Child Development Unit 1 Exam

Name the steps in the scientific method

Pose a question → Develop a hypothesis → Test the hypothesis → Analyze the evidence → Report the results

Explain the nature/nurture controversy.

Nature = heredity has the most influence / Nurture = environment has the most influence

Rousseau

Nature: which views the child as an unfolding flower

Locke

Nurture: which views the child as a blank slate

What are Freud’s psychosexual stages in order?

Oral → Anal → Phallic → Latency → Genital

Explain the difference between classical and operant conditioning.

Classical = associate a neutral stimulus with a conditioned response / Operant = use positive and negative reinforcements to shape behavior

What theory of development did Freud develop?

Psychoanalysis, which focuses on inner drives, deep motives, and unconscious needs rooted in childhood.

What theory of development did Skinner develop?

Behaviorism, which focuses on observable behavior.

Piaget: Cognitive Equilibrium

Constructing Ideas Based on Experience

Cognitive Equilibrium: Constructing Ideas Based on Experience

Equilibrium → New idea or experience → Disequilibrium → Assimilation OR Accommodation → New Equilibrium

Explain the difference between assimilation and accommodation.

Assimilation = fit new item into old categories / Accommodation = create new category

Erikson’s Developmental Stages in Order.

→ Trust v. Mistrust → Autonomy v. Shame, Doubt → Initiative v. Guilt → Industry v. Inferiority → Identity v. Role Confusion → Intimacy v. Isolation → Generativity v. Stagnation → Integrity v. Despair

List in order of the technical names a “baby” will have before birth.

Zygote → Embryo → Fetus

Explain the difference between monozygotic and dizygotic twins.

Monozygotic = one zygote that split to make identical babies vs Dizygotic = two zygotes that just happened to implant in the uterus at the same time

How many pairs of autosomes do humans have?

22 pairs

What are the first 22 pairs of chromosomes called?

autosomes

What does homozygous mean?

The alleles are the same.

What does heterozygous mean?

The alleles are different.

What is the 23rd chromosome pair?

The sex chromosomes.

What sex chromosomes do women and men have?

Women: XX | Men: XY

What determines the sex of the baby?

Whether the sperm carries an X or Y chromosome.

How long is the germinal stage?

The first 14 days

What does the zygote do within hours of fertilization?

Divides into identical cells.

What do the cells form by about 4 days?

A hollow sphere called a blastocyst.

When do the first cell differentiations begin?

After the 16-cell stage.

Why does timing of teratogen exposure matter?

Each organ has a critical period when it is most susceptible to damage.

Explain the physical growth patterns for an unborn child.

Cephalocaudal = head-to-tail and Proximodistal = near-to-far

Name the elements of the APGAR test.

Appearance/Color, Pulse, Grimace Response/Reflexes, Activity and Muscle Tone, Respiration

List some of the emotions a child feels at birth, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.

Birth = comfort, pain | 6 months = anger, curiosity, sadness | 1 year = fear, joy | 2 years = pride, shame, embarrassment, guilt, disgust, jealousy

Explain the difference between implicit and explicit memory.

Implicit = movements or thoughts not put into words (non-verbal), and Explicit = language-dependent

What is the average height and weight at birth?

19.5 inches and 7 pounds

What happens to weight by age 1?

It triples to about 20 pounds.

What is the average height and weight at age 2?

34 inches and 27 pounds.

Define object permanence.

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.

Define pruning.

The elimination of unused connections in the brain.

Name the five senses and tell which is worst at birth.

Seeing (worst), Hearing, Smelling, Tasting, Feeling

Describe self-awareness and explain how researchers measure it.

An understanding of one’s body as a separate identity. It can be measured with a “mark” test (using make-up and a mirror).

List the four possible categories resulting from the “strange situation” test.

1. Secure, 2. Insecure-avoidant, 3. Insecure-resistant, 4. Disorganized

List several stages of language acquisition in order, starting with cooing.

Cooing → Babbling → Echolalic babbling → Imitative speech → Spontaneous speech → Telegraphic speech

Cognitive Equilibrium

A person starts in equilibrium, encounters a new idea or experience that causes disequilibrium, then uses assimilation or accommodation to adjust their thinking and reach a new equilibrium.

What are additive genes?

Genes whose combined effects contribute to a trait, such as height.

What does the age of viability mean?

The point in prenatal development when a fetus may survive outside the womb, usually around 22–26 weeks with intensive medical care.

What is differential susceptibility in child development?

Some children are more affected by their environment than others, both positively and negatively.

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

Genotype is a person's genetic makeup, while phenotype is their observable traits, like eye color or height.

What is the difference between gross and fine motor skills?

Gross motor skills use large muscles (like walking), while fine motor skills use small muscles (like writing).

What are the three stages of prenatal development?

Germinal stage → Conception to 2 weeks → Embryonic stage → Weeks 3–8 → Fetal stage → Week 9 until birth

What is experience-dependent growth?

Brain growth that happens from specific experiences, like learning to play an instrument.

What is experience-expectant growth?

Brain growth that depends on common experiences, like being exposed to language.

What are Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development in order?

Sensorimotor (0–2 years) → Preoperational (2–7 years) → Concrete operational (7–11 years) → Formal operational (12+ years).

What is social referencing in child development?

When a child looks to a caregiver’s reaction to decide how to respond to an unfamiliar situation.