BAS Human Development and Behavior 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During which Piagetian stage does a child first demonstrate the ability to use logical reasoning about concrete objects and events?
- Sensorimotor
- Preoperational
- Concrete operational (Correct answer)
- Formal operational
Correct answer: Concrete operational
The concrete operational stage (ages 7–11) marks the onset of logical thinking applied to tangible objects and situations.
Question 2: A behavior analyst observes that a 6-month-old infant reaches persistently for a toy hidden under a blanket. This behavior best illustrates:
- Deferred imitation
- Object permanence (Correct answer)
- Symbolic representation
- Conservation
Correct answer: Object permanence
Object permanence—knowing objects exist when out of sight—emerges in the sensorimotor stage, typically around 8–12 months.
Question 3: In Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, the microsystem refers to:
- Cultural values and laws affecting development
- Interactions between two settings the child is not present in
- Direct settings where the child actively participates (Correct answer)
- The historical time period shaping development
Correct answer: Direct settings where the child actively participates
The microsystem includes immediate environments—home, school, peers—where the child has direct, face-to-face interactions.
Question 4: Which learning mechanism explains why a toddler begins labeling objects after watching a parent label them, without direct reinforcement?
- Classical conditioning
- Operant shaping
- Observational learning (Correct answer)
- Extinction burst
Correct answer: Observational learning
Observational (vicarious) learning, described by Bandura, allows acquisition of behavior through watching a model without direct reinforcement.
Question 5: A behavior analyst notes that a child's tantrums are maintained by escape from demands. Developmentally, understanding that escape-maintained behavior often emerges because:
- Children innately prefer aversive stimuli
- Negative reinforcement strengthens avoidance responding over time (Correct answer)
- Positive punishment immediately suppresses all behavior
- Classical conditioning pairs demands with neutral stimuli
Correct answer: Negative reinforcement strengthens avoidance responding over time
Negative reinforcement—removal of an aversive stimulus (demand)—strengthens escape behavior when the removal reliably follows the response.
Question 6: Erikson's stage of Industry vs. Inferiority corresponds most closely to which developmental period?
- Ages 2–3
- Ages 4–5
- Ages 6–12 (Correct answer)
- Ages 13–18
Correct answer: Ages 6–12
Industry vs. Inferiority occurs during middle childhood (ages 6–12), when children develop competence through school and social tasks.
Question 7: A teenager begins engaging in risky behavior primarily when with peers despite knowing the risks. This pattern is best explained by:
- Object permanence deficits
- Formal operational thinking errors
- Heightened sensitivity to peer-based social reinforcement (Correct answer)
- Authoritative parenting style
Correct answer: Heightened sensitivity to peer-based social reinforcement
Adolescent risk-taking in peer contexts is strongly linked to heightened sensitivity to social rewards from peers, a well-documented developmental phenomenon.
BAS Human Development and Behavior 2
During which Piagetian stage does a child first demonstrate the ability to use logical reasoning about concrete objects and events?