Developmental Psychology Flashcards
6 cards from real APA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Developmental Psychology flashcards as text
What is 'temperament' in developmental psychology?
Answer: Biologically-based individual differences in reactivity and self-regulation
Temperament refers to innate, relatively stable individual differences in emotional reactivity, activity level, and self-regulation that appear early in life.
During Piaget's preoperational stage, egocentrism is best demonstrated by:
Answer: Assuming others see the world from their own perspective
Preoperational egocentrism is the child's difficulty recognizing that others may have different perspectives, as shown in the classic three-mountain task.
Which parenting style, identified by Baumrind, is associated with the best developmental outcomes in U.S. children?
Answer: Authoritative
Authoritative parenting — warm yet firm, with clear expectations and explanations — is associated with higher self-esteem, academic success, and social competence.
What does 'scaffolding' mean in the context of Vygotsky's theory?
Answer: Temporary support provided by a more skilled person to help a learner succeed
Scaffolding is the adjustable support given by a teacher or peer that is gradually withdrawn as the learner becomes more competent.
In Erikson's framework, the primary developmental challenge of adolescence is:
Answer: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Erikson's fifth stage, Identity vs. Role Confusion, occurs during adolescence, when individuals explore and commit to a coherent sense of self.
Which research method is best suited to studying age-related changes across time by following the same group of participants?
Answer: Longitudinal study
A longitudinal study follows the same cohort over time, allowing researchers to track genuine developmental changes in individuals.