Free Psychology Degree Lifespan Development Theories Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 4-year-old child is shown two identical short, wide glasses with the same amount of water. The water from one glass is then poured into a tall, thin glass. When asked which glass has more water, the child points to the tall, thin glass. According to Piaget's theory, this child's response is characteristic of a failure to understand:
- Object permanence
- Egocentrism
- Conservation (Correct answer)
- Symbolic thought
Correct answer: Conservation
This is a classic test of conservation, the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects. Children in the preoperational stage (ages 2-7) typically fail this task because their thinking is dominated by perception (the water level looks higher) rather than logic.
Question 2: A middle-aged professional dedicates her weekends to mentoring young entrepreneurs and volunteering for a local community garden project. She feels a deep sense of fulfillment from contributing to the well-being of the next generation. According to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, this individual is successfully resolving which of the following crises?
- Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Generativity vs. Stagnation (Correct answer)
- Ego Integrity vs. Despair
- Identity vs. Role Confusion
Correct answer: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Erikson's seventh stage, Generativity vs. Stagnation, occurs during middle adulthood (roughly ages 40-65). The primary task of this stage is to contribute to society and guide future generations, often through work, community involvement, or raising children. Successfully navigating this conflict leads to the virtue of 'care' and a sense of purpose.
Question 3: Which of the following scenarios BEST illustrates Lev Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?
- A child who has mastered basic addition begins to work on subtraction problems independently.
- A toddler learns to walk by imitating the actions of their older sibling without any direct help.
- A student can solve complex algebra problems on their own after completing the prerequisite geometry course.
- A child learns to tie their shoelaces with the guidance and step-by-step instructions from a parent. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A child learns to tie their shoelaces with the guidance and step-by-step instructions from a parent.
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. Learning to tie shoes with a parent's help is a perfect example of a task within the ZPD, as the child accomplishes it with the assistance of a 'more knowledgeable other'.
Question 4: An individual argues that while a specific law is the established rule of the land, it is morally wrong because it violates fundamental human rights to life and liberty. Therefore, they feel a moral obligation to disobey the law through civil disobedience. This form of reasoning is characteristic of which level in Kohlberg's theory of moral development?
- Preconventional
- Conventional
- Postconventional (Correct answer)
- Unconventional
Correct answer: Postconventional
Postconventional morality is the highest level in Kohlberg's theory, where individuals' moral reasoning is based on universal ethical principles and a sense of justice. People at this level recognize that laws are social contracts that can be flawed and may be disobeyed if they conflict with higher moral principles like human rights.
Question 5: In Mary Ainsworth's "Strange Situation" experiment, an infant shows little distress when their mother leaves the room and actively avoids her upon her return, preferring to play with toys instead. This behavior is indicative of which attachment style?
- Secure attachment
- Insecure-avoidant attachment (Correct answer)
- Insecure-resistant/ambivalent attachment
- Disorganized attachment
Correct answer: Insecure-avoidant attachment
Insecure-avoidant attachment is characterized by an infant's apparent indifference to the caregiver's presence or absence. They show little distress when the caregiver leaves and do not seek comfort or contact upon their return, often because they have learned that attempts to signal needs are frequently ignored.
Question 6: Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory emphasizes the impact of environmental contexts on development. Which of his systems accounts for the influence of major life transitions or historical events over time, such as the impact of a family moving to a new country or growing up during a technological revolution?
- Microsystem
- Exosystem
- Macrosystem
- Chronosystem (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Chronosystem
The chronosystem represents the dimension of time in Bronfenbrenner's model. It encompasses the timing of environmental events and transitions throughout an individual's life, as well as broader socio-historical circumstances, and how these factors shape development.
