Child Growth & Development Flashcards

A 3-year-old frequently engages in parallel play, sitting beside other children but playing independently. This behavior is BEST described as:

Answer: Parallel play

Parallel play, common in toddlers and preschoolers, involves children playing near each other without direct interaction or shared goals.

Which theorist introduced the concept of the 'zone of proximal development' (ZPD)?

Answer: Lev Vygotsky

Lev Vygotsky defined the ZPD as the gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guided support.

A 6-month-old infant reaches for objects and transfers them between hands. This skill demonstrates development in which domain?

Answer: Fine motor development

Reaching and transferring objects between hands is a fine motor milestone typically achieved around 6–7 months of age.

According to Erikson, a child aged 3–5 who successfully resolves their psychosocial crisis develops a sense of:

Answer: Initiative

Erikson's third stage, Initiative vs. Guilt (ages 3–5), results in a sense of initiative when children are encouraged to explore and plan activities.

Temperament refers to:

Answer: Inborn, stable individual differences in emotional reactivity and self-regulation

Temperament is a biologically based set of behavioral and emotional tendencies that appear early in life and remain relatively consistent.

A 2-year-old says 'goed' instead of 'went.' This error is an example of:

Answer: Overregularization

Overregularization occurs when children apply grammatical rules too broadly, such as adding '-ed' to irregular verbs like 'go.'

Which milestone would MOST concern a caregiver if absent in a typically developing 12-month-old?

Answer: Pointing to objects of interest

Pointing to share interest (proto-declarative pointing) is a key social-communication milestone expected by 12 months; its absence may signal developmental concerns.