Human Development

Question 1

Preoperational Stage

Answer 1

the second stage of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development, occurring from 2-7 years old, in which children think egocentrically and symbolically

Question 2

Social Development

Answer 2

One of the four Domains of Human Development. Interactions with people or the environment

Question 3

Conservation

Answer 3

A characteristic of the concrete operations (1st-Adolecense) stage of cognitive development. Understanding that things can stay the same in quantity even if their appearance changes

Example.
Knowing that the amount of liquid does not change when poured from one container to another of a different size

Question 4

Parallel Play

Answer 4

Playing a similar activity alongside a peer without interaction; ages 2.5-3 years

Question 5

Jean Piaget

Answer 5

theorist known for his theory of cognitive development

Question 6

Sensorimotor Stage

Answer 6

the first stage of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development, occurring from birth to two years, in which the world is experienced through objects

Question 7

Solitary Play

Answer 7

Playing independently or alone; ages 0-2 years

Question 8

Physical Development

Answer 8

One of the four Domains of Human Development. Development of the body and coordinated movement.

Question 9

Deductive Reasoning

Answer 9

A characteristic of the formal operations (12+ yrs) stage of cognitive development. Using two or more known premises to draw a conclusion

Example.
All cats say meow. (premise #1)
Jackie is a cat. (premise #2)
Therefore, we can deduce that Jackie says meow. (conclusion)

Question 10

Cooperative Play

Answer 10

Playing with peers by creating rules or guidelines for the activity together; ages 4 and up

Question 11

Inductive Reasoning

Answer 11

A characteristic of the concrete operations (1st-Adolecense) stage of cognitive development. Generalizing knowledge from one area to another

Example.
If a random sample of a population shows a correlation in improved health with a new drug, it can be induced that the drugs will be helpful for others in the population.

Question 12

Spectator Play

Answer 12

Watching others play without engaging; ages 2-2.5 years

Question 13

Associate Play

Answer 13

Playing with peers in a loosely organized manner; ages 3-4 years

Question 14

Emotional Development

Answer 14

One of the four Domains of Human Development. Processing and understanding feelings.

Question 15

Formal Operational Stage

Answer 15

the final stage of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development, occurring from 12 years old and beyond, in which people can use deductive reasoning to think abstractly and solve complex problems

Question 16

Cognitive Development

Answer 16

One of the four Domains of Human Development. Development of the ability to reason, think through problems, and explore new situations and stimuli; develops in 4 stages from birth to roughly 15 years old, according to Jean Piaget’s theory of child development.

Question 17

Concrete Operational Stage

Answer 17

the third stage of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive development, occurring from 7 years old to adolescence, in which children begin to think logically and use inductive reasoning

Question 18

Which characteristic below would not be considered a developmentally appropriate characteristic of an 8-year-old?

a. experience improvement in gross and fine motor skills

b. enjoy problem-solving games like treasure hunts

c. can plan ahead and organize action plans with little to no guidance from adults

d. play cooperatively with peers

Answer 18

Option c is the correct answer.
Explanation:
The ability to plan ahead and organize action plans with little to no guidance from adults is a cognitive characteristic most typical of a child who is 13 or 14 years old.

Question 19

Mrs. Pontian is concerned about Julio because his fine motor skills seem to be lacking compared to the other students in her class. He struggles with using scissors and holds a pencil with an odd grip. What should be her first step in addressing this issue?

a. Ask the PE teacher to evaluate his fine motor skills.

b. Request an evaluation by the occupational therapist for the school district.

c. Discuss the concerns with Julio’s parent.

d. Consult with the special education teacher.

Answer 19

Option c is the correct answer.
Explanation:
This is the first step to take, as the parent must give permission prior to an evaluation.

Question 20

An elementary teacher observes that some students use their fingers to count, add, and subtract after showing mastery of these skills on a test. The teacher should be aware that this act:

a. suggests anxiety about math.

b. helps students guide their own thinking.

c. may be an indicator of a learning disability in math computation.

d. indicates they may have not mastered the skills and possibly cheated on the test.

Answer 20

Option b is the correct answer.
Explanation:
Students will use private speech, talking to themselves, and finger counting as ways to ensure that their thinking is on the right track. They generally outgrow this behavior by the end of elementary.

Question 21

According to Jean Piaget’s periods of cognitive development, students in upper elementary begin to apply which of the following?

a. hypothetical ideas

b. abstract ideas

c. symbolic thinking

d. logical interpretations

Answer 21

Option d is the correct answer.
Explanation:
At this age, students do best with concrete examples, and they can arrive at logical conclusions from these examples.

Question 22

A second-grade teacher has noticed that her students are struggling to express their emotions in an appropriate way. They get frustrated or mad at a friend and pout until another situation distracts them. What would be the best method to address this issue?

a. Teach students a script to use when they’ve been upset. For example: Student 1 says, “It hurt my feelings when ____.” Then, Student 2 responds, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me for ___.”

b. Request the school counselor meet with each student who has had hurt feelings.

c. Read a book to the class about hurt feelings and how to deal with them.

d. Send home a letter asking parents to address the issue with their child.

Answer 22

Option a is the correct answer.
Explanation:
This gives students a concrete way to express their emotions and to move on from the situation.

Question 23

Which of the following would be best suited for a class of three- and four-year-olds?

a. dress-up clothes such as construction vests, aprons, and doctor’s coats

b. a large number line ranging from zero to one hundred

c. one tablet or laptop for each student

d. a classroom library of board books with one image per page, such as an apple, ball, or chair

Answer 23

Option a is the correct answer.
Explanation:
Pretend play is a crucial activity for young children to engage in, and these items would encourage pretend play.

Question 24

Which of the following would be a developmentally-appropriate activity for typical students?

a. sixth-grade students writing independent research papers over a broad topic

b. second-grade students using manipulatives to learn 2D shapes

c. first-grade students using manipulatives to understand addition and subtraction

d. fifth-grade students raising caterpillars to butterflies, to understand life cycles

Answer 24

Option c is the correct answer.
Explanation:
This is developmentally appropriate and students of various levels can be given questions with more or less difficulty.

Question 25

Students in an eighth-grade math class represent a wide range of skill acquisition and cognitive development, from concrete operational to formal operational thought. What is the teacher's best strategy for planning instruction of a geometry unit for this degree of cognitive variation among students? a. Plan to work with students one-on-one at the end of each lesson throughout the instruction of the geometry unit. b. Take students on campus to identify concrete examples and construct models of various geometric shapes, in order to illustrate abstract content. c. Plan direct instruction in geometric concepts at the average level of development represented by the class overall. d. Group students generally according to their level of cognitive development for instruction in geometric concepts.

Answer 25

Option b is the correct answer. Explanation: This is the best option because it allows for application from concrete to abstract with their peers.

Question 26

The developmentally appropriate traits of five-year-old children include the ability to: a. Understand complex abstract concepts and reason logically. b. Write lengthy essays and demonstrate advanced problem-solving skills. c. Complete multi-step tasks without guidance or support. d. Express a wide range of emotions and communicate effectively with peers.

Answer 26

Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: Five-year-olds are developing social and emotional skills, like expressing emotions and talking with others.

Question 27

Students in a science class make observations prior to beginning a lab. They record 2 to 3 observations and then write a hypothesis to test. Some students struggle with writing a testable hypothesis. Which stage from Piaget's theory of cognitive development best explains where these students are functioning? a. sensorimotor b. formal operational c. preoperational d. concrete operational

Answer 27

Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: These students are in the concrete operational stage, as they can understand concrete things such as making an observation, but have not moved on to more abstract things like proposing a hypothesis.

Question 28

Which of the following represents the stages of cognitive development you would expect for most high school students? a concrete operational and formal operational b formal operational and preoperational c sensorimotor and concrete operational d preoperational and concrete operational

Answer 28

correct Option a is the correct answer. Explanation: The concrete operational stage is generally in the age range from 7 to 11 years, but some high school students may still be in this stage. The formal operational stage is generally in the age range from 12 to adult.

Question 29

Mrs. Pontian is concerned about Julio because his fine motor skills seem to be lacking compared to the other students in her class. He struggles with using scissors and holds a pencil with an odd grip. What should be her first step in addressing this issue? a Request an evaluation by the occupational therapist for the school district. b Consult with the special education teacher. c Discuss the concerns with Julio's parent. d Ask the PE teacher to evaluate his fine motor skills.

Answer 29

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: This is the first step to take, as the parent must give permission prior to an evaluation.

Question 30

A second-grade teacher has noticed that her students are struggling to express their emotions in an appropriate way. They get frustrated or mad at a friend and pout until another situation distracts them. What would be the best method to address this issue? a Request the school counselor meet with each student who has had hurt feelings. b Teach students a script to use when they've been upset. For example: Student 1 says, "It hurt my feelings when ____." Then, Student 2 responds, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me for ___." c Read a book to the class about hurt feelings and how to deal with them. d Send home a letter asking parents to address the issue with their child.

Answer 30

correct Option b is the correct answer. Explanation: This gives students a concrete way to express their emotions and to move on from the situation.

Question 31

Mrs. Lilly, a fifth-grade teacher, is explaining to her students how the moon influences ocean tides. She uses a visual aid of a ball and two buckets of water to highlight the differences and causes of a high and low tide. Mrs. Lilly uses the visual aid to enhance student learning because her students are probably at what stage of development in terms of Piaget's theory? a sensorimotor b preoperational c concrete operational d formal operational

Answer 31

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Most fifth-grade students are at the concrete operational stage of cognitive development. Students at this cognitive development stage are capable of understanding abstract concepts, but they typically need a concrete example to help them master the subject.

Question 32

Which of the following scenarios might indicate an issue with emotional development? a Muhammed, a 6th-grader, cries in a meeting with his teacher during a discussion about a math test he failed after studying the material. b Jose, a 2nd-grader, cries and says "I want my mom" when he falls off the slide at recess and breaks his arm. c Kyle, a 4th-grader, punches another student who takes food from Kyle's lunchbox and refuses to give it back. d Steven, a 6th-grader, often cries at the end of class because he was off-task during work time and will need to complete the in-class assignment as homework.

Answer 32

Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: The fact that this is frequent behavior, that Steven is having a big reaction to a reasonably small issue, and that Steven seems unable to attribute the issue to his own behavior and change the behavior are all cause for concern and suggest an issue with emotional regulation. incorrect Option c is the wrong answer. Explanation: There is no indication that this is a recurring event or that it is not within the bounds of developmentally appropriate reactions to this situation. If Kyle were consistently hitting as a response to strong emotions, there would be reason for concern.

Question 33

A middle school teacher has noticed many students in her classroom have formed cliques and several students are being excluded from these social groups. The excluded students have demonstrated a decrease in their willingness to participate in classroom activities and group discussions. Which of the following strategies would be the best first step in rebuilding a positive learning environment for all of the students? a Create a classroom rule that forbids the formation of cliques and the exclusion of any students in classroom activities. b Send a letter home to the parents of the students involved in the cliques that informs the parents of their children's behavior. c Request the school counselor meet with each student who has been excluded. d Lead a group discussion about cliques and how it feels to be included and excluded from activities.

Answer 33

correct Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: Allowing students to voice their support or opposition to cliques is the best strategy because it does not alienate the students and allows each student to voice a perspective on the situation.

Question 34

Lily is a 7-year-old student in a special education classroom diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). During group activities, Lily often prefers to work alone and avoids eye contact with her peers. Recently, her teacher, Ms. Carter, has been encouraging her to participate in group discussions and collaborate on projects with her classmates. Over time, Lily has started to show interest in working with others, though she still struggles with initiating conversations and maintaining eye contact. Ms. Carter has noticed that when she provides positive reinforcement and prompts, Lily is more likely to engage with her classmates and is gradually becoming more comfortable with social interactions. Which aspect of social development is most likely being targeted in Lily's experience? a developing self-awareness and emotional regulation b improving cognitive processing and problem-solving abilities c building social skills, including communication and peer interaction d mastering fine motor skills for tasks like writing and drawing

Answer 34

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Lily is being encouraged to engage with her classmates, initiate conversations, and collaborate on tasks.

Question 35

There are a handful of students in Mr. Underwood's class who show signs of being at a higher developmental stage than that of their classmates. Mr. Underwood wants to ensure that these students are being challenged. What should he do? a partner the students with students who have developmental delays b allow the students to read quietly when they finish a task c refer the students to a gifted and talented program d adjust the level of instruction so that it's more challenging

Answer 35

Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Students who have developed either significantly slower or quicker than the other children will need more individualized instruction. A gifted and talented program could take these students out of the classroom to allow in-classroom instruction to be targeted at the typical development stage. incorrect Option d is the wrong answer. Explanation: Instruction should not exceed the development of the median student in the class. It would not be appropriate for Mr. Underwood to increase the difficulty of the lesson content to accommodate a small percentage of the students.

Question 36

Sayville High School offers a science camp every summer to students aged ten and older. When designing the activities to complete during the camp, the instructors must keep in mind that the younger students might not have the cognitive ability to do which of the following? a use trial-and-error to solve problems b reverse the order of relationships c think abstractly about a concept d reason using inductive reasoning skills

Answer 36

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Students do not gain the ability to think abstractly about a concept until they enter into the formal operational stage.

Question 37

A 7th-grade ELA teacher notices that a student is only picking up on concrete concepts and struggles to understand figurative language or identify subtextual story elements such as theme. This might indicate that the student is delayed in exhibiting what characteristic of the "formal operations" stage of cognitive development? a egocentric thought b logical thought c abstract thought d concrete operations

Answer 37

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Abstract thought is typically developed in the last stage of cognitive development. At this stage, students should be able to understand abstract concepts such as theme in a story, even if the theme is not explicitly stated. A student who struggles with this skill might only be able to comprehend elements of a text that are explicitly stated.

Question 38

Mr. Hampton, a sixth-grade science teacher, is beginning an instructional unit and has planned the following instructional activities: two slideshow presentations followed by a group discussion and a worksheet, a classroom discussion, two experiments, and one field trip. The wide variety of instructional activities best demonstrates Mr. Hampton's understanding of which of the following principles? a Students respond best to group-oriented instructional activity. b Multiple instructional activities are required to meet requirements set forth in the state standards. c A sixth-grade class represents a wide range of cognitive developmental levels. d Students learn best by concrete examples and discussion.

Answer 38

Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Mr. Hampton's wide variety of instructional activities demonstrates his knowledge that the sixth-grade class will require a wide variety of instructional activities due to the cognitive diversity in the classroom. incorrect Option b is the wrong answer. Explanation: In science, lab experiments are generally required in state standards, but field trips and other methods of teaching are not.

Question 39

Which of the following behaviors is not common for a seven-year-old student? a able to tell time b able to understand and use multiple-meaning words c able to recognize left and right d able to write paragraphs

Answer 39

correct Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: This is a skill that is more often developed at age nine.

Question 40

Which of the following represents the stages of cognitive development you would expect for most high school students? a preoperational and concrete operational b formal operational and preoperational c sensorimotor and concrete operational d concrete operational and formal operational

Answer 40

correct Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: The concrete operational stage is generally in the age range from 7 to 11 years, but some high school students may still be in this stage. The formal operational stage is generally in the age range from 12 to adult.

Question 41

Marcus is a 9-year-old student in a special education classroom who has a learning disability that affects his reading comprehension. In class, his teacher, Mr. Allen, provides Marcus with extra support by breaking down reading assignments into smaller, manageable parts. Mr. Allen also uses visual aids and graphic organizers to help Marcus understand key ideas in the text. Over time, Marcus has shown improvement in his ability to recall important details and can now summarize short passages of text with greater clarity. He still struggles with reading longer or more complex texts but has made noticeable progress in organizing and understanding the material. Which TWO of the following aspects of cognitive development are most likely being targeted in Marcus's experience? Select all answers that apply. a enhancing fine motor skills for tasks such as writing b enhancing reading comprehension and critical thinking skills c developing self-regulation and emotional control d improving memory and information processing

Answer 41

correct Option b is the correct answer. Explanation: These tasks involve understanding and analyzing what he reads, which are part of cognitive development. correct Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: These skills are important for understanding and remembering what Marcus reads.

Question 42

The second day of school, a teacher creates an in-class activity that encourages students to work together to solve a problem. The teacher assigns groups randomly by counting off so that students are paired with classmates they may not know well. Which of the four domains of human development would this activity target? Select all answers that apply. a cognitive b emotional c social d physical

Answer 42

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: Students would be encouraged to interact with each other in a productive way. This would help develop social skills and build relationships between new classmates. Option a is the correct answer. Explanation: This activity asks students to solve a problem using prior knowledge, critical thinking, and intellectual skills.

Question 43

Which of the following does NOT accurately describe an aspect of physical development during adolescence? a height and weight remain relatively stable until the end of adolescence b increased testosterone levels lead to muscle development c facial and body hair begin to grow d bones become longer and denser during puberty

Answer 43

correct Option a is the correct answer. Explanation: This is inaccurate. During adolescence, boys experience significant increases in both height and weight due to growth spurts, especially in early and mid-adolescence.

Question 44

Ms. Hanson, an eighth-grade science teacher, notices one of her students has begun to talk frequently to her friends while conducting an experiment and is not fulfilling her responsibilities. In addressing the situation with the student, Ms. Hanson should keep in mind that: a students at this age are not capable of working quietly for long periods of time. b students have a higher tendency to neglect academic responsibilities if there is confusion in the purpose of the objective of any instructional activity. c students' interest levels in instructional activities are a reflection on the preparation by the teacher, and Ms. Hanson is partially responsible for the incident. d students at this age are concerned about their peers' perceptions of themselves, and they have an overwhelming desire to conform to their classmates.

Answer 44

correct Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: The eighth-grade student places high importance on peer acceptance and may care more about talking with friends than the experiment. By having this understanding of the problem, Ms. Hanson has a better ability to address the problem.

Question 45

Which of the following behaviors would not be developmentally appropriate for a 7-year-old student? a Clearly describes feelings and ideas and uses more complex language models b Begins to gain independence from family and enjoy time spent alone c Begins to develop a sense of empathy and becomes sensitive to feelings of others d Does not care about peer relationships and does not understand teamwork

Answer 45

correct Option d is the correct answer. Explanation: Children at this age pay more attention to friendships and enjoy working as a team. This is a developmentally appropriate skill for a 7-year-old and would raise concern if a child did not care about peer relationships or understand teamwork.

Question 46

Which of the following actions by a two-year-old demonstrates the emergence of parallel play? a The child sits with a peer who is pretending to cook and the two children start "making a soup" together. b The child sits next to a peer who is stacking blocks and begins building their own separate tower. c The child stands near the slide and watches as other students take turns sliding. d The child sits next to a peer who is pushing a toy car. The child gets a toy truck and says to the peer, "You have car. I have truck."

Answer 46

correct Option b is the correct answer. Explanation: This describes an example of parallel play. The children are playing side-by-side and doing a similar activity, but are not engaging with one another.

Question 47

Which of these is not considered a risky behavior for a high school student? a occasional alcohol use b using e-cigarettes c missing Saturday morning practice due to oversleeping d joining a gang

Answer 47

correct Option c is the correct answer. Explanation: While missing practice is not ideal, it will not likely lead to long-term consequences.