PSY210 Developmental Psychology Practice Exam Study Guide Updated
2026 | Verified Questions and Answers with Detailed Rationales |
Lifespan Development Stages (Infancy to Late Adulthood), Cognitive
Development (Piaget), Psychosocial Development (Erikson), Moral
Development (Kohlberg), Attachment Theory, Language Development,
Social and Emotional Growth, Nature vs Nurture, Developmental
Research Methods, Aging and Lifespan Changes | Complete Exam Prep
Resource for Psychology Students Success
Question 1: Which of the following best defines the term "developmental
psychology"?
A. The study of abnormal behavior across the lifespan
B. The scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt from
conception through old age
C. The analysis of cognitive processes in adult populations only
D. The exploration of social interactions in childhood
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The scientific study of how and why humans grow, change,
and adapt from conception through old age
Rationale: Developmental psychology encompasses the systematic study of
psychological growth and change throughout the entire human lifespan, including
physical, cognitive, emotional, and social domains.
Question 2: According to Jean Piaget, which stage of cognitive development is
characterized by the ability to think logically about concrete events?
A. Sensorimotor stage
B. Preoperational stage
C. Concrete operational stage
D. Formal operational stage
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Concrete operational stage
Rationale: Piaget’s concrete operational stage (ages 7–11) is marked by the emergence
of logical thought applied to tangible objects and events, though abstract reasoning is
not yet fully developed.
Question 3: Which theorist emphasized the role of social interaction and culture in
cognitive development?
A. Sigmund Freud
B. Erik Erikson
C. Lev Vygotsky
D. B.F. Skinner
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Lev Vygotsky
,Rationale: Lev Vygotsky proposed the sociocultural theory, asserting that cognitive
development is deeply rooted in social interaction and cultural context, particularly
through tools like language and guided learning.
Question 4: In Erikson’s psychosocial stages, the primary conflict during
adolescence is:
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
C. Industry vs. Inferiority
D. Intimacy vs. Isolation
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
Rationale: During adolescence (approximately ages 12–18), individuals grapple with
forming a coherent sense of self and personal identity; failure to resolve this leads to
role confusion.
Question 5: What is the name of the reflex in newborns where they turn their head
toward a touch on the cheek?
A. Moro reflex
B. Babinski reflex
C. Rooting reflex
D. Grasping reflex
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Rooting reflex
Rationale: The rooting reflex helps infants locate a nipple for feeding; when the cheek is
stroked, the infant turns toward the stimulus and opens the mouth.
Question 6: Which of the following is a key feature of the preoperational stage
according to Piaget?
A. Conservation ability
B. Egocentrism
C. Abstract hypothetical thinking
D. Reversibility of thought
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Egocentrism
Rationale: Children in the preoperational stage (ages 2–7) struggle to see perspectives
other than their own, a hallmark known as egocentrism.
Question 7: Secure attachment in infancy is most strongly associated with which
caregiving behavior?
A. Strict discipline
B. Consistent responsiveness to the infant’s needs
C. Frequent toy rotation
D. Early academic stimulation
, CORRECT ANSWER: B. Consistent responsiveness to the infant’s needs
Rationale: Secure attachment, as identified by Mary Ainsworth, develops when
caregivers are consistently sensitive and responsive to an infant’s signals and distress.
Question 8: Which chromosomal abnormality is associated with Down syndrome?
A. Trisomy 13
B. Trisomy 18
C. Trisomy 21
D. Monosomy X
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Trisomy 21
Rationale: Down syndrome results from the presence of an extra copy of chromosome
21, known as trisomy 21, leading to characteristic physical features and intellectual
disability.
Question 9: According to Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, which level
emphasizes adherence to laws and social order?
A. Preconventional level
B. Conventional level
C. Postconventional level
D. Principled level
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Conventional level
Rationale: At the conventional level (typically adolescence and adulthood), moral
reasoning focuses on maintaining social order, fulfilling duties, and respecting authority
and laws.
Question 10: Which of the following best describes myelination?
A. The pruning of unused neural connections
B. The formation of synapses between neurons
C. The process by which axons are coated with myelin to increase neural transmission
speed
D. The migration of neurons to their final positions in the brain
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The process by which axons are coated with myelin to
increase neural transmission speed
Rationale: Myelination enhances the efficiency of neural communication by insulating
axons with fatty myelin sheaths, a process that continues into early adulthood.
Question 11: Object permanence is typically achieved during which of Piaget’s
stages?
A. Sensorimotor stage
B. Preoperational stage
2026 | Verified Questions and Answers with Detailed Rationales |
Lifespan Development Stages (Infancy to Late Adulthood), Cognitive
Development (Piaget), Psychosocial Development (Erikson), Moral
Development (Kohlberg), Attachment Theory, Language Development,
Social and Emotional Growth, Nature vs Nurture, Developmental
Research Methods, Aging and Lifespan Changes | Complete Exam Prep
Resource for Psychology Students Success
Question 1: Which of the following best defines the term "developmental
psychology"?
A. The study of abnormal behavior across the lifespan
B. The scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt from
conception through old age
C. The analysis of cognitive processes in adult populations only
D. The exploration of social interactions in childhood
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The scientific study of how and why humans grow, change,
and adapt from conception through old age
Rationale: Developmental psychology encompasses the systematic study of
psychological growth and change throughout the entire human lifespan, including
physical, cognitive, emotional, and social domains.
Question 2: According to Jean Piaget, which stage of cognitive development is
characterized by the ability to think logically about concrete events?
A. Sensorimotor stage
B. Preoperational stage
C. Concrete operational stage
D. Formal operational stage
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Concrete operational stage
Rationale: Piaget’s concrete operational stage (ages 7–11) is marked by the emergence
of logical thought applied to tangible objects and events, though abstract reasoning is
not yet fully developed.
Question 3: Which theorist emphasized the role of social interaction and culture in
cognitive development?
A. Sigmund Freud
B. Erik Erikson
C. Lev Vygotsky
D. B.F. Skinner
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Lev Vygotsky
,Rationale: Lev Vygotsky proposed the sociocultural theory, asserting that cognitive
development is deeply rooted in social interaction and cultural context, particularly
through tools like language and guided learning.
Question 4: In Erikson’s psychosocial stages, the primary conflict during
adolescence is:
A. Trust vs. Mistrust
B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
C. Industry vs. Inferiority
D. Intimacy vs. Isolation
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Identity vs. Role Confusion
Rationale: During adolescence (approximately ages 12–18), individuals grapple with
forming a coherent sense of self and personal identity; failure to resolve this leads to
role confusion.
Question 5: What is the name of the reflex in newborns where they turn their head
toward a touch on the cheek?
A. Moro reflex
B. Babinski reflex
C. Rooting reflex
D. Grasping reflex
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Rooting reflex
Rationale: The rooting reflex helps infants locate a nipple for feeding; when the cheek is
stroked, the infant turns toward the stimulus and opens the mouth.
Question 6: Which of the following is a key feature of the preoperational stage
according to Piaget?
A. Conservation ability
B. Egocentrism
C. Abstract hypothetical thinking
D. Reversibility of thought
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Egocentrism
Rationale: Children in the preoperational stage (ages 2–7) struggle to see perspectives
other than their own, a hallmark known as egocentrism.
Question 7: Secure attachment in infancy is most strongly associated with which
caregiving behavior?
A. Strict discipline
B. Consistent responsiveness to the infant’s needs
C. Frequent toy rotation
D. Early academic stimulation
, CORRECT ANSWER: B. Consistent responsiveness to the infant’s needs
Rationale: Secure attachment, as identified by Mary Ainsworth, develops when
caregivers are consistently sensitive and responsive to an infant’s signals and distress.
Question 8: Which chromosomal abnormality is associated with Down syndrome?
A. Trisomy 13
B. Trisomy 18
C. Trisomy 21
D. Monosomy X
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Trisomy 21
Rationale: Down syndrome results from the presence of an extra copy of chromosome
21, known as trisomy 21, leading to characteristic physical features and intellectual
disability.
Question 9: According to Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, which level
emphasizes adherence to laws and social order?
A. Preconventional level
B. Conventional level
C. Postconventional level
D. Principled level
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Conventional level
Rationale: At the conventional level (typically adolescence and adulthood), moral
reasoning focuses on maintaining social order, fulfilling duties, and respecting authority
and laws.
Question 10: Which of the following best describes myelination?
A. The pruning of unused neural connections
B. The formation of synapses between neurons
C. The process by which axons are coated with myelin to increase neural transmission
speed
D. The migration of neurons to their final positions in the brain
CORRECT ANSWER: C. The process by which axons are coated with myelin to
increase neural transmission speed
Rationale: Myelination enhances the efficiency of neural communication by insulating
axons with fatty myelin sheaths, a process that continues into early adulthood.
Question 11: Object permanence is typically achieved during which of Piaget’s
stages?
A. Sensorimotor stage
B. Preoperational stage
