According to Gottman and Levenson (2000), what factor most contributes to a lasting marriage?
The couple’s ability to resolve conflicts. Gottman’s cascade theory shows that constructive conflict resolution predicts marital stability better than compatibility or maturity.
What does the hostile attribution bias predict about aggressive children?
They are more likely than nonaggressive children to interpret ambiguous acts as hostile. This misinterpretation fuels reactive aggression.
A sudden loud noise elicits which infant reflex?
The Moro reflex. It’s a startle reaction to sudden noise or loss of support, typically disappearing by 4–6 months.
According to Piaget, at what age does abstract thinking first appear?
Around 11 years, during the formal operational stage. Children can reason hypothetically and think about possibilities beyond the concrete.
In Erikson’s psychosocial theory, when do people come to terms with mortality?
In the stage of Integrity vs. Despair. Older adults review their life; successful resolution yields wisdom and acceptance.
According to Piaget, assimilation and accommodation are components of what process?
Adaptation. Assimilation fits new information into existing schemas, while accommodation changes schemas to fit new input.
Which Piagetian stage is characterized by “semiotic function”?
The preoperational stage (ages 2–7). Children begin using symbols, language, and pretend play to represent objects.
Deferred imitation in infants depends on what cognitive ability?
Mental representation. It allows infants (18–24 months) to reproduce an observed act later.
According to Erikson, what is the function of play?
To master social and emotional experiences. Play helps children work through internal conflicts and experiment with roles safely.
A child using one word (“milk”) to express a full sentence (“I want milk”) demonstrates what speech stage?
Holophrastic speech. Occurs around 12–18 months, showing early symbolic communication.
According to Kohlberg, when someone supports rules simply because “the law says so,” they are at which moral level?
Conventional level. Moral reasoning is based on maintaining social order and approval.
When compared to children of non-working mothers, children of working mothers usually show what difference?
More egalitarian gender-role attitudes. Maternal employment broadens gender expectations.
In Piaget’s conservation task, a child who says there’s “more” when a piece is cut smaller is in what stage?
Preoperational. They focus on appearance, not quantity—demonstrating failure to conserve.
Which type of memory shows the greatest age-related decline?
Recent long-term (secondary) memory. Working memory also declines, but sensory and remote memory remain stable.
Phenotype refers to what aspect of development?
Observable traits from gene–environment interaction. It reflects how genotype is expressed.
Harlow’s (1959) studies with monkeys showed that attachment depends most on what?
Contact comfort. Infants preferred soft surrogate mothers even when the wire mother provided food.
In Piaget’s autonomous moral stage, children base judgments primarily on what?
Intentions of the actor. By ~10 years, moral reasoning shifts from consequences to intent.
At 17 months, a child who is neither walking nor talking should lead the psychologist to do what?
Refer to a physician for developmental evaluation. These delays exceed normal variability.
According to Chomsky’s nativist theory, language acquisition is primarily due to what?
Innate factors—a built-in Language Acquisition Device. Children learn language rapidly from minimal input.
The outer limit of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is defined by what?
What a child can do with adult or peer assistance. It reflects potential development through scaffolding.
Maternal malnutrition most severely affects fetal brain development during which period?
The last trimester. Brain growth is rapid, making this phase highly vulnerable.
Gender differences in language development typically show what pattern?
Girls develop earlier, but the difference disappears by age 5. Early advantage fades with maturity.
Two-word sentences like “want cookie” appear at what age?
18–24 months (telegraphic speech). Function words are omitted, but meaning is clear.
Preadolescent siblings’ relationships are best described as what?
Close yet conflictual. They mix warmth and rivalry, typical for middle childhood.
