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Chapter 2: Theories of Psychosocial and Cognitive Development
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development
a. / is child centered because it fails to address important psychological changes in adulthood.b. / has educational utility with young children but not with adolescents.
c. / emphasizes that societal expectations and opportunities can powerfully impact development.
d. / suggests that children can passively absorb information as long as it is presented in a developmentally appropriate manner.
ANS:BREF:28-30
NOT:Erikson proposed that psychosocial development occurs throughout life, the child is an active participant in development, and societal expectations and opportunities can powerfully impact development.
2.Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory is useful for teachers
a. / who instruct elementary school children, but it is not practical for teachers of college students.b. / who design lesson plans for preschool children, but it is not very useful for instruction with primary and secondary grade children.
c. / who believe that children's development is influenced more strongly by genetics than by cultural factors.
d. / because it suggests that children play an active role in their own development.
ANS:DREF:28-30
NOT:Erikson emphasizes that people play an active role in their own psychosocial development as they attempt to understand and organize their experiences.
3.The idea that personality development follows a predictable pattern with identifiable benchmarks best reflects the
a. / principle of formal operations. / c. / heredity versus environment issue.b. / law of psychosocial development. / d. / epigenetic principle.
ANS:DREF:28
NOT:Erikson's epigenetic principle suggests that development presents itself in an orderly step-by-step pattern.
4.Erikson's theory of psychosocial development states that personality development occurs
a. / in a different sequence for different people depending on external, environmental factors.b. / by successfully resolving a predetermined series of turning points, or psychosocial crises.
c. / solely on the basis of how much effort an individual puts forth.
d. / automatically because nature has predisposed individuals to act in ways that cannot be altered by the environment.
ANS:BREF:28
NOT:Erikson proposed that personality development occurs as people successfully negotiate each of eight psychosocial crises that begin in infancy and end during old age.
5.Erikson uses the epigenetic principle to hypothesize that personality development is related to
a. / genetic factors rather than environmental factors.b. / a series of interrelated stages of development, all of which have a critical period.
c. / the prenatal period of development because each psychosocial stage is genetically determined.
d. / factors that for the most part are independent of chronological age.
ANS:BREF:28
NOT:Erikson's epigenetic principle suggests that development presents itself in an orderly step-by-step pattern.
6.According to Erikson, personality growth occurs in eight stages that are characterized by
a. / the confrontation and resolution of various crises for better or worse.b. / dichotomies that lack any prescribed order, though these stages are nonetheless experienced by most individuals.
c. / the acceptance of desirable qualities and the rejection of negative ones; a preponderance of desirable qualities is what determines how well adjusted someone is.
d. / a perfect balance between positive and negative personality characteristics.
ANS:AREF:28
NOT:Erikson viewed personality development as the successful resolution of eight psychosocial crises, which the individual confronts at various critical periods in the life span. In his view, people are optimally adjusted when they possess both negative and positive qualities of a particular stage, provided the positive quality is significantly stronger than the negative quality.
7.Which of the following most clearly describes a form of parental behavior that would lead to desirable child development during the psychosocial stage Erikson described for two- and three-year-olds?
a. / Parents insist that their daughter attempt to cut a piece of meat, even though she is reluctant to try.b. / A parent encourages a child who is trying to learn new skills, while at the same time providing support and supervision for her.
c. / Parents toilet train their child in a very strict manner.
d. / Parents agree on a policy of not setting limits for their child, so that she or he can become more autonomous.
ANS:BREF:29
NOT:The dichotomy of this stage is autonomy versus shame and doubt. Children at this age begin to exert independence. If they are encouraged by their parents and allowed to go at their own pace while being supervised at the same time, they will develop the independence to successfully negotiate successive stages. If they are not given encouragement or are scolded or ridiculed for their efforts, they may develop feelings of self-doubt or shame.
8.According to Erikson, teachers can help students between the ages of four and five develop in a healthy fashion by
a. / encouraging them never to feel guilty.b. / promoting the open expression of initiative at all times.
c. / striving for a perfect balance between initiative and guilt.
d. / giving them the freedom to explore and taking the time to answer questions.
ANS:DREF:29
NOT:According to Erikson, children who are encouraged by adults and given the freedom to explore and experiment will develop the desire to initiate these undertakings. This quality of initiative, in addition to the autonomy developed in the previous stage, is the positive aspect of the initiative versus guilt stage. Children who are not encouraged, or who are made to feel guilty for their initiative, may have problems successfully resolving this stage.
9.Human beings are naturally curious and want to learn about the world around them. Likewise, they need to feel secure in knowing that they can freely explore the world without fear of embarrassment or self-doubt. These statements most closely reflect Erikson's
a. / first stage of psychosocial development.b. / second stage of psychosocial development.
c. / third stage of psychosocial development.
d. / fourth stage of psychosocial development.
ANS:BREF:29
NOT:The psychosocial crisis to be resolved in Erikson's second stage is autonomy versus shame and doubt. Children at this age begin to exert independence. If they are encouraged by their parents and allowed to go at their own pace while provided with guidance from parents at the same time, they will develop the independence to successfully negotiate successive stages. If they are not given encouragement, or are scolded or ridiculed for their efforts, they may develop feelings of self-doubt or shame.
10.You have decided that the students in your kindergarten class will no longer be allowed to participate in unstructured play or imagination activities. These types of activities, in your opinion, are a waste of learning time and have no place in a solid curriculum. Your thoughts largely ignore the need to resolve which of the following psychosocial crises?
a. / trust versus mistrust / c. / integrity versus despairb. / initiative versus guilt / d. / play versus work
ANS:BREF:29
NOT:Erikson's stage of initiative versus guilt stresses that children should participate in self-chosen physical activities and use language to discover and explore in order to develop a sense of initiative. Discouraging these activities increases the probability that children will come to feel guilty about acting on their own.
11.Which of the following classroom practices would be most appropriate for children at Erikson's stage of industry versus inferiority?
a. / awarding extra points for students who finish assignments quicklyb. / displaying charts listing the best students in various activities
c. / placing completed assignments in each student's Successful Work folder
d. / stressing the importance of earning high grades
ANS:CREF:29 | 30-31
NOT:Elementary school children are at Erikson's stage of industry versus inferiority. Industry refers to the need for a child to learn that he or she can successfully complete tasks. Experiences that make children feel inadequate (as in competitive situations) are likely to lead to inferiority. The correct option most clearly reflects noncompetitive completion of tasks.
12.Rhonda, a sixth grader, loves to work in her father's wood shop crafting items that she designs. Often, however, when she approaches her father about letting her work with him, he dismisses her requests and tells her that she should “help your mother in the kitchen and stay out of my way.” According to Erikson, Rhonda
a. / will certainly never have feelings of inferiority.b. / may have trust issues in any relationship.
c. / may not work with wooden craft items until she is older and her gender role is properly formed.
d. / is at risk for developing feelings of inferiority.
ANS:DREF:29 | 30-31
NOT:Elementary and middle school children are at Erikson's stage of industry versus inferiority. Industry refers to the need for a child to learn that he or she can successfully complete tasks. Experiences that make children feel inadequate (such as being discouraged from pursuing certain activities) may lead to inferiority.
13.According to Erikson, if Robert has successfully resolved the psychosocial crisis of adolescence, he is now able to
a. / think abstractly about philosophical issues.b. / understand group dynamics and get along well with others.
c. / form a strong romantic attachment to another person, marry, and plan to begin a family.
d. / view himself as having a meaningful role in life.
ANS:DREF:29 | 31
NOT:The psychosocial crisis of adolescence is identity versus role confusion. The successful resolution of this psychosocial crisis allows one to view oneself as having a meaningful adult role in life.
14.Seventeen-year-old Sarah has always enjoyed science, particularly biology and chemistry. She dreams of enrolling in pre-veterinary medicine in college. Her mother is a housewife who never had any vocational ambitions, and her father has always felt that women should focus on teaching or nursing careers. Since her parents don't encourage her in the field of veterinary medicine, Sarah eventually becomes ambivalent about her college plans and finally enrolls at a teacher's college. Sarah's situation is an example of
a. / role confusion. / c. / negative identity.b. / psychosocial moratorium. / d. / identity achievement.
ANS:AREF:29
NOT:In this example, Sarah struggles with the discrepancy between her own ideas of the role she wishes to play as an adult and the examples and expectations of her parents. This situation typifies the role confusion often experienced by adolescents.
15.Brian is an only child whose father is a president of a large corporation, while his mother is a lawyer at a busy law firm. Brian has always enjoyed the company of other children partly, he believes, because he wasn't around children much except at school. He is particularly intrigued with young children's development and is thinking of majoring in early-childhood education in college. His parents are not happy with Brian's decision, and his father puts a great deal of pressure on him to major in business or pre-law. Brian isn't sure what to do. His situation is an example of
a. / identity achievement. / c. / psychosocial moratorium.b. / negative identity. / d. / role confusion.
ANS:DREF:29
NOT:In this example, Brian struggles with the discrepancy between his own ideas of the role he wishes to play as an adult and the examples and expectations of his parents. This situation typifies the role confusion often experienced by adolescents.
16.Which of the following is most likely to promote a sense of industry among students?
a. / Encourage intense competition for top grades by limiting the number of available A's and B's.b. / Create reasonable performance standards and communicate those standards to students.
c. / Encourage communication with local businesses to keep students informed of available job opportunities.
d. / Set a class “curve,” making sure that equal percentages of students receive A’s, B’s C’s, D’s, and F’s.
ANS:BREF:30
NOT:One factor that is known to have a negative effect on one's sense of industry is competition for a limited number of rewards, such as occurs when teachers grade exams or projects "on the curve." This practice limits the top grades to the few students who achieve the highest scores, regardless of the actual level of their performance. Additionally, this practice guarantees a certain number of failures, regardless of the actual level of their performance. The solution is to base grades on realistic and attainable standards which are worked out ahead of time and communicated to students.
17.Indicate which of the methods below is most likely to enhance a sense of industry for students.
a. / Keep open lines of communication between the school and local businesses to foster work-study programs.b. / Encourage hard work by fostering intense competition for a limited number of top grades.
c. / Discourage negativity by refusing to award failing grades in your classroom.
d. / Decide in advance of instruction the quality of performance that earns A's, B's, C's, D's, and F's in your classroom.
ANS:DREF:30
NOT:One factor that is known to have a negative effect on one's sense of industry is competition for a limited number of rewards, such as occurs when teachers grade exams or projects "on the curve." This practice limits the top grades to the few students who achieve the highest scores, regardless of the actual level of their performance. Additionally, this practice guarantees a certain number of failures, regardless of the actual level of performance. The solution is to base grades on realistic and attainable standards which are worked out ahead of time and communicated to students.
18.Which of the following educational objectives is least related to Erikson's description of the components of identity?
a. / arranging for students to experience recognition by teachers and peersb. / permitting students to postpone choosing between a college preparatory or vocational curriculum until they are ready to do so
c. / encouraging physical well-being and acceptance of one's body in health courses
d. / encouraging students to make specific plans for what they will do the first year after they graduate
ANS:BREF:31
NOT:The components of identity, as described by Erikson, are knowing where one is going, feeling at home with one's body, and assuredness of recognition from those who count. A psychosocial moratorium is a delay of commitment that gives a person an opportunity to sort out thoughts about identity. Such behavior is not a component of identity but rather a mechanism for coping with problems in developing identity.
19.Erikson's concept of the psychosocial moratorium is most like
a. / avoiding social contacts for several months.b. / consulting a counselor about social problems.
c. / asking someone to help you make a decision.
d. / sleeping on a problem or decision.
ANS:DREF:31
NOT:When a young person feels threatened by having to decide on vocational and other life choices, Erikson suggested, a psychosocial moratorium might be appropriate. Such a delay of commitment is most like sleeping on a problem or postponing a decision.
20.Which of the following is not one of the components of identity as defined by Erikson?
a. / clear goalsb. / expectation of acceptance by friends and significant others
c. / satisfaction with physical appearance
d. / feeling free to postpone decisions about a career
ANS:DREF:31
NOT:Clear goals, acceptance of one's body, and getting recognition are the primary aspects of Erikson's concept of identity.
21.As described by Erikson, a psychosocial moratorium
a. / should be a period of postponing commitment.b. / refers to a symptom of emotional instability.
c. / creates a negative identity state.
d. / refers to a wish to be alone.
ANS:AREF:31
NOT:When a young person feels threatened by having to make many important choices at once, a psychosocial moratorium may be appropriate. This delay of commitment should ideally be a period of exploration in which various possibilities are examined without a feeling of pressure. As used by Erikson, the term does not refer to antisocial tendencies.
22.James Marcia proposes the existence of four identity status categories by assessing the presence or absence of
a. / crisis and commitment. / c. / commitment and diffusion.b. / indecision and storm and stress. / d. / moratorium and confusion.
ANS:AREF:31-33
NOT:Marcia proposes the existence of four identity status categories by assessing the presence or absence of crisis and commitment.
23.In an attempt to scientifically validate Erikson's notions about identity, Marcia interviewed youths about their
a. / curfews, beliefs about parenting, and political views.b. / participation in the adolescent subculture and psychiatric history.
c. / career goals, religious beliefs, and sexual attitudes.
d. / incidence of drug use, views on freedom of speech, and level of physical maturity.
ANS:CREF:31-33
NOT:Youths were asked their thoughts about a career, their value system, their sexual attitudes, and their religious beliefs.
24.According to Marcia's identity status categories, which of the following best describes a person who would be classified as an identity diffusion type?
a. / one who avoids thinking about an occupation or personal valuesb. / one who becomes politically active in support of a presidential candidate
c. / one who experiments with different lifestyles
d. / one who selects a career on the basis of parental wishes
ANS:AREF:33
NOT:Identity diffusion types have yet to experience a crisis because they have avoided thinking about questions of identity. Avoiding coming to grips with key issues of identity is stressed most directly in the correct option.
25.Which of the following statements would most likely be made by a high school senior classified by Marcia as a foreclosure type?
a. / I have no idea about a career and I don't much care.b. / My parents want me to be a doctor, but I'm just not interested in that career.
c. / When the time comes, I'm going to vote for liberal candidates, even though my parents always vote for conservative candidates.
d. / I admire my parents and am delighted that my father has asked me to go into business with him.
ANS:DREF:33
NOT:Individuals who unquestioningly embrace the values of their parents, and who have few doubts about what career they will have and what role they will play as adults, are characterized by Marcia's foreclosure type.
26.Sarah, though she prefers dance to medicine, is a medical student because her parents have always dreamed of having a “Dr. Daughter.” She is certain that medicine is the right career for her because her parents have supported that notion. Sarah would be classified by Marcia as which of the following types?
a. / diffusion / c. / foreclosureb. / moratorium / d. / achievement
ANS:CREF:33