Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following statements is true about sex education? A) Fathers talk to adolescents about sex and birth control more often than mothers. B) Because teenagers can look up information from a variety of sources, the Internet is a good sex educator. C) It is better for schools to teach adolescents about sex and contraception than parents. D) Adolescents who are prone to early sexual activity choose to consume more sexualized media.

Q: Which of the following statements is supported by cross-cultural research on sexuality?A) Most North American adolescents get information from parents about sexually transmitted diseases and contraception.B) Sexual attitudes in North America are liberal compared to other Western nations.C) In some cultures, adolescents are expected to engage in sexual experimentation with a variety of partners.D) Rates of extramarital sex among North American adolescents have risen sharply in recent decades.

Q: Bulimia nervosa A) is usually easier to treat than anorexia. B) is less common than anorexia nervosa. C) typically appears in early adolescence. D) affects more late-maturing than early-maturing girls.

Q: Anorexia nervosa A) typically appears between ages 11 and 13. B) affects 2 to 4 percent of U.S. teenage girls. C) is equally common in all social-class groups. D) affects more African-American than Hispanic girls.

Q: Girls who __________ are especially at risk for eating disorders. A) reach puberty late B) grow up with overweight mothers C) reach puberty on time D) are very dissatisfied with their body image

Q: __________ are especially prone to lasting difficulties. A) Early-maturing girls B) Late-maturing girls C) Early-maturing boys D) Late-maturing boys

Q: Studies of pubertal timing show thatA) early-maturing girls are more satisfied with their body image than their late-maturing agemates.B) the negative body image of early-maturing boys worsens throughout adolescence.C) early-maturing boys tend to be overly talkative and attention seeking.D) early-maturing adolescents of both sexes seek out older companions.

Q: Both adults and peers tend to view __________ as __________. A) early-maturing boys; relaxed and physically attractive B) early-maturing girls; lively and school leaders C) late-maturing boys; independent and self-confident D) late-maturing girls; unpopular and anxious

Q: Parent"adolescent disagreements focus largely on A) long-term goals, such as college or vocational training. B) substance abuse. C) early sexual activity. D) mundane, day-to-day matters, such as driving and curfews.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about parent"child relationships in adolescence? A) Studies show a decrease in parent"child conflict after puberty ends. B) Psychological distancing may contribute to a rise in family tensions. C) Parent"son conflict tends to be more intense than parent"daughter conflict. D) Parent"daughter conflict is more evident in countries where gender-role values are more traditional.

Q: Research on adolescent moodiness shows that A) a major contributor to adolescent moodiness is change in sleep schedules. B) negative moods decrease steadily from childhood to adolescence. C) the relationship between higher sex hormones and greater moodiness is strong. D) frequent reports of negative moods tend to occur when adolescents are socializing.

Q: Setting the voting age at 18 and the drinking age at 21 are examples ofA) adolescent initiation ceremonies.B) legal adult status in non-Western societies.C) rites of passage.D) partial adult status in Western society.

Q: Research on reactions to pubertal changes indicates that A) most girls get information about puberty from their doctors. B) most boys do not know about ejaculation before the onset of spermarche. C) boys often say that their first ejaculation occurred earlier than they expected. D) most girls view the onset of menarche as traumatic.

Q: Contemporary research suggests that A) emotional turbulence is routine during adolescence. B) adolescence is greatly extended in industrialized nations. C) the notion of adolescence as a period of storm and stress is accurate. D) biological, rather than psychological and social, forces influence adolescent development.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about individual and group differences in pubertal growth? A) Heredity contributes substantially to the timing of pubertal changes. B) In developing countries, boys and girls reach pubertal milestones at about the same age. C) Girls who begin rigorous athletic training at an early age usually experience early puberty. D) In developing countries, girls from affluent families consistently reach menarche 6 to 18 months later than those from economically disadvantaged homes.

Q: Sexual maturation in __________ usually begins with __________. A) girls; menarche B) boys; the appearance of pubic hair C) girls; the budding of the breasts D) boys; voice change

Q: Typically, pubertal development takes about _____ years.A) twoB) threeC) fourD) five

Q: Which of the following is an example of a secondary sexual characteristic? A) development of the uterus B) breast development in females C) development of the vagina D) development of the testes

Q: Which of the following is an example of a primary sexual characteristic? A) breast development in females B) the appearance of underarm hair C) penis development in males D) the appearance of pubic hair

Q: Seven-year-old Moses, who has experienced extreme emotional deprivation, has decreased GH secretion, very short stature, immature skeletal age, and serious adjustment problems. Moses may be suffering from A) growth faltering. B) psychosocial dwarfism. C) iron-deficiency anemia. D) food insecurity.

Q: Baby Zima keeps his eyes on nearby adults, anxiously watching their every move. He rarely smiles at his caregivers. Zima's weight, height, and head circumference are substantially below age-related growth norms. Zima and his mother have a disturbed parent"infant relationship. Zima may be suffering from A) growth faltering. B) psychosocial dwarfism. C) iron-deficiency anemia. D) food insecurity.

Q: Which of the following is one reason why the United States lags behind other industrialized nations in immunization?A) Not all medically uninsured children in the U.S. are guaranteed free immunizations.B) Vaccines are not usually available in U.S. public health clinics.C) There have not been any outbreaks of childhood diseases in the U.S., even in areas where many parents refuse to immunize their children.D) Some parents have been influenced by media reports suggesting a link between vaccines and autism.

Q: Overall, about _____ percent of U.S. preschoolers lack essential immunizations. A) 10 B) 20 C) 30 D) 40

Q: Which of the following statements is true about infectious diseases in developing countries? A) Illnesses such as measles and chicken pox typically do not appear until age 3. B) Most developmental impairments and death due to diarrhea can be prevented with nearly cost-free oral rehydration therapy (ORT). C) Since 1990, public health workers have taught about 10 percent of the families in the developing world how to administer ORT. D) The majority of children in the world's poorest countriessuch as Chad, Morocco, Somalia, and Togoreceive ORT.

Q: In developing countries, widespread __________, resulting from unsafe water and contaminated foods, leads to growth stunting and nearly 3 million childhood deaths each year. A) malaria B) diarrhea C) influenza D) measles

Q: Of the 9 million annual deaths of children under age 5 worldwide, _____ percent are due to infectious diseases. A) 30 B) 50 C) 70 D) 90

Q: Which of the following statements is true about obesity?A) Obese children and adolescents report fewer emotional and school difficulties than their normal-weight peers.B) Overweight individuals are less likely than their normal-weight agemates to receive financial aid for college.C) Childhood obesity is fairly easy to treat with strict diet and exercise.D) The most effective interventions are individually based and focus on weight loss.

Q: Six-year-old Augustus watches about 3 hours of television per day. Research reveals that Augustus is likely to accumulate _____ percent __________ body fat than children devoting 1.75 hours per day to television. A) 20; less B) 20; more C) 40; less D) 40; more

Q: Compared to normal-weight children, obese children A) are less responsive to internal hunger cues. B) are less responsive to external stimuli associated with food. C) eat much slower. D) tend to chew more thoroughly.

Q: In industrialized nations, studies confirm that A) heredity accounts for excessive weight gain. B) obesity risk is greatest for individuals living in economically well-off households. C) parental feeding practices have little impact on childhood obesity. D) children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to be overweight.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about overweight children and teens? A) All children are equally at risk for excessive weight gain. B) Obese children are at risk for lifelong health problems. C) Around 30 percent of obese teenagers become overweight adults. D) Type 2 diabetes is rapidly declining among overweight children.

Q: About one __________ of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight.A) fifthB) quarterC) thirdD) half

Q: In the United States, __________ is especially high among low-income ethnic minority families and affects an estimated 21 percent of U.S. children. A) marasmus B) kwashiorkor C) iron-deficiency anemia D) food insecurity

Q: __________ affects about 25 percent of infants and children worldwide and interferes with many central nervous system processes. A) Marasmus B) Kwashiorkor C) Iron-deficiency anemia D) Food insecurity

Q: Children who survive extreme forms of malnutrition A) rarely show catch-up growth when their diets improve. B) develop a high basal metabolism rate. C) usually continue to undereat when food becomes plentiful. D) tend to gain excessive weight when their diets improve.

Q: Kwashiorkor A) is common in regions where children get just enough calories from starchy foods but little protein. B) usually appears in the first year of life when a baby's mother is too malnourished to produce enough breast milk. C) affects 27 percent of the world's children before the age of 5. D) affects an estimated 21 percent of U.S. children.

Q: Kiana is 2 years old and has an unbalanced diet very low in protein. She has an enlarged belly, swollen feet, a skin rash, and thinning hair. What is the most likely cause of Kiana's condition?A) HIV/AIDSB) marasmusC) kwashiorkorD) iron-deficiency anemia

Q: Enrique is 2 months old, painfully thin, and in danger of dying. His mother is too malnourished to produce enough breast milk and bottle-feeding is inadequate. What is the most likely cause of Enrique's illness? A) lack of thyroxine B) marasmus C) kwashiorkor D) iron-deficiency anemia

Q: The Yardleys have a teenage son and a teenage daughter. How can they improve the likelihood that their teens will make healthy food choices? A) Serve two, rather than three, meals per day because teens consume less in the morning. B) Make sure that they only eat fast food one or two days a week. C) Frequently schedule and serve family meals. D) Enroll them in a health and nutrition class and encourage competitive sports participation.

Q: In order to get 5-year-old Mikah to eat more broccoli, Mikah's parents should A) serve and eat broccoli. B) offer a cookie to Mikah if he eats broccoli. C) restrict his access to tastier foods. D) keep Mikah at the table until he finishes his broccoli.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about preschoolers and nutrition? A) Preschoolers have very predictable appetites. B) Preschoolers' wariness of new foods is adaptive. C) Parents should worry if their preschooler's diet varies in amount eaten from meal to meal. D) Preschoolers left to their own devices will naturally consume a balanced diet.

Q: Benita is 14 months old. Her diet should includeA) only breast milk.B) breast milk and some protein.C) all of the basic food groups.D) formula and several servings of cereal.

Q: Partly as a result of the natural childbirth movement, breastfeeding has become more common in __________, especially among __________. A) developing nations; older women B) rural communities; young mothers C) industrialized nations; well-educated women D) industrialized nations; working mothers

Q: Today, most developing countries A) have banned the practice of giving free or subsidized formula to new mothers. B) encourage new mothers to give their breastfed infants an iron supplement. C) provide free or subsidized formula to new mothers. D) provide free rice water or highly diluted cow or goat milk to new mothers.

Q: The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until age A) 6 months. B) 12 months. C) 18 months. D) 2 years.

Q: Breastfed babies in poverty-stricken regions are __________ formula-fed babies in the same regions. A) much more likely to be malnourished than B) just as likely to die during the first two years as C) 6 to 14 times more likely to survive the first year of life than D) much more likely to be iron-deficient than

Q: Nutrition is especially crucial duringA) the first two years.B) the preschool years.C) middle childhood.D) adolescence.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about the effects of lead exposure in childhood? A) A stressed, disorganized home life seems to heighten lead-induced damage. B) Investigators agree that the greatest period of vulnerability is middle childhood. C) Children given drugs to induce excretion of lead (chelation) improve dramatically. D) Negative cognitive consequences are not evident when the level of lead exposure is below 10 g/dL.

Q: Research suggests that persistent childhood lead exposure contributes to A) diabetes in adulthood. B) high rates of autism in industrialized nations. C) antisocial behavior in adolescence. D) tooth decay and poor fine-motor skills.

Q: Research on low-level lead exposure and children's development indicates that A) low blood levels are associated with early onset diabetes. B) higher blood levels are associated with distractibility, overactivity, and behavior problems. C) the majority of children overcome any negative cognitive effects by adolescence. D) early exposure to lead can be neutralized by fluoride treatments in drinking water.

Q: Which of the following statements is true about the role of heredity in physical growth? A) When diet and health are adequate, heredity has little effect on height and rate of growth. B) Even if negative environmental influences are not severe, children show little catch-up growth once conditions improve. C) Twin studies reveal that genetic makeup has little effect on body weight. D) Genes influence growth by controlling the body's production of and sensitivity to hormones.

Q: Which of the following activities would promote experience-expectant brain growth?A) readingB) writingC) playing a computer gameD) singing a song

Q: Which of the following activities would promote experience-dependent brain growth? A) weaving an intricate rug B) sharing a meal C) playing peekaboo D) bathing before bedtime

Q: Experience-dependent brain growth A) occurs early and naturally. B) provides a foundation for experience-expectant brain development. C) occurs as a result of specific and varied learning experiences. D) occurs as caregivers engage babies in daily routines.

Q: Experience-expectant brain growth A) occurs throughout the lifespan. B) consists of additional growth and refinement of established brain structures. C) refers to the young brain's rapidly developing organization, which depends on ordinary experiences. D) occurs as a result of specific learning experiences that vary widely across individuals and cultures.

Q: Heightened __________ sensitivity helps explain why adolescents are so self-conscious and sensitive to others' opinions. A) insulin B) oxytocin C) thyroxine D) cortisol

Q: Teenagers do not perform as well as adults on tasks requiring self-restraint, planning, and future orientation becauseA) the prefrontal cognitive-control network still requires fine-tuning.B) adolescent brains are less plastic than adult brains.C) brain lateralization is not complete until the mid- to late 20s.D) production of synapses and myelination of the corpus callosum do not peak until early adulthood.

Q: The __________ is sensitive to facial emotional expressions, especially fear. A) corpus callosum B) hippocampus C) amygdala D) cerebellum

Q: Rapid development of the __________ makes drawing and reading maps possible. A) reticular formation B) hippocampus C) corpus callosum D) amygdala

Q: Neurons sent by the __________ to the prefrontal lobes of the cerebral cortex contribute to improvements in sustained, controlled attention. A) cerebellum B) corpus callosum C) hippocampus D) reticular formation

Q: Children with damage to the cerebellum usually display __________ deficits. A) motor, but not cognitive, B) cognitive, but not motor, C) both motor and cognitive D) neither motor nor cognitive

Q: The brains of left-handers tend to be __________ than those of right-handers.A) less plasticB) structurally largerC) more strongly lateralizedD) less strongly lateralized

Q: In Western nations, A) 90 percent of the population is right-handed. B) 25 percent of the population is left-handed. C) only about 5 percent of adults are left-handed. D) right-handed children are more likely than left-handed agemates to have outstanding verbal skills.

Q: Research on brain plasticity shows that when healthy brain regions take over the functions of damaged areas,A) children's IQ scores increase by 10 to 15 points, on average.B) the brain processes information more quickly and accurately than it would if it were intact.C) a "crowding effect" occurs in which multiple tasks must be done by a smaller than usual volume of brain tissue.D) neurons in the healthy regions tend to die, leaving those areas vulnerable to future damage.

Q: Research on brain injuries shows that A) the young brain is completely plastic and, therefore, almost always recovers any abilities lost due to injury. B) children with early brain injuries show deficits in a wide variety of complex mental abilities during the school years. C) brain plasticity is restricted to infancy and early childhood due to the rapid production of neurons. D) the adult brain cannot produce new neurons and, therefore, lacks the plasticity of the young brain.

Q: In a large study of children with injuries to the cerebral cortex that occurred before birth or in the first six months of life, where language and spatial skills were assessed repeatedly into adolescence,A) the children showed language delays that persisted until about 3 years of age.B) recovery was greater for spatial skills than language abilities.C) the brain-damaged children caught up to their peers in spatial skills only if the damage occurred in the right hemisphere.D) the children who showed early language delays in the left hemisphere still had not caught up to their peers by age 5.

Q: Which of the following statements is supported by research on the influence of early experience in the organization of the cerebral cortex? A) Deaf infants depend only on the left hemisphere for language processing, whereas hearing infants depend on both hemispheres. B) Adolescents and adults show more diffuse fMRI activity than children while performing motor and cognitive skills. C) Deaf adults who learned sign language as infants and children depend more than hearing adults on the right hemisphere for language processing. D) Toddlers who are advanced in language development show greater right-hemisphere specialization than their more slowly developing agemates.

Q: Most newborns A) show greater activation in the right hemisphere while listening to speech sounds. B) react more strongly in the left hemisphere to nonspeech sounds. C) do not show specialization in the hemispheres of the brain. D) favor the right side of the body in their head position and reflexive reactions.

Q: Before lateralization occurs, A) if a part of the cortex is damaged, other parts can take over the tasks it would have handled. B) each hemisphere controls only one side of the body. C) damage to a particular region means that abilities controlled by it will be lost forever. D) each hemisphere receives sensory information from only one side of the body.

Q: The prefrontal cortex undergoes especially rapid myelination and formation and pruning of synapses during A) infancy. B) the preschool and school years. C) early adulthood. D) midlife.

Q: The __________ is responsible for thoughtin particular, consciousness, attention, inhibition of impulses, integration of information, and use of memory, reasoning, planning, and problem-solving strategies.A) cerebellumB) parietal lobeC) temporal lobeD) prefrontal cortex

Q: The __________ is sensitive to environmental influences for a much longer period than any other part of the brain. A) temporal lobe B) optical lobe C) cerebellum D) cerebral cortex

Q: The cerebral cortex A) is the largest brain structure. B) is the first brain structure to stop growing. C) accounts for about half of the brain's weight. D) contains the smallest number of neurons and synapses.

Q: At birth, the brain is nearly _____ percent of its adult weight. A) 20 B) 30 C) 50 D) 70

Q: Dramatic increases in __________ and __________ are responsible for the swift gain in overall brain size during the first years of life. A) neurons; neural fibers B) synapses; glial cells C) neurons; glial cells D) neural fibers; myelination

Q: __________ are responsible for coating neural fibers with __________.A) Glial cells; myelinB) Synapses; glial cellsC) Neurotransmitters; dopamineD) Epiphyses; cartilage

Q: Programmed cell death A) is the result of maternal drug or alcohol use during pregnancy. B) often results in permanent mental retardation. C) primarily occurs in unstimulated regions of the brain. D) makes room for the formation of new synapses.

Q: The __________ is among the last regions to attain adult levels of synaptic connectionsin mid-to-late adolescence. A) cerebellum B) prefrontal cortex C) temporal lobe D) optical lobe

Q: Which of the following statements is true about neurons? A) Like other body cells, they are tightly packed together. B) The human brain has about 100 to 200 million neurons. C) They store and transmit information. D) After birth, they can only die as a result of significant trauma.

Q: Despite its complexity, the human __________ reaches its adult size earlier than any other organ or structure. A) brain B) skeleton C) heart D) liver