Candidate Number
C8546
THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
BSc SECOND YEAR EXAMINATION 2016
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
SAMPLE PAPER
DO NOT TURN OVER UNTIL INSTRUCTED
TO BY THE CHIEF INVIGILATOR
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer ALL parts of Sections A and B and ONE further question
from Section C.
Section A carries 40%, Section B carries 30% and Section C carries 30% of the marks.
Time allowed: 2 hours
SECTION A
The answers to this section, one to each question, should be marked on the answer
sheet provided
[40 multiple choice questions each with 4 alternatives]
SECTION B
The answers to this section, should be marked on the test booklet
[10 open-ended questions]
SECTION C
Answer ONE question from this section in the answer book provided.
[8 choices of essay question]
1.
2.
3.
Do not write your name on the question paper or answer sheet/book.
Do not tear off any part of this question paper.
At the end of the examination the question paper and answer sheet/book, used or
unused, will be collected from you before you leave the examination room.
C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
SECTION A
1.
The validity of test refers to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The consistency of the measure
The degree to which two raters agree on its results
The degree to which it measures what it is intended to measure
All of the above
[Note: If d is the correct answer, no credit will be given for answering a, b or c]
2.
Cross-sectional designs are particularly useful for examining:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Continuity and discontinuity in development
Ages differences on a particular variable
The processes that produce change
All of the above
[Note: If d is the correct answer, no credit will be given for answering a, b or c]
3.
Early embryonic development, after the first cell division (cleavage) and
before the formation of the blastocoel (cavity), the fertilized ovum is known
as the:
a)
b)
c)
d)
4.
Blastocyst
Zygote
Oocyte
Morula
In 1981, Torsten Wiesel and David Hubel won the Nobel Prize for their work
on the development of ocular dominance columns in the visual cortex of
kittens. Which of the following statements follow from their research?
a)
b)
c)
d)
There are “critical” or “sensitive” periods in cortical plasticity
Binocular vision is insensitive to environmental input
Both a and b
Neither a nor b
[Note: If c is the correct answer, no credit will be given for answering a or b]
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
5.
Different theorists use different terms to describe the stages of socioemotional and cognitive development in the first year of life. Each of the
following pairs of terms were coined by Trevarthen and Piaget, respectively,
to describe infant development. Which pair refers to approximately the
same stage of development in the first year?
a)
b)
c)
d)
6.
According to Trevarthen, infant object manipulation is an example of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
7.
Microtin
Glia
Myelin
Plasticin
In humans, which of the following organs is vulnerable to teratogenic insult
for the longest prenatal (antenatal) period?
a)
b)
c)
d)
9.
Reflexes
Primary intersubjectivity
Secondary intersubjectivity
Epoch of games
In developing human brains, Schwann cells produce:
a)
b)
c)
d)
8.
Primary intersubjectivity; Tertiary circular reactions
Primary intersubjectivity; Secondary circular reactions
Epoch of games; Tertiary circular reactions
Epoch of games; Secondary circular reactions
Heart
Eyes
Teeth
Brain
Newborn infants prefer to listen to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
A novel woman’s voice over their own mother’s voice
A novel story over a familiar story
Their mother’s language over another language
They have no auditory preferences
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
10. Which of the following is a true statement about infants’ ability to distinguish
between speech sounds?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Babies must learn to distinguish between speech sounds as they learn
which contrasts are important for their native language
Babies gain the ability to distinguish between speech sounds that are
not used in their native language as they mature
Newborns possess an innate ability to discriminate between speech
sounds they have never heard before
Newborns can only discriminate between speech sounds they have
heard before
11. The first time John hears the word “adults” is when his father explains to
him that the locked cabinet is for “adults, and not children.” John uses the
contrastive use of the familiar word, “children,” with the unfamiliar word,
“adults”, to learn this new word. John has learned the new word by a
process referred to as:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Overextension
Holophrastic learning
Referencing
Fast mapping
12. Children are most likely to extend a novel noun to a novel object with the
same:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Texture
Shape
Colour
Size
13. Which of the following is an example of overextension?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Using the word “cup” for any container that holds liquid, including
vases and birdbaths
Substituting easier sounds for ones that are hard to say, e.g., saying
“free” instead of “three”
Expressing a desire to be read to by using a single word, “book”
Leaving out difficult parts of words, e.g., saying “tend” instead of
“pretend”
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
14. Saffran and colleagues showed that infants can segment a continuous
speech stream of phonemes into “words” using which of the following cues:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The statistics of how often one phoneme was followed by another
The frequency of how often each phoneme occurred
Timing cues like breaks in common natural language
Pitch cues like those in infant directed speech
15. Which of the following statements about the heritability of temperament is
TRUE?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Temperament is only influenced by genetic factors
Temperament is not influenced by genetic factors
Heritability is demonstrated by MZ twins being more similar than DZ
twins
Heritability is demonstrated by MZ twin and DZ twins being equally
similar in terms of their temperament
16. Which one of the following statements regarding behavioural genetic
designs is FALSE?
a)
b)
c)
d)
The degree to which MZ twins are dissimilar to one another is a direct
measure of nonshared environment.
The degree to which DZ twins are similar to one another is a direct
measure of shared environment.
The degree to which adoptive siblings are similar to one another is a
direct measure of shared environment.
The degree to which nonadoptive siblings are similar to one another is
accounted for by genetic and environmental factors.
17. Behavioural genetic studies of general cognitive ability (i.e., IQ) indicate that
shared environmental influences:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Are substantial throughout development
Are negligible throughout development
Increase across development
Decrease across development
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
18. The basic understanding of desires, beliefs, perceptions and emotions is
referred to as the Theory of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Behaviour
Mind
Thought
Opinion
19. Tina, a three-year-old, is shown a Cheerio box and then shown that it
contains marbles. If asked what her friend Marc will think upon seeing the
box for the first time, Tina will most likely say that Marc will think it contains:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Cheerios
Marbles
Raisin bran
Nothing
20. By what age do children typically succeed on false-belief and appearancereality problems?
a)
b)
c)
d)
2 years
3 years
5 years
8 years
21. Which of the following is NOT one of Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Conventional
Unconventional
Postconventional
Preconventional
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
22. Which of the following comparisons between Piaget and Kohlberg’s theories
of moral judgement is TRUE:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Both agreed that to young children, right and wrong is determined by
obedience to rules and authority figures
Both agreed on the number of stages individuals passed through
before achieving mature moral reasoning
Both agreed that all normal individuals advance to the highest level of
moral reasoning
Piaget believed that development of moral reasoning was continuous,
whereas Kohlberg believed it was discontinuous
23. At what age do children begin to differentiate between others’ emotional
distress and their own?
a)
b)
c)
d)
3-12 months
6-14 months
9-18 months
2 years
24. The realisation that all sets of a particular number of objects (e.g. 5) have
something in common is referred to as:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Numerical equality
Numerical inequality
Subitising
Counting commonalities
25. Which of the following components are needed in soft assembly in order to
successfully accomplish reaching?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Control arm extension
Stable base
All of the above
None of the above
[Note: If c is the correct answer, no credit will be given for answering a or b]
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
26. A toddler tries to sit in a miniature chair. This is an example of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Overextension error
Scale error
Conservation error
Balance error
27. Which of the following approaches do many current theorists of motor
development take?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Piagetian approach
Evolutionary approach
Changing modules approach
Dynamic systems approach
28. Piaget believed that young infants’ failure to reach for a hidden object
indicated that they:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Were no longer interested in the object
Were unaware of the existence of the object
Were unable to reach the object
Were unable to uncover the object
29. Infants do not make the A-not-B error when:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The object is not hidden out of sight
The object is visible under a transparent cover
They are required only to look, and not to search
All of the above
[Note: If d is the correct answer, no credit will be given for answering a, b or c]
30. At what age do children typically develop gender identity (the ability to label
each correctly)?
a)
b)
c)
d)
1 ½ years
2 ½ years
3 ½ years
6 years
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
31. Which of the following statements about gender development is TRUE?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Horizontal associations are understood after vertical associations
3-year-old children are aware of horizontal associations
Children learn horizontal associations for other-sex information prior to
own-sex information
Girls learn vertical associations prior to boys
32. Gender is:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Synonymous with biological sex
A multi-dimensional construct
Genetically determined
Under parental control
33. Which of Erikson's Psychosocial Stages characterizes adolescence?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Industry vs. Inferiority
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Identity vs Identity diffusion
Initiative vs Guilt
34. Which of Marcia's Identity Statuses is defined as the active period of
exploration when individuals examine alternatives in an attempt to arrive at
a choice:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Identity achievement
Moratorium
Foreclosure
Identity diffusion
35. Effective dependency in the infant-caregiver relationship is associated with
what longitudinal outcome:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Impulsivity
Autonomy
Irritability
None of the above
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
36. A secure infant-caregiver relationship is associated with what features of
dyadic interactions:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Distress-relief cycles
Shared positive affect
Arousal escalation and de-escalation
All of the above
37. An infant’s tendency to be more readily upset when one separation follows
a preceding separation-reunion experience (despite the fact that the same
distance threshold is crossed) is indicative that attachment is likely tied to
which main goal:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Proximity
Felt security
Positive affect
Affect regulation
38. By what age do most children pass the rouge test for self-recognition:
a)
b)
c)
d)
6 months
12 months
22 months
34 months
39. Which of the following functions is most closely associated with selfconscious emotions:
a)
b)
c)
d)
To facilitate turn-taking
Social referencing
Pretend play
Experiencing connections between one’s act and resulting feelings
40. What term is used for how competent others (e.g., parents) can structure
children’s experiences in order for them to test and move beyond the
boundaries of their current capabilities:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Scaffolding
Protecting
Availability
None of the above
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
SECTION B
41. Match the following terms with their quick definitions:
Cross-sectional design
Compare children to themselves
for a short period of time
Longitudinal design
Compare children to themselves
for a relatively long period of time
Micro-genetic design
Compare different children
42. What is the Moro reflex? (Define it in 1-2 sentences.)
43. Number the following stages in order:
___ Embryo
___ Fetus
___ Zygote
44. What is the shape bias and what kind(s) of stimuli would you use to test it?
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
45. According to Buss and Plomin’s personality approach to temperament, what are the
three constituents of temperament that show significant genetic influence?
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
46. What are the three main steps of face-to-face interaction in the procedure of the
still-face paradigm?
47. What adaptive outcome does the child’s experience of conflict in the mother-child
relationship in the second year of life serve according to Mahler?
48. According to dynamic systems theory, why does the stepping reflex disappear and
how can a researcher make it re-appear?
49. A twin study of anxiety in children reveals an MZr = .50, a DZr = .25. By comparing
these correlations, estimate the relative influences of:
a) genetic influence? _________
b) shared environment? _________
c) non shared environment? _______
50. List two problems of the socialisation theories of gender development:
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
SECTION C
Please answer ONE of the following essay questions in the answer book
provided:
51. What are the implications of pointing for understanding human cognitive
development?
52. Define the shape bias and critically evaluate its impact on children’s
vocabulary growth.
53. Critically evaluate the clinical approach to temperament originated by
Thomas & Chess (1977).
54. Explain how the mutual regulation of affect between a mother and an infant
promotes the child’s developing capacity for self-regulation?
55. How do self-conscious emotions arise? Discuss the role of self-conscious
emotions in children’s development.
56. Critically evaluate whether children who have not started school understand
arithmetic.
57. Critically evaluate evidence that parents influence their children’s gender
development.
58. Discuss the role of genetic and environmental factors in child psychological
development with reference to specific empirical research.
END OF PAPER
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
Section A answers
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q8
Q9
Q10
Q11
Q12
Q13
Q14
Q15
Q16
Q17
Q18
Q19
Q20
Q21
Q22
Q23
Q24
Q25
Q26
Q27
Q28
Q29
Q30
Q31
Q32
Q33
Q34
Q35
Q36
Q37
Q38
Q39
Q40
C
A
D
A
D
D
C
D
C
C
D
B
A
A
C
B
D
B
B
C
B
A
B
A
C
B
D
B
C
B
A
B
C
B
B
D
B
C
D
A
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C8546 Developmental Psychology – SAMPLE PAPER
Section B answers
Q41 different
long
short
Q42 When infants fall they flail out and back in
Q43 2
3
1
Q44 The bias to name/refer to objects that are similar in shape with te
same name (e.g. chairs, balls, bowtie pasta
an exemplar and a) shape match that doesn’t match in material or
colour b) material match that doesn’t match in shape or colour
possible c) a colour match that doesn't match in shape or material
Q45 emotionality
activity
sociability
Q46 1) baseline normal interaction, 2) ‘still-face’ episode in which the
adult becomes unresponsive and maintains a neural facial
expression, 3) adult resumes normal interaction.
Q47 The development of autonomy.
Q48 Babies gain weight and leg muscles are too weak to lift their fat, little
legs
Put the baby in water (safely) or have the baby lay down on its back
←reflex will look like kicking
Q49 50%
0%
50%
Q50 Adevelopmental: doesn’t account for developmental changes in
children’s gender-stereotyped belief
Major mechanisms of the theory (parental reinforcement and
modelling) haven’t been supported consistently by research
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