CPCE Human Growth and Development 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Levinson's theory of adult development, the 'midlife transition' typically occurs around which age range?
- 25–30
- 35–45
- 40–45 (Correct answer)
- 50–60
Correct answer: 40–45
Levinson identified the midlife transition as occurring roughly between ages 40 and 45, often prompting a reappraisal of one's life structure and goals.
Question 2: A child who fears the dark and believes the shadow on the wall is a monster is exhibiting which Piagetian characteristic of preoperational thought?
- Egocentrism
- Animism (Correct answer)
- Centration
- Conservation failure
Correct answer: Animism
Animism is the preoperational tendency to attribute life and intentional qualities to inanimate objects or phenomena.
Question 3: In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, 'esteem needs' encompass:
- Food, water, and shelter
- Safety and security from harm
- Self-respect, achievement, and recognition from others (Correct answer)
- Realizing one's full potential and purpose
Correct answer: Self-respect, achievement, and recognition from others
Esteem needs (the fourth level) include both the desire for self-respect and achievement and the need for recognition and respect from others.
Question 4: Which of the following statements best describes the concept of 'epigenetics' in the context of human development?
- Genetic inheritance completely determines developmental outcomes
- Environmental experiences can alter gene expression without changing the DNA sequence (Correct answer)
- Development is driven solely by environmental factors, not genetics
- Epigenetics refers only to prenatal genetic mutations
Correct answer: Environmental experiences can alter gene expression without changing the DNA sequence
Epigenetics studies how environmental factors can switch genes on or off, influencing development without altering the underlying DNA sequence.
Question 5: Kübler-Ross identified five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). Contemporary grief researchers emphasize that these stages:
- Must be experienced in strict sequential order to achieve healthy mourning
- Are universal and apply equally across all cultures
- Represent common experiences but are not linear or universal for all grievers (Correct answer)
- Apply only to the grief of terminal patients, not to survivors
Correct answer: Represent common experiences but are not linear or universal for all grievers
Modern grief research indicates that Kübler-Ross's stages are not prescriptive or universal; people grieve in highly individual, non-linear ways.
Question 6: According to Bandura's social learning theory, which condition is NOT necessary for observational learning to occur?
- Attention to the model's behavior
- Retention of the observed behavior
- Direct reinforcement of the observer by the model (Correct answer)
- Motivation and opportunity to reproduce the behavior
Correct answer: Direct reinforcement of the observer by the model
Bandura distinguished observational learning from operant conditioning—direct reinforcement by the model is not required; vicarious reinforcement is sufficient.
Question 7: An older adult who reports high life satisfaction despite physical decline and narrowing social networks best illustrates which developmental theory?
- Disengagement theory
- Activity theory
- Socioemotional selectivity theory (Correct answer)
- Continuity theory
Correct answer: Socioemotional selectivity theory
Socioemotional selectivity theory (Carstensen) posits that as people age and perceive time as limited, they prioritize emotionally meaningful relationships, often leading to greater well-being.
CPCE Human Growth and Development 5
According to Levinson's theory of adult development, the 'midlife transition' typically occurs around which age range?