Nursing Elites

1. In a historic experiment with 11-month-old Albert, John Watson demonstrated that __________.

• A. children cannot be conditioned to fear a formerly neutral stimulus
• B. infants as young as a few months old will repeat a behavior to obtain a desirable reward
• C. children can be conditioned to fear a formerly neutral stimulus
• D. children have an innate, inborn fear of rats Answer: C Page Ref: 16 Skill Level: Understand Topic: Mid-Twentieth-Century Theories Difficulty Level: Moderate

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In the historic experiment with 11-month-old Albert conducted by John Watson, it was demonstrated that children can be conditioned to fear a formerly neutral stimulus. This is known as classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus to create a conditioned response. In this case, Albert was conditioned to fear a white rat by pairing the rat with a loud noise. This experiment showcased the power of conditioning in shaping behavior and emotional responses in children.

2. G. Stanley Hall and his student, Arnold Gesell, __________.

• A. discovered that prenatal growth is strikingly similar in many species
• B. launched the normative approach
• C. constructed the first standardized intelligence test
• D. were the forefathers of psychoanalytic theory

Correct answer: B

Rationale: G. Stanley Hall and his student, Arnold Gesell, launched the normative approach. This approach involves studying large numbers of people of different ages and examining the age-related averages of behaviors to establish norms or typical development patterns. These scholars focused on the systematic observation of how and when certain behaviors appear in children. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately reflect the contributions of G. Stanley Hall and Arnold Gesell in the field of developmental psychology.

3. In an experimental study examining whether children who are read to more often score higher on vocabulary tests in first grade, the independent variable would be the __________.

• A. frequency of read-alouds
• B. type of books parents read
• C. child’s vocabulary score Copyright © 2018 Laura E. Berk. All Rights Reserved. 31 Test Bank for Berk, Development Through the Lifespan, 7e
• D. difficulty of vocabulary words Answer: A Page Ref: 33 Skill Level: Apply and limitations of each. Topic: Studying Development Difficulty Level: Difficult

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In an experimental study, the independent variable is the factor being manipulated or controlled by the researcher. In this case, the frequency of read-alouds is the variable that researchers would intentionally change or vary to see its effect on the dependent variable, which is the children's vocabulary scores. The other options (B. type of books parents read, C. child's vocabulary score, and D. difficulty of vocabulary words) are not the independent variable in this study as they are either irrelevant or are the outcome being measured.

4. During prenatal development, the ectoderm folds over to form the __________, or primitive spinal cord.

• A. mesoderm; neuron tract
• B. neural tube
• C. endoderm; neural tube
• D. neuron tract

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. During prenatal development, the ectoderm folds over to form the neural tube, which eventually develops into the brain and spinal cord. The neural tube is the precursor to the central nervous system, including the primitive spinal cord. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the mesoderm does not form the neural tube, the endoderm is not involved in the formation of the central nervous system, and neuron tract is not the structure that forms the primitive spinal cord.

5. Like longitudinal research, cross-sectional studies can be threatened by __________.

• A. practice effects
• B. participant dropout
• C. sequential timing
• D. cohort effects

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Cross-sectional studies can be threatened by cohort effects because different age groups may have experienced different historical or social contexts, influencing the results. This disparity can lead to invalid comparisons between age groups, confounding the study's findings. Option A, practice effects, refer to changes in participants' behavior due to repeated testing, not a specific threat to cross-sectional studies. Participant dropout (Option B) is a threat related to attrition in longitudinal studies, not cross-sectional studies. Sequential timing (Option C) does not pose a threat to cross-sectional studies; instead, it refers to the order of tasks in a study design.

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