Human Growth and Development Final Exam

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Piaget's critics point out that his stagewise account pays insufficient attention to social and cultural influences. Critics argue that Piaget's theory does not fully consider the impact of social interactions, cultural differences, and individual experiences on children's cognitive development. They believe that these factors play a crucial role in shaping a child's thinking and problem-solving abilities, which should be given more emphasis. Choice A is incorrect because Piaget's critics do not focus on him overestimating the competencies of infants and young children. Choice C is incorrect as it discusses a different aspect of learning rather than the critique of Piaget's theory. Choice D is also incorrect since critics do not argue that children's performances on Piagetian tasks cannot be improved with training.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Dr. Langley's work being focused on understanding constancy and change throughout the lifespan aligns with the field of developmental science, which studies how individuals grow and change from birth through old age. This field encompasses the study of physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and other aspects of development across the lifespan. Choice A, genetics, primarily focuses on the study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation, which is not directly related to understanding constancy and change throughout the lifespan. Choice B, clinical psychology, concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders rather than the broader study of development across the lifespan. Choice C, adolescent development, is more specific and limited in scope compared to the comprehensive study of development across the entire lifespan, which is the focus of developmental science.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The male produces sperm in the testes, which are two glands located in the scrotum. The scrotum is the external sac that houses and protects the testes, allowing for optimal temperature regulation to support sperm production. Choice A is incorrect because sperm production does not occur in the penis. Choice B is incorrect because the scrotum houses the testes, not the penis. Choice C is incorrect because sperm is produced in the testes, not the penis.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: According to social learning theory, children primarily learn through modeling, observation, and imitation of others. This theory emphasizes the importance of cognitive processes in learning, as opposed to only focusing on direct reinforcement or punishment. Social learning theory was developed by psychologist Albert Bandura and is a key theory in the field of child development. Choice A, reinforcement, is incorrect as it refers to the process of strengthening a behavior through rewards or punishments. Choice B, operant conditioning, is also incorrect as it is a learning process that involves reinforcement and punishment to shape behavior. Choice D, classical conditioning, is not the correct answer as it involves learning through association between stimuli.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In the germinal period of prenatal development, which lasts for about the first two weeks after fertilization, the developing organism is a zygote that has not yet implanted in the uterus. During this period, teratogens rarely have any impact because essential implantation and early cellular division processes are occurring. Teratogens are more likely to have significant effects during the later embryonic and fetal periods of development. Therefore, the correct answer is A. Choice B, embryonic period, is incorrect because teratogens have a higher likelihood of impacting development during this period. Choice C, fetal period, is also incorrect as teratogens can impact development during this stage as well. Choice D, prenatal, is a broad term encompassing the entire period of development from conception to birth and is not a specific developmental stage where teratogens have a minimal impact.