Student: ____________

CHFD215: Child Development Midterm Exam

Instructions: Below you will find two questions for each of the eight Berk text chapters we have covered so far. One type of question requires you to connect with course content and the other requires you to apply it. Thoroughly and succinctly answer one question for each chapter (e.g. 1a or 1b but not both, 2a or 2b but not both). Your answers should be written in complete sentences and should demonstrate understanding of the material. This exam assesses your learning and comprehension, so show off your scholarship. Answers should be stated in your own words. Copy/pasted quotes and statements lifted directly from the textbook will not be accepted.
You may either save this document on your computer and insert your answers into it or copy/paste your chosen questions into a new document and answer them. Be sure to proofread your work. One half of one percentage point will be deducted for each grammar and spelling error.

Chapter 1
1a Application: A 4-year-old becomes frightened of the dark and refuses to go to sleep at night. How would a psychoanalyst and a behaviorist differ in their views of how this problem developed and what should be done about it. NOTE: Do more than summarize the concepts of the two approaches, here—you must explain concretely how each would explain the problem of fear of the dark and how the perspectives would differ.

1b Connection: How do cultural values, political forces, economic resources, and child development research affect children’s development? What levels of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory contain these influences? Be sure to answer this question specifically related to the ecological systems theory and not just in general.

1b. Connection: We live in a society which influences have included, different cultures, values, and beliefs. All including special interest groups, are considered when making policies and programs aimed towards Child Development and Human Services programs. There are government agencies that have researched programs to evaluate and improve conditions of child development. Family Service Sector Programs, play a role in child development, as they are designed to implement programs that will contribute to the health and development for children. The economy has a direct influence on children’s development they are in debt crisis with budgeting that is causing budget cuts for programs geared towards child development and the Human Service sector. Many old programs are not being funded and it is less likely that new programs will be developed or not funded do to the economy hardship at this time. Incorporating policies fall into the macrosystem. The macrosystem affects children’s needs, which is determined by support received from all levels of system and care in their environment.

Chapter 2
2a Connection: Read the description of the study investigating antisocial boys and their friendships on page 44 of your text. The data collection method was structured observation. What type of research design did the researchers use, and why?

2b Application: A researcher wants to find out if children enrolled in child-care centers in the first few years of life do as well in school as those who are not in child care. What developmental design is appropriate for answering this question? Explain.

2b Application: The longitudinal design would be most appropriate method for this type of research study. The longitudinal study allows the researcher time to track the performance of children who attend child care centers in the first years of life and those who haven’t. This type of study would allow researchers to identify common factors and differences between each group of children. Using the longitudinal design researchers are given time to examine the relationships between early child care experiences and later school performances.

Chapter 3
3a Application: Nora, pregnant for the first time, has heard about the teratogenic impact of alcohol and tobacco. Nevertheless, she believes that a few cigarettes and a glass of wine a day won't be harmful. Provide Nora with research-based reasons for not smoking or drinking.

3a Application: There are many effects and risk you are taking by smoking and drinking. Smoking and drinking is harmful to the development of the fetus and new born baby. Smoking has been associated with low birth weight, premature birth, asthma, and increase or decrease in heart rate. Research has shown for many years smoking and drinking has been linked to behavior problems, lower testing scores, less attentiveness, and shorter attention spans. Research has showed smoking mothers are more likely to have a baby with colic and muscle tension. Drinking alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome which causes developmental delays and also birth defects. While in the first trimester drinking has long term effects on development. It is not safe at all to drink any amount of alcohol while pregnant.

3b Connection: How do findings on the timing of birth illustrate bidirectional influences between mother and fetus? How do they illustrate the roles of both nature and nurture?

Chapter 4
4a Connection: Provide several examples of how motor development influences infants' social experiences. How do social experiences, in turn, influence motor development?

4b Application: After several weeks of crawling, Benji learned to avoid going headfirst down a steep incline. Now he has started to walk. Can his mother trust him not to try walking down the steep surface? Explain, using the concept of affordances.

4b Application: While Benji was crawling he learned to remember the areas on incline where he had frequently crawled. He used his hands to feel the surface incline and learned to hold himself from falling head first. Benji just began to walk; the feel of his feet touching the incline is unfamiliar to him, which may cause him to fall. At this time Ben’s mother shouldn’t trust him to walk himself down the incline. His mother should try walking with him down the incline, and holding his hand many times until he becomes familiar with walking down the incline.

Chapter 5
5a Connection: Why should a researcher engaged in a longitudinal or cross-sectional study of physical growth be concerned about cohort effects?

5a Connection: A researcher engaged in longitudinal or cross-sectional study of physical growth should be concerned of cohort effects because there are cultural and historical conditions that may or may not apply to the children. Researchers may run into problems while conducting these studies because physical growth is affected by many things and can be hard to compare with exact environmental relevance. The time period which child grew up in will change as one generation to the next has many differences in size and growth patterns. Children will vary in size due to culture, health, nutrition, diet, and environmental conditions. Family history of growth deficient illnesses may also affect the physical growth. Physical growth patterns can be difficult to determine as there are many things that need to be considered.

5b Application: Lucia had a mild brain hemorrhage shortly after birth. Using what you know about brain plasticity, explain why her doctors believe her mental development will be normal, or near normal.

Chapter 6
6a Application: Brett's preschool teacher creates many opportunities for sociodramatic play in his classroom. Brett's mother wonders whether Brett is learning anything from so much pretending. Using research findings, respond to her concern.

6a Application: There are many benefits from sociodramatic playing and pretending. Children get the chance to interact with other children there age, who’s thinking is quite like theirs. This type of play builds on social skills and helps cognitive development. There are many learned concepts thru pretending, that contribute to attentiveness, attention span, memory, speech, and language. Children enjoy using their imagination this teaches creativity, interactions contribute to their thinking and also problem solving skills.

6b Connection: Explain how Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories complement one another in the way each views cognitive development. How would classroom practices inspired by each theory be similar in some ways and different in others?

Chapter 7
7a Connection: Why are preschoolers' eyewitness testimony usually less accurate than that of older children. What situational factors combine with reconstructive processing to heighten children's suggestibility?

7b Application: When asked what happens at kindergarten, 5-year-old Ali replies, "First, you have circle time and center time. Sometimes you listen to a story. Next is snack and outdoor play." But Ali can't remember what she did during center time two days ago. Explain Ali's memory performance. Why is this type of reconstructive memory useful?

7b Application: Ali is remembering the familiar events that reoccur on a daily basis during her school day. While at center she has different activities but center time remains the same daily. Ali remembers her scheduled activities at school and has processed them in her memory as repeated events. The center activity changes and is not re-occurring in her memory, at her age this makes it harder to recall. This type of reconstructive memory can be useful as it isn’t storing information that isn’t important at this time, leaving space for long term memory.

Chapter 8:
8a Application: Eight-year-old Regina, an immigrant from Mexico, couldn't answer test items asking for word definitions and general information. But she figured out which number comes next in a complex series and solved puzzles easily. How does Regina score in crystallized and fluid intelligence, and what might explain the difference?

8a Application: Regina will score lower in crystallized intelligence because she was unable to answer test questions of general information and word definitions. She lacks the gained knowledge and acquired skill that is learned. Regina was unfamiliar with the vocabulary and information. This may be a result of schooling she previously had and also cultural differences being she was an immigrant. Regina will score high in fluid intelligence because she recognized patterns, number series, and puzzles. These problems would be considered visualization, and show Regina has experience with patterns and series.

8b Connection: Describe the bi-directional relationship between IQ and schooling.