increases from early to middle adulthood

ATI RN

Human Growth and Development Clep Practice Exam

1. What increases from early to middle adulthood?

A. Possible selves
B. Self-doubt
C. Destructiveness
D. Autonomy

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Possible selves are ideas about what one might become in the future, which increase during the transition from early to middle adulthood. This period is characterized by individuals exploring and considering different potential future selves. Self-doubt (choice B) typically decreases as individuals become more confident and self-assured in middle adulthood. Destructiveness (choice C) is not a common developmental trend during this period. Autonomy (choice D) is a concept related to independence and self-governance, which may develop over a person's lifespan but does not specifically increase during the transition from early to middle adulthood.

2. Shamona, a pregnant mother in Flint, Michigan, is concerned about the drinking water, which shows high levels of lead. Shamona should know that high levels of prenatal lead exposure are related to __________.

A. facial abnormalities and heart defects
B. defects of the genitals and urinary tract
C. low birth weight and brain damage
D. a variety of childhood cancers

Correct answer: C

Rationale: High levels of prenatal lead exposure are related to low birth weight and brain damage. Lead exposure during pregnancy can have harmful effects on the developing fetus, leading to complications such as decreased birth weight and potential long-term brain damage. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not directly correlate with the known effects of prenatal lead exposure. While lead exposure can indeed cause a variety of health issues, such as heart defects and urinary tract problems, the primary concerns related to prenatal exposure are low birth weight and brain damage.

3. The influence of situational factors on moral judgments indicates that like Piaget's cognitive stages, Kohlberg's moral stages are __________.

A. predictable and universal
B. highly organized and sequential
C. attained in a neat, stepwise fashion
D. loosely organized and overlapping

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. Kohlberg's moral stages are not strictly sequential but rather overlap and are more fluid, much like Piaget's cognitive stages. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because Kohlberg's stages do not follow a neat, predictable, or highly organized pattern, as they can be revisited and experienced in varying orders.

4. Sigmund Freud constructed his psychosexual theory __________.

A. on the basis of his adult patients' memories of painful childhood events
B. by conducting studies of animal behavior
C. on the basis of interviews with institutionalized children and adolescents
D. by carefully observing his own children

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Sigmund Freud constructed his psychosexual theory on the basis of his adult patients' memories of painful childhood events. Freud believed that events in early childhood had a significant impact on an individual's development and personality. He used his patients' recollections of childhood experiences to develop his theories on psychosexual development. Choice B is incorrect as Freud did not base his theory on studies of animal behavior. Choice C is incorrect as Freud's theory was not solely based on interviews with institutionalized children and adolescents. Choice D is incorrect as Freud did not construct his theory by observing his own children.

5. One criticism of the information-processing approach is that it __________.

A. underestimates the individual's contribution to his or her own development
B. ignores transformation in adulthood, concluding that no major cognitive changes occur after adolescence
C. underestimates the competencies of infants and preschoolers, focusing on older children and adolescents
D. is better at analyzing thinking into its components than at putting them back together into a comprehensive theory

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The criticism that the information-processing approach ignores transformation in adulthood, concluding that no major cognitive changes occur after adolescence, suggests a limitation of the theory in not fully acknowledging that cognitive development continues throughout the lifespan. This criticism highlights a potential drawback of the approach in terms of its understanding of cognitive changes beyond adolescence. Choice A is incorrect because the criticism is not about underestimating the individual's contribution. Choice C is also incorrect as the criticism is not related to age-specific competencies. Choice D is incorrect as it focuses on a different aspect of the information-processing approach.