Q&A Hero

Q: When calculating individual performance on an IQ test, a child who was of average intelligence would have an IQ score of: A. 100. B. 200. C. 150. D. There is no "average" IQ

Q: All of the following are ways that scientists study brain maturation except: A. by using DTI to see the ways in which various regions of the brain are connected B. by using fMRI to examine patterns of activity in various regions of the brain while individuals are performing a variety of tasks C. by electroencephalography to measure event-related potentials in response to different stimuli or events D. by using fMRI to measure event-related potential in response to different stimuli or events

Q: Neurons are cells that carry information by transmitting electrical charges across the body. When the electrical charge travels through a neuron, it stimulates _____: A. the release of neurotransmitters B. synaptic pruning C. myelination D. the brain to process some piece of information

Q: The formation of synapses is: A. almost entirely genetically programmed. B. almost entirely formed through experience. C. both genetically programmed and formed through experience. D. random.

Q: One type of structural change in the brain has to do with changes in the levels of grey and white matter in the brain. Which of the following statements is true? A. grey matter decreases while white matter increases B. grey matter increases while white matter decreases C. both grey matter and white matter decrease D. both grey matter and white matter increase

Q: All of the following statements about structural and functional change involving the prefrontal cortex during adolescence are true except: A. patterns of activation within the prefrontal cortex generally become more focused B. individuals are more likely to use multiple parts of the brain simultaneously and coordinate activity between prefrontal regions and other areas of the brain C. the full structural maturation of the prefrontal cortex is not complete until the mid-20s D. all of the above are true

Q: One aspect of brain maturation that is associated with the "remodeling" that takes place in the brain during adolescence is: A. formal operational thought. B. myelination. C. metacognition. D. information-processing gains.

Q: Which statement regarding increases in cognitive abilities is false? A. Increases in cognitive abilities are due to growth in the size of the brain. B. Pruning of the synapses leads to increases in cognitive abilities. C. Changes in levels of neurotransmitters reduce sensitivity to reward, leading to an increase in sensation-seeking. D. Maturation of the prefrontal cortex allows for complex activities such as planning, decision making, goal setting, and metacognition.

Q: Changes in the limbic system during adolescence may cause all of the following, except: A. increased emotionality. B. increased responsiveness to stress. C. decreased risk-taking. D. decreased responsiveness to rewards.

Q: Jane, an adolescent, can attribute her better planning skills to developments in her ______ and she can attribute her gut-level, intuitive decision making to her ______. A. dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; orbitofrontal cortex B. dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; ventromedial prefrontal cortex C. ventromedial prefrontal cortex; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex D. orbitofrontal cortex; ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Q: In addition to an increase in responsiveness to stress, changes in the _____ may also help explain why adolescents' concerns about what their peers think increase during this time. A. prefrontal cortex B. dorsolateral prefrontal cortex C. limbic system D. levels of grey matter

Q: Jesse is in the 7th grade at a school that has open classrooms with multiple teachers instructing their classes in one large area. Which of the following cognitive processes will help Jesse focus on his teacher? A. working memory B. selective attention C. long-term memory D. divided attention

Q: Charlie is able to tune out the television so that he can focus on his art project, which is due in class tomorrow. This is an example of: A. selective attention. B. divided attention. C. short-term memory. D. long-term memory.

Q: While studying for her biology exam, Jennifer watches her favorite show on TV. This is an example of: A. selective attention. B. divided attention. C. short-term memory. D. long-term memory.

Q: Which of the following statements about the changes in information-processing abilities during adolescence is false? A. There are advances in short-term but not long-term memory. B. The speed of processing information increases. C. Adolescents are more "planful" than children. D. There are advances in selective and divided attention.

Q: Piaget theorists believe that the use of _____ is the chief feature of adolescent thinking that differentiates it from the type of thinking employed by children. A. egocentric reasoning B. abstract logical reasoning C. multidimensional reasoning D. systematic reasoning

Q: Adolescent thinking can be distinguished from the thinking of children in several respects. All of these differences stem from improvement(s) in _____ during adolescence. A. abstract logical reasoning B. personal life experiences C. synaptic pruning D. autonomy and personal responsibility

Q: LaToya has a secure relationship with her parents, whereas Karen has an insecure one. Based on research cited in the text, who is more likely to display formal operational thinking? A. LaToya B. Karen C. both girls D. unable to determine

Q: Much research on adults as well as adolescents indicates that the gaps between _____ & _____ in everyday situations are very large, with everyday decision making laden with logical errors that cannot be explained by cognitive incompetence. A. what individuals want to do & what they actually do B. what individuals want to do & what they have time for C. logical reasoning abilities & personal experience D. logical reasoning abilities & their actual use of logical reasoning

Q: For which of the following subjects will Andrew, a competent 12th grader, display the worst reasoning ability? A. adolescent dating B. misbehavior in school C. retirement planning D. driving a motor vehicle

Q: The transition from concrete operational thought to formal operational thought occurs: A. very suddenly and evenly across all domains of functioning. B. at the same age, regardless of the environment. C. very gradually and unevenly across domains of functioning. D. the change is barely noticeable.

Q: The improvements in organizational strategies seen in adolescence include all but: A. increasing use of mnemonic devices. B. becoming more flexible with strategy use. C. increasing speed of information processing. D. becoming more efficient with strategy use.

Q: Dr. Brown argues that adolescents can solve problems better than younger children because they can store more information in memory and because they have more effective strategies. Dr. Brown's view is most consistent with which of the following perspectives? A. triarchic theory of intelligence B. information-processing perspective C. psychometric theory D. Piagetian perspective

Q: What thought process helps adolescents appreciate the sarcasm and satire of Mad magazine and The Simpsons? A. selective attention B. sensation-seeking C. mutual role taking D. multidimensional thinking

Q: The extreme skepticism observed in many adolescents is most likely a result of: A. seeing knowledge as relative rather than as absolute. B. thinking in terms of what's possible rather than what's real. C. thinking about the process of thinking. D. viewing reality in terms of multiple dimensions.

Q: ___________ theorists believe that changes in cognitive abilities appearing during adolescence are qualitative, whereas __________ theorists believe they are quantitative. A. Cognitive-developmental; information-processing B. Cognitive-developmental; behavioral decision C. Information-processing; cognitive-developmental D. Information-processing; behavioral decision

Q: Dr. Martino argues that development proceeds in stages and that each stage is marked by fairly consistent behavior. Then, as the child's biological development progresses and new experiences are acquired, a shift occurs and development breaks through to the next level. Dr. Martino's view is most consistent with that expressed by the: A. triarchic theory of intelligence. B. information-processing perspective. C. psychometric theory. D. Piagetian perspective.

Q: Juan is 5 years old. His language skills are excellent, but his thinking skills demonstrate limitations such as egocentrism. What Piagetian stage of thought would you suspect he is in? A. formal operational B. sensorimotor C. concrete operational D. preoperational

Q: According to Piaget, the period of cognitive development that is based on theoretical, abstract principles of logic is called: A. sensorimotor. B. preoperational. C. concrete operations. D. formal operations.

Q: Rose solves a chemistry problem by systematically testing several hypotheses. According to Piaget, which stage is Rose functioning at? A. preoperational B. concrete operations C. formal operations D. sensorimotor

Q: According to the textbook, in early adolescence, formal thinking: A. has a "now you see it, now you don't quality to it. B. is very integrated into the individual's general approach to reasoning. C. is very similar to preadolescents in Piaget's preformal stage. D. is employed regularly.

Q: The text suggests that _________ is/are not a good explanation of adolescent egocentrism. A. cognitive deficiencies B. emotional reasons C. social reasons D. the impact of other people's opinions

Q: Fifteen-year-old Hermione is able to write a much more complex answer than 10-year-old Ginger to the question, "Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using simple spells for self-protection." This is because, as an adolescent, Hermione is able to think: A. egocentrically. B. deductively. C. in metacognitive ways. D. in multiple dimensions.

Q: Multidimensional thinking helps adolescents understand: A. sarcasm. B. imaginary audiences. C. formal operations. D. concrete examples.

Q: Renee, a 6-year-old, is unable to answer the question, "How are a motorcycle and a bicycle alike?" Mohammed, a 17-year-old, answers the same question by saying, "They are both types of transportation." What statement about Renee and Mohammed is most true? A. Renee's inability to answer the question is very unusual for a child her age. B. Mohammed has demonstrated the ability to think concretely. C. Mohammed has demonstrated the ability to think abstractly. D. According to Piaget's theory, Renee and Mohammed are both developmentally delayed.

Q: Javier spends a great deal of time talking about relationships, politics, philosophy, religion, and morality with his friends, demonstrating his ability to think: A. abstractly. B. preoperationally. C. concretely. D. deductively.

Q: Adolescents develop the ability to think about social issues, a concept more generally referred to as: A. socialization. B. social cognition. C. abstract reasoning. D. metacognition.

Q: The ability to think about one's own thoughts is called: A. hypothetical think. B. egocentric logic. C. metacognition. D. social cognition.

Q: All of the following are indicators of metacognition, except: A. introspection. B. self-consciousness. C. intellectualization. D. deductive reasoning.

Q: Teenagers often become self-conscious because they believe that people are talking about them. Which characteristic are they exhibiting? A. an imaginary audience B. a personal fable C. propositional logic D. metacognition

Q: The erroneous belief that one's thoughts, feelings, and experiences are unique is called: A. an imaginary audience. B. a personal fable. C. propositional logic. D. metacognition.

Q: Dave knows that kids who drink and drive sometimes get killed, but he believes that he is somehow immune to having such a terrible thing happen to him. Dave's belief is an example of: A. the imaginary audience. B. a personal fable. C. social cognition. D. metacognition.

Q: John is a junior in high school. Although he is sociable, he feels very self-conscious. He feels as if everyone is evaluating him. David Elkind refers to this loss of perspective in adolescence as: A. self-reflection. B. personal fable. C. imaginary audience. D. impression formation.

Q: Who coined the term adolescent egocentrism? A. Piaget B. Elkind C. Binet D. Sternberg

Q: Research testing Elkind's theory of adolescent egocentrism has found that certain aspects: A. peak at age 12 and then drastically decline. B. may remain present throughout the adolescent and adult years. C. are virtually a nonexistent phenomenon in adolescence or adulthood. D. are less prevalent among college students.

Q: The ability to see beyond what is directly observable and reason in terms of what might be possible is called: A. social perspective taking. B. hypothetical thinking. C. imaginary audience. D. formal operations.

Q: Mai can understand the metaphor, "My heart is an open book," because she is able to focus on the: A. concrete and familiar associations. B. semantic structure of the sentence. C. abstract and conceptual relations. D. observable features of the objects.

Q: Which of the following is not one of the five chief changes in cognition during adolescence? A. multidimensional thought B. metacognition C. abstract reasoning D. increased imagination

Q: Dan, an adolescent, has more developed cognitive skills than his 6-year-old brother Timmy because Timmy's imagination is limited to: A. thinking that things can be different from how he observes them. B. moving easily between specific and abstract ideas. C. systematically generating alternative possibilities and explanations. D. comparing what he actually observes with what he believes is possible.

Q: Bickering and squabbling between teenagers and their parents is largely caused by: A. the generation gap. B. hormonal changes in adolescents. C. adolescents' ability to formulate counterarguments. D. adolescents' anti-social tendencies.

Q: Tam is good at drawing conclusions from given information, and Lan is good at using information to generate many possible conclusions. Thus, Tam is good at _________ reasoning and Lan is good at _________ reasoning. A. deductive; deductive B. deductive; inductive C. inductive; deductive D. inductive; inductive

Q: Which of the following is not a characteristic of deductive reasoning in adolescence, as described by the text? A. inhibiting a prepotent response B. having the ability to stop oneself from acting automatically C. making an inference based on accumulated evidence D. recognizing when a question cannot be answered with certainty

Q: Making "educated guesses" about problems would be considered which type of reasoning? A. inductive reasoning B. deductive reasoning C. argumentative reasoning D. cognitive reasoning

Q: Joey enjoys playing the devil's advocate and is always stirring up discussions with his contrary positions. This ability may be referred to as: A. hypothetical thinking. B. social cognition. C. mutual perspective-taking. D. impression formation.

Q: Which of the following terms applies more to adolescent thought than to childhood thought? A. conservation, reversibility, structure B. assimilation, accommodation, complexity C. preoperational, egocentric, scheme D. flexible, speculative, abstract

Q: Suzanne and Raul are the last two students in their class to begin the transition into adolescence. Based on what you have learned about the timing of puberty during adolescence, what effect, if any, will this have on Suzanne and Raul's development?

Q: Paul and Sophia, two adolescents in the middle of puberty, have each noticed changes in the physical structure of their bodies. Describe the changes in stature and dimensions of the body that Paul and Sophia have already or will most likely experience. Given the nature of sex differences in the physical changes of puberty, is it inevitable that Sophia will experience body dissatisfaction? What about Paul?

Q: You are giving a presentation on puberty and eating disorders to parents at a junior high school. What would you say so that they understood the relation between puberty and eating disorders?

Q: One of your friends has approached you to ask about the field of adolescent health care. She wants to know what the major issues are and particularly is confused by two terms she has heard, "the paradox of adolescent health" and the "new morbidity and mortality" of adolescence. What do you tell her?

Q: Dr. Brown believes that adolescence is a time of storm and stress caused by the production of new hormones. Do you agree or disagree with his conclusion? Be sure to support your answer with what you know about the physiological changes of adolescence. (HINT: What do we know about the endocrine system?)

Q: 15-year-old Maya's parents are worried about her. Maya seems to be sleepy all the time. She sometimes falls asleep at the kitchen table when she gets home from school, but stays up late at night - past 11 p.m., when her parents go to sleep. Maya also seems to be irritable a lot of the time. On weekends, Maya usually sleeps until noon, even though her parents have asked her to get up earlier to help with chores. Maya's parents insist that she never had any problems like this when she was younger. How would you explain the changes in Maya's behavior (particularly her sleep changes) to her parents?

Q: Maria and John are the first two students in their class to begin the transition into adolescence. Based on what you know about the timing of puberty during adolescence, what effect, if any, will this have on Maria and John's development?

Q: Which of the following is not associated with the "new morbidity and mortality" of adolescence? A. accidents B. suicide C. homicide D. cancer

Q: Which of the following statements about health in adolescence is not true? A. Adolescents have low rates of disabling or chronic illness. B. Adolescents have high rates of accidents, homicide, and suicide. C. The majority of health problems during adolescence are preventable. D. The new approach to adolescent health care is a return to traditional medicine.

Q: The most virulent threats to adolescent health come from all of the following, except: A. unhealthy behaviors, such as drug use. B. chronic disabilities, such as cancer and arthritis. C. violence inflicted by themselves or by others. D. risky activities, such as unprotected sexual intercourse.

Q: Current efforts aimed at encouraging healthy behaviors among adolescents involve all of the following, except: A. reducing health compromising behaviors. B. increasing health enhancing behaviors. C. encouraging adolescents to sign contracts promising to abstain from unhealthy behaviors. D. encouraging health care professionals to do more screening for risky health practices.

Q: Which adolescent is at highest risk for suicide? A. Malcolm, an African-American male B. Willie, a white male C. Susan, a white female D. Leonard, a Native American male

Q: According to the textbook, the prevalence of adolescent smoking is a direct function of: A. the number of retail outlets selling tobacco in their immediate neighborhood B. the amount of people smoking in the neighborhood C. whether biological parents smoke D. being an early maturing male and living in a single parent household

Q: Over the years you've kept in touch with your high school counselor, who has now asked you (an adolescent development expert!) to talk to the parents of his high school students. He has asked you to give a parenting class focusing on the types of issues and events parents might expect to occur during puberty, with an emphasis on problems parents might anticipate and how to avoid these problems. What will you tell the parents?

Q: The paradox of adolescent health in the United States is that: A. adolescence is one of the healthiest periods in the life span, but nearly 1 in 15 adolescents has at least one disabling chronic disease. B. despite the adolescent focus on appearance, adolescents in the United States are the unhealthiest teens in the industrialized world. C. adolescence is one of the unhealthiest periods in the life span, yet only 1 in 15 adolescents suffers from a disabling chronic disease. D. while rates of adolescent deaths have decreased over the past 50 years, rates of chronic disability have increased.

Q: Which of the following is true about obesity? A. To be considered obese, a person's body mass index must fall at or above the 95th percentile for their age and gender. B. Forty percent of American adolescents are obese. C. The rate of obesity has quadrupled worldwide since 2005. D. Obesity is solely caused by a low basal metabolic rate.

Q: Which group is most at risk for obesity? A. late maturing African-American girls B. early maturing African-American girls C. early maturing white boys D. early maturing white girls

Q: According to the textbook, in general, the amount of time individuals spend in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity: A. increases from childhood to adolescence. B. decreases from childhood to adolescence. C. remains the same from childhood to adolescence. D. is directly related to socioeconomic status.

Q: Ta'isha believes that "fat is beautiful" and has a steady diet of fried chicken, french fries, and cheeseburgers. Tanya believes that "thin is in" and uses vomiting and laxatives as a way to keep her weight down. Both girls exhibit what psychologists call: A. disordered eating. B. bulimia. C. anorexia nervosa. D. normal adolescent eating patterns.

Q: Which of the following is not typical of the obsession many girls in the United States have to be excessively thin? A. They have mothers who have body image problems. B. They are culturally less Americanized. C. They have more negative relationships with their parents than their peers who are less concerned about being thin. D. Their attempts to control their weight through excessive dieting, use of laxatives, and deliberate vomiting lead to weight gain, not weight loss.

Q: Theresa has been known to go on eating binges and then purge afterward. Theresa is probably suffering from: A. anorexia nervosa. B. bulimia. C. oral fixation. D. obesity.

Q: Karen has been known to exercise excessively, count calories, and diet obsessively. She is currently depriving herself of food even though she is 20 pounds underweight. Karen is probably suffering from: A. anorexia nervosa. B. bulimia. C. oral fixation. D. deprivation syndrome.

Q: The potentially fatal disorder in which young women actually starve themselves is called: A. bulimia. B. anorexia nervosa. C. obesity nervosa. D. purging.

Q: The belief of adolescent girls that being slim will increase their popularity is: A. a myth. B. a misperception by adolescents. C. based in reality. D. a concern for only a minority of adolescent girls.

Q: In America, early-maturing girls are more likely than their late-maturing peers to: A. be unpopular. B. have a lower self-image. C. succeed in school. D. perceive themselves as attractive.