Chapter 6—Off to School: Cognitive and Physical Development in Middle Childhood
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Dee used to think that everyone else liked the same people she did and hated the same
people she did. She now realizes that different people have different opinions toward others.
Piaget would suggest that Dee has recently become a ____ thinker.
a. preoperational
b. formal operational
c. concrete operational
d. sensorimotor
Answer: C
2. Tara is a normally-developing eight-year-old. According to Piaget, over the next few years,
Tara’s egocentrism will likely
a. disappear.
b. wane gradually.
c. increase gradually.
d. increase significantly.
Answer: B
3. Though Mabel is unable to think in abstract terms, she is beginning to understand that
because 3 + 5 = 8, 8 – 5 must equal 3. Mabel has begun to exhibit Piaget’s ____ stage of
thinking.
a. sensorimotor
b. concrete operational
c. preoperational
d. formal operational
Answer: B
4. As a Piagetian, Faye would believe that a concrete operational child’s ability to reverse
thought is due to their acquisition of
a. language.
b. mental operations.
c. self-efficacy.
d. convergent thinking.
Answer: B
5. Larry notices that his son Tate is having a great time playing near the kitchen sink. When
Larry asks Tate what he is doing, Tate responds, “It is fun to look at two different-size
glasses, imagine water pouring back and forth between them, and knowing that the amount of
water stays the same even though the glass shapes differ.” Piaget would describe Tate’s
comments as indicating that he has acquired
a. animism.
b. egocentrism.
c. irreversibility.
d. a mental operation.
Answer: D
6. The main limitation of concrete operational thinking is that such thought is limited to
a. hypothetical situations.
b. tangible, real-life examples.
c. emotional issues.
d. long-term memories.
Answer: B
7. .Which reflects a basic ability available only to a formal operational thinker?
a. “Realistically speaking ...”
b. “Hypothetically speaking ...”
c. “Speaking from experience, I ...”
d. “Speaking on behalf of others, I ...”
Answer: B
8. A formal operational thinker and a concrete operational thinker are both presented with
three beakers containing red liquid and are told that some combination of the liquids will
produce a green liquid. How would the manner in which the formal thinker solves the
problem most likely differ from that of the concrete thinker?
a. Formal thinkers would do the problem entirely in their head and not actually pour any
liquid.
b. The formal thinkers’ approach would be significantly more haphazard.
c. Formal thinkers would apply both animism and centration when solving the task.
d. Formal thinkers would be more systematic when combining the liquids and eliminating
combinations.
Answer: D
9. Angelica and her younger brother Houston are both given three fountain pens, each
containing clear ink, and are informed that some combination of ink will yield a color.
Because Angelica is a formal operational thinker and Houston is a concrete operational
thinker, how will their behavior likely differ?
a. Angelica will spend more time thinking about the task and be more systematic when
attempting to solve it.
b. Angelica will use a piece of paper to draw out the problem.
c. Houston will only use two of the pens.
d. Houston will watch how Angelica solves the problem and then repeat her steps.
Answer: A
10. Who is most likely the formal operational thinker?
a. Kula, who thinks nickels are worth more than dimes because they are bigger
b. Fran, who has just mastered conservation
c. Ollie, who is capable of using and understanding symbols
d. Sherri, who can use combinatorial reasoning
Answer: D
11. Text author Robert Kail won tickets to the Indianapolis 500 auto race by listing all the
possible words that could be created from the words “SAFE RACE”, which is an example of
a. combinatorial reasoning.
b. animism.
c. functional fixedness.
d. object permanence.
Answer: A
12. How could Erbert use combinational reasoning to determine how many different types of
sandwiches could be made from eight available condiments?
a. He could map out all possible combinations on a sheet of paper.
b. He could move a slice of onion back and forth between two sandwiches until he can
mentally visualize the action.
c. He could use both animism and egocentric thought to help him out.
d. He could visualize how a sandwich with one condiment would differ from one with all the
condiments.
Answer: A
13. A concrete operational thinker and a formal operational thinker are given the following
logical statements: (1) If you drop a 20-pound bowling ball on your foot, it will tickle. (2)
You drop a 20-pound bowling ball on your foot. What reaction would you expect?
a. Only the concrete operational thinker would conclude that “your foot would tickle.”
b. Only the formal operational thinker would conclude that “your foot would tickle.”
c. Both would conclude that “your foot would tickle.”
d. Both would conclude that “your foot would never tickle” after having a 20-pound bowling
ball dropped on it.
Answer: B
14. Which describes one of the major criticisms of Piaget’s theory concerning formal
operational thought?
a. Adolescent thinking is not as irrational as Piaget predicted.
b. The belief that only males could think abstractly was sexist.
c. Adolescents do not appear as cognitively competent as Piaget thought.
d. Piaget argued that cognitive development continues to advance into old age, while research
has found little change after age 20.
Answer: C
15. Which is one of the more questionable aspects of Piaget’s theory?
a. It places too much emphasis on biology as the mechanism of change
b. It does not account for variability in performance
c. It overestimates the intelligence of adults
d. It overvalues the influence of the sociocultural environment
Answer: B
16. Who would be most likely to emphasize the important role that changes in memory
efficiency plays in cognitive development?
a. Louie, who is a social-learning theorist
b. Elaine, who is a sociobiologist
c. Alex, who is Piagetian
d. Latka, who is an information-processing theorist
Answer: D
17. Working memory is best described as being
a. temporary and limited in capacity.
b. permanent and limited in capacity.
c. temporary and unlimited in capacity.
d. permanent and unlimited in capacity.
Answer: A
18. If you are reading this test question for the first time, it is
a. currently stored in sensory memory.
b. currently stored in long-term memory.
c. currently stored in working memory.
d. not currently stored in any memory system.
Answer: C
19. Which most accurately describes long-term memory?
a. Temporary and limited capacity
b. Permanent and limited capacity
c. Temporary and unlimited capacity
d. Permanent and unlimited capacity
Answer: D
20. When 80-year-old Marques is asked about his life, he is able to vividly recall his high
school graduation party that occurred 60 years ago. Where was this information stored just
before it was recalled by Marques?
a. Sensory memory
b. Working memory
c. Short-term memory
d. Long-term memory
Answer: D
21. Long-term memory is to working memory as
a. organized is to unorganized.
b. permanent is to temporary.
c. weigh station is to destination.
d. biology is to psychology.
Answer: B
22. The first memory strategy acquired by most children is
a. chunking.
b. use of abstraction.
c. verbal elaboration.
d. rehearsal.
Answer: D
23. Memory organization is defined as
a. any embellishment on some existing memory.
b. structuring related items together in memory.
c. the active portion of working memory.
d. any memory that involves a personal experience.
Answer: B
24. Donovan is really into football and is able to remember all of the professional teams
because he has mentally sorted them by division. This indicates that Donavan is using ____
to help him recall the information.
a. divergent thinking
b. organization
c. abstract thinking
d. rehearsal
Answer: B
25. During ____, information is always embellished.
a. rehearsal
b. elaboration
c. metacognition
d. combinatorial reasoning
Answer: B
26. Francisco is having a hard time remembering that Madison is the capital of Wisconsin.
He also knows that his father will be upset if Francisco flunks his test of state capitals.
Suddenly, Francisco sees a connection between these two events and realizes that he can
recall the capital of Wisconsin by remembering that his dad will be mad at him if he can’t
remember (mad at son = Madison). In this example, Francisco is clearly using ____ to aid in
his memory.
a. rehearsal
b. centration
c. elaboration
d. irreversibility
Answer: C
27. After studying for a significant period of time, Maria is having her roommate test her to
determine whether her study strategies are working. Maria is
a. bypassing working memory.
b. a concrete operational thinker.
c. using abstraction.
d. monitoring.
Answer: D
28. Metamemory is defined as an individual’s
a. intuitive understanding of memory.
b. level of semantic memory.
c. sensory memory speed.
d. short-term memory capacity.
Answer: A
29. The best example of metamemory would involve knowing that
a. whales are mammals, not fish.
b. a 10-word list of unfamiliar foreign words will be harder to recall than a 20-word list of
familial words.
c. 10 + 20 = 30.
d. foreign words come from another country.
Answer: B
30. Theresa has just come to realize that in order to learn, she must focus her attention on her
teacher, not her classmates. This indicates an advance in Theresa’s ____ skills.
a. divergent thinking
b. scaffolding
c. sensory memory
d. metacognitive knowledge
Answer: D
31. ____ are key elements of effective metacognitive knowledge.
a. Egocentrism and convergent thinking
b. Centration and animism
c. Goal selection and strategy monitoring
d. Divergent thinking and a lack of object permanence
Answer: C
32. Elmer has discovered that in order to be successful in college, he must both pay attention
to his instructor and take good notes. If Elmer is successful at engaging in both of these
behaviors, he is demonstrating effective
a. abstract thinking.
b. cognitive self-regulation.
c. overregularization.
d. one-to-one principle understanding.
Answer: B
33. Which provides the best example of cognitive self-regulation?
a. Having a short-term memory for a phone number you just heard
b. Realizing that some inanimate object may be capable of self-movement
c. Deciding that using flashcards helps memorization of vocabulary terms
d. Knowing that 4 + 4 = 8
Answer: C
34. Which provides the best example of active reading?
a. Having a short-term memory for a large number of words
b. Realizing that some words have multiple meanings
c. Periodically summarizing what was just read
d. Knowing that sentences are organized into groups within paragraphs
Answer: B
35. When asked to describe his specialization, Oscar says, “I am mainly interested in
developing ways of measuring intelligence and personality factors.” Given this description,
Oscar is most likely a
a. classical conditioning theorist.
b. Freudian.
c. psychometrician.
d. social-learning theorist.
Answer: C
36. If a person believes in “general intelligence,” then he or she believes that
a. some people are smart, no matter the situation, task, or problem.
b. whether people are smart depends on the situation, task, or problem.
c. intelligence cannot be assessed psychometrically.
d. fourth-graders will be smarter than third-graders.
Answer: A
37. Thurstone and Thurstone (1941) identified seven distinct abilities that they believed
formed the basis of intelligence. One of these abilities was
a. musical ability.
b. perceptual speed.
c. interpersonal intelligence.
d. “street smarts.”
Answer: B
38. Which best describes the hierarchical view of intelligence?
a. It consists entirely of general intelligence
b. It consists entirely of broad categories of intelligence
c. It consists entirely of specific skills
d. It consists of general intelligence, categories, and specific skills
Answer: D
39. Who is best associated with a theory of “multiple intelligences?”
a. John Carroll
b. Alfred Binet
c. Howard Gardner
d. Jean Piaget
Answer: C
40. Tyree is extremely good at identifying the motivations and intentions of the people he
meets. According to Gardner, Tyree would most likely score very well on a test of ____
intelligence.
a. intrapersonal
b. bodily-kinesthetic
c. logical-mathematical
d. interpersonal
Answer: D
41. Bea has tremendous insight into “deep” questions like, “Why are we born to die?”
According to Gardner, Bea would rate high on a scale of ____ intelligence.
a. bodily-kinesthetic
b. existential
c. interpersonal
d. logical-mathematical
Answer: B
42. Which of Gardner’s types of intelligences is least likely to be found on a traditional
psychometric theory-based test of intelligence?
a. Linguistic
b. Logical-mathematical
c. Musical
d. Spatial
Answer: C
43. Ginny is an architect who is excellent at picturing what an existing building would look
like with certain modifications. This ability is probably most reflective of a high level of
_____ intelligence.
a. personal
b. bodily-kinesthetic
c. spatial
d. intrapersonal
Answer: C
44. Omega scored very high on a measure of emotional intelligence. This means that Omega
would definitely
a. score high on a traditional test of general intelligence.
b. be described as very dysphoric.
c. have the ability to effectively use his emotions to help solve problems.
d. score low on a test of naturalistic intelligence.
Answer: C
45. Which type of intelligence is best associated with Daniel Goleman?
a. Musical
b. Emotional
c. Naturalistic
d. Bodily-kinesthetic
Answer: B
46. According to Sternberg, ____ ability is most heavily focused on problem analysis.
a. analytical
b. creative
c. practical
d. familial
Answer: A
47. Which cooking-related behavior is the best indicator of a high level of analytical ability?
a. Knowing that the reason a cake did not turn out could be the lack of a key ingredient, the
stove being too hot, or bad eggs
b. Being able to create a cake flavor that has never before existed
c. Realizing that if you follow the directions on a cake box, the cake will turn out okay
d. Visualizing what a cake will look like before it is baked
Answer: A
48. The issue of novelty of thinking is best associated with ____ ability.
a. analytical
b. creative
c. practical
d. familial
Answer: B
49. Tarzan is building a cage for his pet monkey when his hammer breaks. The fact that
Tarzan is able to realize that he might be able to use a frozen banana as a substitute for a
hammer indicates that he has a high level of ____ ability.
a. analytical
b. creative
c. practical
d. familial
Answer: B
50. Albert just thought of a novel way to consider the relationship between matter and the
speed of light. According to Sternberg, this action best exemplifies _____ ability.
a. familial
b. practical
c. creative
d. analytic
Answer: C
51. ____ ability involves the realization that a solution will actually work.
a. Analytical
b. Creative
c. Practical
d. Familial
Answer: C
52. Waldo loves to play hide-and-seek. While he is capable of generating a good list of places
to hide and he often comes up with novel hiding spots, the truth of the matter is that none of
his spots are ever that good, and he is always found almost immediately. This indicates that
on this task, Waldo would rate poorly in ____ ability.
a. analytical
b. creative
c. practical
d. familial
Answer: C
53. Binet and Simon developed the first objective intelligence test in order to
a. rank-order the intellectual capacities of different races.
b. identify children who would need special help in school.
c. help the military select soldiers for important tasks.
d. test their theory of intelligence.
Answer: B
54. Newt has a mental age of 10. That means Newt
a. is 10 years old.
b. has an IQ of 100.
c. is a genius.
d. passed test problems that an average 10-year-old would pass.
Answer: D
55. Binet and Simon originally developed the concept of “mental age” as a criterion for
helping them distinguish
a. children with high IQs from children with low IQs.
b. children who would be able to learn in school from those who needed special instruction.
c. white children from black children.
d. economically disadvantaged children from the “select few” who previously attended
school.
Answer: B
56. Whose intelligence test was the first to use the concept of an intelligence quotient?
a. Alfred Binet
b. Howard Gardner
c. Jean Piaget
d. Lewis Terman
Answer: D
57. Tabitha’s intelligence quotient is 100. She is 12 years old, so her mental age must be
____.
a. 6
b. 10
c. 12
d. 24
Answer: C
58. Eight-year-old Harvey has a mental age of four. What is his intelligence quotient?
a. 200
b. 150
c. 50
d. 32
Answer: C
59. If the following children all have a mental age of 10, who has the highest IQ?
a. Norm, who is 5 years old
b. Woody, who is 10 years old
c. Cliff, who is 20 years old
d. Carla, who is 25 years old
Answer: A
60. On modern tests of intelligence, IQ scores are determined
a. by comparing a child’s score with the average score of other children of the same age.
b. by using the same IQ calculation as on the original Stanford-Binet exam.
c. based on a child’s gender and race.
d. by subtracting a child’s chronological age from their mental age.
Answer: A
61. The typical correlation between a child’s IQ test score and his or her classroom grade is
about _____.
a. +.2
b. +.4
c. +.6
d. +.8
Answer: C
62. IQ scores are
a. good predictors of school success and occupational success.
b. good predictors of school success but bad predictors of occupational success.
c. bad predictors of school success but good predictors of occupational success.
d. poor predictors of school success and occupational success.
Answer: A
63. Self-discipline is a
a. good predictor of school success but not better than IQ test scores.
b. good predictor of school success but often better than IQ test scores.
c. bad predictor of school success but a good predictor of occupational success.
d. poor predictor of school success but better than an IQ test score.
Answer: B
64. The basic premise of a hereditary view concerning the nature of intelligence is that
a. the more closely related two individuals are, the more positively correlated their scores will
be.
b. the correlation between biological sibling’s IQ scores will be about 0.0.
c. parents’ IQ scores are not very predictive of children’s IQ scores.
d. experience plays a major role in determining a person’s IQ score.
Answer: A
65. Which data suggest the strongest link between heredity and intelligence?
a. Identical twins whose IQ scores correlate at the +.9 level
b. Fraternal twins whose IQ scores correlate at the +.9 level
c. Biological siblings whose IQ scores correlate at the +.9 level
d. Adoptive siblings whose IQ scores correlate at the +.9 level
Answer: A
66. Which evidence best demonstrates an environmental impact on intelligence?
a. A high correlation between the IQ scores of identical twins
b. A low correlation between the IQ scores of strangers
c. The rapid increase in average WISC scores seen during the past 25 years
d. The stability of WISC scores seen during the past 25 years
Answer: C
67. The fact that children with higher IQ scores tend to come from homes that contained agerelated play materials best supports the theory that
a. intelligence and poverty are highly positively correlated events.
b. environmental factors impact intelligence.
c. genes determine intelligence.
d. identical twins are more intellectually similar than any random set of siblings.
Answer: B
68. Data from Project Head Start
a. supported the belief that environmental factors can impact an individual’s IQ.
b. found that daycare aimed at improving the linguistic and social development of infants and
preschoolers is ineffective.
c. showed that through an improved diet, a typical child’s IQ scores could be doubled.
d. discovered that the average IQ score of a child has decreased steadily since 1960.
Answer: A
69. In the United States, ____ Americans tend to score highest on intelligence tests.
a. European
b. African
c. Asian
d. Hispanic
Answer: C
70. Which statement concerning ethnicity and intelligence is most accurate?
a. The recent discovery of a “smart gene” has led most to believe that intelligence has a
strong genetic component.
b. Even if ethnic groups differ significantly in intelligence, the difference could be the result
of environmental factors.
c. Being economically disadvantaged is related to ethnicity but not to intelligence.
d. If intelligence differences within an ethnic group are due to genetics, then intelligence
differences between the group and other ethnic groups must be due to genetics.
Answer: B
71. A culture-fair intelligence test
a. contains items that require no linguistic knowledge.
b. ensures that individuals of all races will receive similar scores.
c. is designed to reduce biases due to differential experience.
d. is impossible to develop.
Answer: C
72. Dr. Jourdan is devising an intelligence test containing items that relate to experiences
common to all people around the world. Dr. Jourdan is most likely attempting to develop
a. a test of multiple intelligences.
b. an intelligence quotient.
c. a spatial intelligence test.
d. a culture-fair intelligence test.
Answer: D
73. The term “stereotype threat” is best associated with the concept of
a. the self-fulfilling prophecy.
b. convergent thinking.
c. cognitive dissonance.
d. obedience.
Answer: A
74. Morris, a 17-year-old African American, is taking an intelligence test during his senior
year of high school. Which of his current thoughts would indicate that he is experiencing
stereotype threat?
a. “I wonder if my Asian friends do better than everyone else.”
b. “If I don’t do well, my mom and dad will be very disappointed.”
c. “As an athlete, a good score on this will open up a lot of scholarship opportunities, so I
must do well even though I am not that smart.”
d. “If I do badly on this test, they may think that all black kids are stupid, and this thought is
making me nervous and negatively impacting my performance.”
Answer: D
75. By traditional definition, how many of the following eight-year-old children would be
considered “gifted”: Darcy, IQ = 100; Peggy, IQ = 120; Kelly, IQ = 140; Al, IQ = 160?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
Answer: B
76. In recent years, the definition of “gifted” has
a. broadened to include all IQ tests.
b. broadened to include areas like dance and music.
c. narrowed to include only those in the top 5 percent of their graduating class.
d. narrowed to include only scores from the Stanford-Binet test.
Answer: B
77. To be considered gifted usually requires an intelligence test score of at least _____.
a. 120
b. 130
c. 140
d. 150
Answer: B
78. Exceptional talent is the product of
a. both nature and nurture.
b. nature.
c. nurture.
d. education.
Answer: A
79. Which is not a prerequisite for exceptional talent in childhood?
a. Support from parents
b. Child’s love for the subject
c. Early instruction
d. Talented parents
Answer: D
80. Alicia is a “gifted” child. Compared to her peers, Alicia most likely
a. is more socially inept.
b. is physically larger.
c. has fewer emotional problems.
d. is less mature.
Answer: C
81. Intelligence is to creativity as
a. convergent thinking is to divergent thinking.
b. componential is to contextual.
c. spatial intelligence is to musical intelligence.
d. universe is to stars.
Answer: A
82. Which question is best answered through convergent thinking?
a. “What is life?”
b. “How is knowledge of developmental psychology useful?”
c. “Who is the best football player of all time?”
d. “What is 5 + 5?”
Answer: D
83. Convergent thinking focuses on generating the most _____ answer.
a. Novel
b. impractical
c. correct
d. creative
Answer: C
84. A child with outstanding divergent thinking skills would definitely have a lot of
a. anxiety.
b. originality.
c. knowledge.
d. friends.
Answer: B
85. Who would most likely do the best job of playing a game in which the goal was to list as
many novel ways to use a banana as possible?
a. Dole, who is a very good divergent thinker
b. Kong, who is a very good convergent thinker
c. Terk, who is a preoperational thinker
d. Kala, who is a concrete operational thinker
Answer: A
86. Which best exemplifies a test of divergent thinking?
a. Naming all the state capitals
b. Listing the possible uses of a marshmallow
c. Identifying the exact distance from the Earth to the Moon
d. The test question you are currently reading
Answer: B
87. What advice would you give to a teacher trying to encourage creativity in his or her
students?
a. “Emphasize rote memorization.”
b. “Provide them with items from standardized IQ tests and help them work through each
problem.”
c. “Encourage them to explore possibilities and not worry about getting the correct answer.”
d. “Since creative ability appears to be innate, there is not a lot you can do.”
Answer: C
88. By definition, intellectual disability involves both a below-average intelligence and
a. low standardized IQ scores.
b. a known genetic defect.
c. poor adaptive behaviors.
d. emotional problems.
Answer: C
89. By traditional definition, how many of the following 16-year-old children could be
classified as “intellectually disabled” (Note: all IQ scores based on Stanford-Binet test
results.): Kirk, IQ = 120; McCoy, IQ = 100; Chekhov, IQ = 80; Sulu, IQ = 60?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
Answer: A
90. Which of the following statements best describes the impact of various factors (i.e.
biomedical, social) on intellectual disability?
a. Some factors affect intellect and other factors affect daily functioning.
b. These factors affect adults with intellectual disabilities differently than children with
intellectual disabilities.
c. Certain factors guarantee an intellectual disability and others just contribute to its severity.
d. No individual factor guarantees an intellectual disability.
Answer: D
91. Which of the following children most likely has a learning disability?
a. Charlie, who has difficulty learning to read
b. Paul, who has experienced a poor learning environment
c. Andrew, who has Down syndrome
d. Glen, who has Muscular Dystrophy
Answer: A
92. The definition of a “learning disability” always includes
a. mild mental retardation.
b. attention deficit.
c. a sensory problem.
d. normal intelligence.
Answer: D
93. Yaakov has a problem. Though he is of normal intelligence and does well in most classes,
he struggles tremendously in math. Yaakov is most likely suffering from
a. an intellectual disability.
b. attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
c. a learning disability.
d. Down syndrome.
Answer: C
94. Phonological processing involves the conversion of
a. spoken sound into memories.
b. memories into words.
c. numbers into letters.
d. printed letters into sound.
Answer: D
95. In a research study on reading disabilities, _____ served as the independent variable.
a. the font size of a word
b. the amount of the word presented
c. reading speed
d. reading accuracy
Answer: B
96. A key finding from research on reading disabilities was that
a. some biologically based disabilities are very difficult to treat.
b. some children must hear more of a word before they are able to recognize it.
c. in some cases, correlational studies can determine the cause of a behavior.
d. in some cases, reading difficulties are the result of visual problems.
Answer: B
97. Which appears to be the most critical element underlying mathematical learning
disabilities?
a. Mild mental retardation
b. Visual impairments
c. Undetected reading problems
d. Difficulty in comparing and understanding quantities
Answer: D
98. If asked to list key symptoms for ADHD, you should avoid saying,
a. “inarticulation.”
b. “ hyperactivity.”
c. “inattention.”
d. “impulsivity.”
Answer: A
99. Which best exemplifies an impulsive child?
a. Not concentrating on his homework
b. Shouting out an answer when he is supposed to raise his hand before answering
c. Fidgeting in his chair while eating
d. The inability to read a simple book despite significant intervention
Answer: B
100. Which statement concerning the diagnosis of ADHD is true?
a. About 20 percent of school-age children are diagnosed with ADHD.
b. Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls.
c. Racial minority status is a good predictor of being diagnosed with ADHD.
d. Most children “outgrow” symptoms of ADHD.
Answer: B
101. What is the causal relationship between food additives, sugar consumption, and ADHD?
a. Both have been shown to be major causes of ADHD.
b. Only food additives have been shown to be a major cause of ADHD.
c. Only sugar consumption has been shown to be a major cause of ADHD.
d. Neither are major causes of ADHD.
Answer: D
102. One myth concerning ADHD is that
a. it is typically “outgrown” in adolescence.
b. its symptoms can be treated using stimulants.
c. it can involve both hyperactivity and impulsivity.
d. it is currently significantly underdiagnosed.
Answer: A
103. The drug Ritalin that is often prescribed for children with ADHD is a type of
a. antidepressant.
b. stimulant.
c. antipsychotic.
d. hallucinogen.
Answer: B
104. According to the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD, the most
effective single treatment for hyperactivity is through the use of
a. medication.
b. tough love.
c. parental modeling.
d. behavior modification (i.e., reward and punishment).
Answer: A
105. Who is most likely to be diagnosed and treated for ADHD?
a. African-American children
b. Hispanic-American children
c. European-American children
d. There are no racial/ethnic differences in the rate of diagnosis.
Answer: C
106. In reading, the process of identifying a unique pattern of letters is called
a. intonation.
b. phonological awareness.
c. word recognition.
d. divergent thinking.
Answer: C
107. Takeo is a Japanese individual trying to learn English. The first time he sees the word
“psychology,” he has no idea what this combination of letters means. Takeo’s difficulties are
best described as centering on
a. divergent thinking.
b. word recognition.
c. intonation.
d. syntax.
Answer: B
108. In reading, ____ is defined as the ability to extract meaning from a sequence of words.
a. phonological awareness
b. Animism
c. intonation
d. comprehension
Answer: D
109. _____ is defined as the ability to hear the distinctive sounds of letters.
a. Phonological awareness
b. Elaboration
c. Syntax
d. Comprehension
Answer: A
110. A native English speaker is given the following sentence, “Cat at makeup potato
breath.” Which aspect of reading best explains the difficulty the speaker is most likely to
experience when reading the sentence?
a. A lack of comprehension
b. A lack of phonological awareness
c. A lack of word recognition
d. A lack of object constancy
Answer: A
111. If you lacked phonological awareness, you would have great difficulty in
a. believing that a rocking chair cannot move on its own.
b. writing the word “cat” even if you knew how it was spelled.
c. understanding that words are symbolic representations of objects.
d. hearing the difference between the words “putt” and “butt.”
Answer: D
112. Which child is best characterized as having a phonological awareness disorder?
a. Larry, who squirms around in his seat and does not pay attention to what his teacher is
saying
b. Moe, who has trouble understanding his teacher because many of the words she says sound
alike
c. Shemp, who is deaf in his left ear
d. Curly, who is slightly mentally retarded
Answer: B
113. Two big challenges to learning English versus other languages lay in the
a. large number of letters in the English alphabet and the inconsistent way letters are
pronounced.
b. inconsistent way letters are pronounced and the same sound is spelled.
c. inconsistent way the same sound is spelled and long length of the average English word.
d. long length of the average English word and the large number of letters in the English
alphabet.
Answer: B
114. Beginning readers tend to
a. only use the “sound it out” method.
b. only use the “retrieve the word directly from memory” method.
c. use the “retrieve word from memory””strategy first and the “sound it out” method second.
d. use the “sound it out” strategy first and the “retrieve word from memory” method second.
Answer: D
115. In which would the letter “p” be fastest recognized by an individual who spoke English?
a. Pelh
b. Elhp
c. Help
d. Pleh
Answer: C
116. When reading the sentence, “Elmer was hunting rabbits in the forest,” the fact that a
young reader is able to retrieve the word “rabbit” faster because a rabbit is a huntable animal
speaks directly to the important role that _____ plays in reading.
a. metamemory
b. context
c. phonetics
d. elaboration
Answer: B
117. Researchers identified several factors that contribute to improved reading
comprehension in children. Which factor was not on their list?
a. Increased capacity of working memory
b. Increased general knowledge
c. Increased effectiveness in monitoring of comprehension
d. Increased levels of divergent thinking
Answer: D
118. When reading a book for his psychology exam, Wilhelm knows that it is important to
focus on the summary sections at the end of the chapter. This attempt to improve
comprehension is best associated with
a. improved ability to recognize words.
b. an increased working memory.
c. the use of an appropriate reading strategy.
d. a divergent thinking strategy.
Answer: C
119. Knowledge-telling and knowledge-transforming are types of _____ strategies.
a. reading
b. speaking
c. spelling
d. writing
Answer: D
120. Who would be most likely to use a knowledge-telling strategy when working on a
school paper?
a. Mary, who is in second grade
b. Barry, who is in eighth grade
c. Teri, who is a high school junior
d. Kari, who is a college senior
Answer: A
121. Which best describes a knowledge-telling strategy?
a. Write anything and then check back to find main points.
b. Write down themes first and facts second.
c. Write down anything on the topics as it pops into memory.
d. Decide on key information and write it first.
Answer: C
122. When considering the theme paper his teacher just assigned, Theodore says to himself,
“Before I start writing, I need to decide what I am going to write about and come up with a
general organizational plan.” Given this description, Theodore appears to be using a ____
strategy in planning his theme.
a. componential subtheory
b. knowledge-telling
c. phonological awareness
d. knowledge-transforming
Answer: D
123. Which behavior indicates that Mandy is using a knowledge-transforming strategy when
writing her psychology term paper?
a. When she sounds out the letters to words that she does not know how to spell
b. When she begins by writing down any ideas about psychology that pop into her mind
c. When, before she writes anything, she decides that the point of the paper would be to make
her psychology teacher mad
d. When she considers how fun it would be to skip the paper and head to the beach
Answer: C
124. Which strategy tends to be most common in young writers?
a. Read a little, write a little, revise a lot
b. Write a lot, revise a little, write a lot
c. Write a little, revise a lot, write a little
d. Write a lot, revise nothing
Answer: D
125. What is the most simplistic strategy for adding/counting?
a. Simultaneously extending the number of fingers on one hand that corresponds to one
number to be added and doing the same with the second hand concerning the second number
to be added
b. Count by extending one finger for each item and then counting the total number of fingers
extended on each hand
c. Count in your head after looking at a picture of the items
d. Count in your head without using a concrete example
Answer: B
126. Which statement concerning math and culture is true?
a. American children score near the top on international tests assessing math.
b. Japanese and Taiwanese students spend significantly more time in school and have more
homework than do children in the United States.
c. American parents tend to set higher academic achievement standards than Asian parents.
d. Japanese and Taiwanese parents more likely tend to believe that heredity (not hard work)
leads to mathematic success.
Answer: B
127. Which of the following statement is false regarding the difference in academic
achievement between American and Asian children?
a. Japanese and Taiwanese students spend significantly more time in school and spend more
of that time on academic content.
b. American students have less homework to do than Japanese and Taiwanese students.
c. American parents tend to set higher academic achievement standards than Asian parents.
d. Japanese and Taiwanese parents are more likely to believe that hard work leads to
academic success.
Answer: C
128. Which is not a typical characteristic of a school that produces high-achieving students?
a. Highly involved parents
b. Effective monitoring of teachers’ performance
c. A well-defined goal of academic excellence
d. A heavy emphasis on nonacademic activities
Answer: D
129. You are a principal who is interviewing potential teachers for your school. Because your
highest priority is student achievement, you should be most concerned that the teachers you
hire
a. de-emphasize “hands-on” experience in the classroom.
b. earned high grades in college.
c. have good classroom management skills.
d. discourage the practice of peer tutoring.
Answer: C
130. A good teacher
a. takes responsibility for what their students learn.
b. does not push for “mastery” of subject matter.
c. will not repeat past material.
d. relies on handouts and not lecturing.
Answer: A
131. If Fiona is a typical six-year-old, she would most likely
a. weigh about 45 pounds and be about 45 inches tall.
b. weigh about 60 pounds and be about 45 inches tall.
c. weigh about 45 pounds and be about 60 inches tall.
d. weigh about 60 pounds and be about 60 inches tall.
Answer: A
132. Which statement concerning sex differences in height at age 11 is most accurate?
a. At age 11, females tend to be slightly taller than males.
b. At age 11, females and males are exactly the same size.
c. At age 11, males tend to be slightly taller than females.
d. At age 11, males tend to be significantly taller than females.
Answer: A
133. You are the parent of a normal-size nine-year-old boy. As such, how many calories
should you ensure that your child consumes each day so that he maintains a normal rate of
development?
a. 600 calories
b. 1,200 calories
c. 2,400 calories
d. 4,800 calories
Answer: C
134. Which task would an average elementary-age girl perform better than an average
elementary-age boy?
a. Jumping over a bar
b. Writing her name in cursive
c. Hanging from the monkey bars
d. Throwing a softball
Answer: B
135. In which physical activity would the average 11-year-old prepubescent girl have a
distinctive advantage over an 11-year-old prepubescent boy?
a. Catching a ball
b. Throwing a ball
c. Climbing a rope
d. Jumping a rope
Answer: D
136. As an average fifth-grader in the United States, Landon would most likely be described
as
a. physically fit.
b. underweight.
c. physically unfit.
d. overweight.
Answer: A
137. Which statement about youth sports is true?
a. Participating in sports and cheerleading seems to significantly decrease involvement in
delinquent behaviors.
b. When teens find a sport “stressful,” they tend to compensate with greater effort.
c. The greatest benefit of involvement is found with coaches who rely heavily on criticism
and punishment.
d. Sports involvement can lead to improved social skills.
Answer: D
TRUE/FALSE
1. Concrete operational thinkers are unable to reverse their thinking.
Answer: False
2. Formal operational thinkers often utilize combinatorial reasoning.
Answer: True
3. When engaging in deductive reasoning, you draw conclusions from facts.
Answer: True
4. When engaging in elaboration, you embellish on information in order to make it more
memorable.
Answer: True
5. Goal identification and effective strategy selection are examples of cognitive selfregulation.
Answer: True
6. Psychometricians specialize in the biology of the brain.
Answer: False
7. Gardner’s types of intelligences include existential, naturalistic, and musical.
Answer: True
8. Analytic ability involves the ability to know that a plan will work.
Answer: False
9. Terman originally calculated IQ using the formal: IQ = CA/MA * 100.
Answer: False
10. The correlation between a child’s IQ and his or her biological parents IQ gets stronger as
the child gets older.
Answer: True
11. Culture-fair tests contain numerous items that refer to cultural concepts.
Answer: False
12. The traditional definition of giftedness was an IQ of 130 or greater.
Answer: True
13. By definition, a child with a learning disability must have some kind of sensory
impairment.
Answer: False
14. The three key symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.
Answer: True
15. Reading comprehension occurs when an individual extracts meaning from a sequence of
words.
Answer: True
16. Readers often use sentence context to help increase the speed of word recognition.
Answer: True
17. Increases in working memory size can positively impact reading comprehension.
Answer: True
18. The knowledge-transforming strategy involves a determination of how best to organize
your written project to convey a point.
Answer: True
19. On standardized tests of math and science, the very best American students tend to score
at the level of an average student from Asian countries like Korea.
Answer: True
20. Japanese parents are more likely than American parents to believe that genetic factors
determine mathematical ability.
Answer: False
21. Good teachers value tutoring, emphasize mastery of topics, and effectively manage their
classrooms.
Answer: True
22. During their elementary school years, the average child gains about 8 pounds a year.
Answer: True
23. Several studies have linked participation in sports with antisocial and delinquent
behavior.
Answer: True
COMPLETION
1. Most human thought takes place in _____ memory, where a few items can be stored for a
brief period of time.
Answer: working
2. The memory strategy of _____ involves structuring information so that related information
is placed together.
Answer: organization
3. The intuitive understanding of memory is called _____.
Answer: metamemory
4. _____ are psychologists who specialize in measuring traits like personality and
intelligence.
Answer: Psychometricians
5. ________ intelligence is the ability to use one’s own and others’ emotions effectively for
solving problems and living happily.
Answer: Emotional
6. According to Sternberg, _____ ability is defined as knowing that a solution will actually
work.
Answer: practical
7. The formula used for calculating IQ is _____.
Answer: MA/CA * 100
8. Critics suggest that test score differences are the result of ___ in the tests themselves.
Answer: bias
9. A(n) _____ intelligence test contains items based on experiences common to people from
many cultures.
Answer: culture-fair
10. The self-fulfilling prophecy in which knowledge of a stereotype actually leads to
increased anxiety and poorer performance consistent with the original stereotype is referred
to as _____ threat.
Answer: stereotype
11. On a(n) _____ thinking test, the goal is to use information to come to the one standard,
correct answer.
Answer: convergent
12. Intellectual disability can be traced to four factors, including ______, social, behavioral,
and educational factors.
Answer: biomedical
13. A child of normal intelligence with no sensory impairments who is having trouble
mastering one or more academic subjects is best classified as having a(n) _____.
Answer: learning disability or learning disorder
14. The ability to hear the distinctive sounds of each letter in language is known as ______
awareness.
Answer: phonological
15. When a child writes a paper by jotting down ideas as they are retrieved from memory
with no overall organizational plan, he or she is said to be using a knowledge-_____ strategy.
Answer: telling
ESSAY
11. Describe any six of Gardner’s types of intelligences.
Answer: Gardner’s nine types of intelligences included linguistic (understand vocabulary and
language), logical-mathematics (understand math), spatial (understand spatial relations),
musical, bodily-kinesthetic (understand body position), interpersonal (understand others),
intrapersonal (understand self), naturalistic (understand nature), and existential (understand
one’s existence in the universe).
12. The Binet-Simon test was the first to assess cognitive skills of children. Describe the
intent of this test and the scoring schemes that were developed to quantify intelligence.
Answer: Binet and Simon’s test was to determine who might need special assistance in
school. Their test generated a mental age score for each child that was an estimate of the level
of difficulty of problems that he or she could successfully solve. Lewis Terman of Stanford
University created an American version of this test (known as the Stanford-Binet). His test
used a different scoring system in which a child’s intelligence quotient was said to be equal to
his or her mental age divided by chronological age and that score times 100 (i.e., IQ =
(MA/CA)*100.
Test Bank for Human Development : A Life-Span View
Robert V Kail, John C Cavanaugh
9781111834111, 9781337554831
