developmental psychology refers to:
- The complete sequence of genes inherited from both biological parents
- Environmental factors that alter gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence (Correct answer)
- The process by which neurons prune unused synaptic connections during adolescence
- Stable behavioral traits passed directly from parent to offspring through DNA
Correct answer: Environmental factors that alter gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence
Epigenetics involves changes in gene expression caused by environmental influences—such as stress, nutrition, or early experiences—that do not alter the DNA sequence itself but can affect which genes are turned on or off, sometimes across generations.
Question 6: In the New York Longitudinal Study, Thomas and Chess described a temperament type characterized by slow adaptation to new situations, mild emotional reactions, and an initial tendency to withdraw before eventually adjusting. This type is labeled:
- Easy temperament
- Difficult temperament
- Slow-to-warm-up temperament (Correct answer)
- Inhibited temperament
Correct answer: Slow-to-warm-up temperament
Slow-to-warm-up children display low activity levels, mild negative responses to novelty, and gradual adaptation; unlike difficult children, they do not show intense negative reactions but simply need more time and repeated exposure before becoming comfortable.
BAPSY - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Bachelor of Arts in Psychology: Dynamics of Human Development and Behavior 1
According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, during which stage does a child first demonstrate object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight?