NCE Human Growth 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the 'zone of proximal development' refers to:
- Tasks a child can complete independently
- The gap between what a child can do alone and with guidance (Correct answer)
- The range of cognitive abilities across a lifespan
- The stage where abstract thinking first emerges
Correct answer: The gap between what a child can do alone and with guidance
Vygotsky defined the ZPD as the distance between a learner's independent ability and what they can achieve with skilled assistance.
Question 2: Which theorist introduced the concept of 'basic trust vs. mistrust' as the first stage of psychosocial development?
- Sigmund Freud
- Jean Piaget
- Erik Erikson (Correct answer)
- Lawrence Kohlberg
Correct answer: Erik Erikson
Erikson's first psychosocial stage (infancy) centers on whether infants develop trust in caregivers or a pervasive sense of mistrust.
Question 3: A 10-year-old child reasons that sharing toys is right because it follows classroom rules. Which level of Kohlberg's moral development does this represent?
- Preconventional
- Conventional (Correct answer)
- Postconventional
- Premoral
Correct answer: Conventional
Conventional morality involves following rules and laws to maintain social order and gain approval from authority figures.
Question 4: Bronfenbrenner's ecological model places the individual's immediate settings (home, school) in which system?
- Exosystem
- Macrosystem
- Mesosystem
- Microsystem (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Microsystem
The microsystem contains the immediate environments in which a person directly participates, such as family and school.
Question 5: During which Piagetian stage does a child first demonstrate object permanence?
- Preoperational
- Concrete operational
- Sensorimotor (Correct answer)
- Formal operational
Correct answer: Sensorimotor
Object permanence—the understanding that objects continue to exist when out of sight—emerges during the sensorimotor stage (birth to ~2 years).
Question 6: Attachment theory, as developed by Bowlby, emphasizes that secure attachment in infancy primarily depends on:
- Feeding schedule consistency
- Caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness (Correct answer)
- The infant's innate temperament alone
- The number of caregivers present
Correct answer: Caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness
Bowlby stressed that a caregiver's consistent, sensitive responsiveness to the infant's signals forms the foundation of secure attachment.
Question 7: Which term describes the process by which adolescents form a stable sense of self through exploration and commitment?
- Individuation
- Identity achievement (Correct answer)
- Foreclosure
- Assimilation
Correct answer: Identity achievement
Identity achievement, per Marcia, occurs when an individual has actively explored options and made a firm commitment to an identity.
NCE Human Growth 2
According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, the 'zone of proximal development' refers to: