Exam #1 – PSY 2022 Name ___________________________________
1. This refers to the capacity for change. Plasticity
2. This is a way of conceptualizing age where age is characterized by physical health and the functional
capacities of a person’s vital organs. Biological age
3. The developmental issue or debate concerning whether development is influenced by biology or
environment. Nature vs. Nurture controversy
4. Theories that describe development as primarily unconscious (beyond awareness) and heavily colored
by emotion. Psychoanalytic theories
5. This theorist proposed that psychosexual development occurred in the five stages: oral stage, anal
stage, phallic stage, latent stage, and genital stage. Sigmund Freud
6. This theorist proposed eight psychosocial stages of development. Erik Erikson
7. Xavier believes that we can study scientifically only what can be directly observed and measured. He
argues that affective and cognitive explanations are circular. Which theoretical orientation is most akin to
his views? Behaviorism
8. This theorist developed the theory of operant conditioning. B.F. Skinner
9. Riley argues that behavior is strongly influenced by biology; it is tied to evolution, and characterized by
critical or sensitive periods. What theoretical orientation, does Riley most likely take? Ethology
10. A method of gathering data by means of observing behaviors in real-world settings, making no effort
to manipulate or control the situation. Naturalistic observation
This study source was downloaded by 100000839404548 from CourseHero.com on 01-28-2022 09:05:02 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/33096101/Exam-1docx/
, 11. In addition to chronological age, list and briefly describe the three other ways that “age” has been
conceptualized. Biological age is a person's age in terms of biological health and is determined by
knowing the functional capacities of a person's vital organs. Psychological age refers to an individual's
adaptive capacities compared with others of the same chronological age. Social age refers to
connectedness with others and the social roles individuals adopt.
12. Define theory and hypothesis. Illustrate your answer with an example. A theory is an interrelated,
coherent set of ideas that helps to explain phenomena and facilitate predictions. A hypothesis is a
specific assumption and prediction that can be tested and determined for accuracy. Hypotheses are
formulated in order to test the assumptions of a theory. Results from research based on these
hypotheses may, in turn, be used to revise the theory.
13. List Freud’s psychosexual stages and explain how adult personality is determined as a result of these
stages. Freud believed that we go through five stages of psychosexual development: oral, anal, phallic,
latency, and genital. According to Freud, our adult personality is determined by the way we resolve
conflicts between sources of pleasure at each stage and the demands of reality.
14. Briefly describe the ethological perspective. Provide an example that involves a critical period to
bolster this perspective’s argument. Ethology stresses that behavior is strongly influenced by biology, is
tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods. These are specific time frames
during which, according to ethologists, the presence or absence of certain experiences has a long-
lasting influence on individuals. Lorenz coined the term "imprinting" to describe the process of the
rapid, innate learning that involves attachment to the first moving object seen. In Lorenz's view,
imprinting needs to take place at a certain, very early time in the life of the animal, or else it will not
take place. This point in time is called a critical period.
15. List and briefly describe Urie Bronfenbrenner’s five environmental systems. Bronfenbrenner's
ecological theory identifies five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem,
macrosystem, and chronosystem. The microsystem is the setting in which an individual lives. The
mesosystem involves relations between microsystems or connections between contexts. The
exosystem consists of links between a social setting in which the individual does not have an active
role and the individual's immediate environment. The macrosystem involves the culture in which
individuals live. The chronosystem consists of the patterning of environmental events and transitions
as well as sociohistorical circumstances.
16. Explain eclectic theoretical orientation. What is the merit in using such an orientation? An eclectic
theoretical orientation is one which does not follow any one theoretical approach but rather selects
from each theory whatever is considered its best features. In this way, you can view the study of
This study source was downloaded by 100000839404548 from CourseHero.com on 01-28-2022 09:05:02 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/33096101/Exam-1docx/
1. This refers to the capacity for change. Plasticity
2. This is a way of conceptualizing age where age is characterized by physical health and the functional
capacities of a person’s vital organs. Biological age
3. The developmental issue or debate concerning whether development is influenced by biology or
environment. Nature vs. Nurture controversy
4. Theories that describe development as primarily unconscious (beyond awareness) and heavily colored
by emotion. Psychoanalytic theories
5. This theorist proposed that psychosexual development occurred in the five stages: oral stage, anal
stage, phallic stage, latent stage, and genital stage. Sigmund Freud
6. This theorist proposed eight psychosocial stages of development. Erik Erikson
7. Xavier believes that we can study scientifically only what can be directly observed and measured. He
argues that affective and cognitive explanations are circular. Which theoretical orientation is most akin to
his views? Behaviorism
8. This theorist developed the theory of operant conditioning. B.F. Skinner
9. Riley argues that behavior is strongly influenced by biology; it is tied to evolution, and characterized by
critical or sensitive periods. What theoretical orientation, does Riley most likely take? Ethology
10. A method of gathering data by means of observing behaviors in real-world settings, making no effort
to manipulate or control the situation. Naturalistic observation
This study source was downloaded by 100000839404548 from CourseHero.com on 01-28-2022 09:05:02 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/33096101/Exam-1docx/
, 11. In addition to chronological age, list and briefly describe the three other ways that “age” has been
conceptualized. Biological age is a person's age in terms of biological health and is determined by
knowing the functional capacities of a person's vital organs. Psychological age refers to an individual's
adaptive capacities compared with others of the same chronological age. Social age refers to
connectedness with others and the social roles individuals adopt.
12. Define theory and hypothesis. Illustrate your answer with an example. A theory is an interrelated,
coherent set of ideas that helps to explain phenomena and facilitate predictions. A hypothesis is a
specific assumption and prediction that can be tested and determined for accuracy. Hypotheses are
formulated in order to test the assumptions of a theory. Results from research based on these
hypotheses may, in turn, be used to revise the theory.
13. List Freud’s psychosexual stages and explain how adult personality is determined as a result of these
stages. Freud believed that we go through five stages of psychosexual development: oral, anal, phallic,
latency, and genital. According to Freud, our adult personality is determined by the way we resolve
conflicts between sources of pleasure at each stage and the demands of reality.
14. Briefly describe the ethological perspective. Provide an example that involves a critical period to
bolster this perspective’s argument. Ethology stresses that behavior is strongly influenced by biology, is
tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods. These are specific time frames
during which, according to ethologists, the presence or absence of certain experiences has a long-
lasting influence on individuals. Lorenz coined the term "imprinting" to describe the process of the
rapid, innate learning that involves attachment to the first moving object seen. In Lorenz's view,
imprinting needs to take place at a certain, very early time in the life of the animal, or else it will not
take place. This point in time is called a critical period.
15. List and briefly describe Urie Bronfenbrenner’s five environmental systems. Bronfenbrenner's
ecological theory identifies five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem,
macrosystem, and chronosystem. The microsystem is the setting in which an individual lives. The
mesosystem involves relations between microsystems or connections between contexts. The
exosystem consists of links between a social setting in which the individual does not have an active
role and the individual's immediate environment. The macrosystem involves the culture in which
individuals live. The chronosystem consists of the patterning of environmental events and transitions
as well as sociohistorical circumstances.
16. Explain eclectic theoretical orientation. What is the merit in using such an orientation? An eclectic
theoretical orientation is one which does not follow any one theoretical approach but rather selects
from each theory whatever is considered its best features. In this way, you can view the study of
This study source was downloaded by 100000839404548 from CourseHero.com on 01-28-2022 09:05:02 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/33096101/Exam-1docx/
