Developmental psychology worksheet with answers

Free printable Developmental psychology worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

Noam Chomsky proposed that children have an innate "language acquisition device". This view emphasises:

  1. ABiological readiness to learn language
  2. BLanguage as a product of formal schooling
  3. CLearning language only through reinforcement
  4. DImitation as the only source of grammar
2.Easy

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is caused by:

  1. AA single inherited gene
  2. BDrinking alcohol in early childhood
  3. CAlcohol exposure before birth
  4. DToo little sleep during infancy
3.Easy

According to Erikson, the main conflict of adolescence is:

  1. ATrust versus mistrust
  2. BIdentity versus role confusion
  3. CIntimacy versus isolation
  4. DIntegrity versus despair
4.Medium

Children get better at ignoring distractions and switching between tasks through childhood and adolescence. This improvement in executive function is linked mainly to maturation of the:

  1. ACerebellum
  2. BOccipital lobe
  3. CBrainstem
  4. DPrefrontal cortex
5.Medium

A 3-year-old hears a new word once, "This is the chromium tray", and later picks out the correct tray. This is called:

  1. ABabbling
  2. BTelegraphic speech
  3. COverextension
  4. DFast mapping
6.Medium

A 9-year-old can arrange sticks from shortest to longest quickly and without errors. This ability is called:

  1. AConservation
  2. BAccommodation
  3. CSeriation
  4. DAnimism
7.Hard

In Tronick's "still-face" procedure, a mother suddenly stops responding and keeps a neutral face. Infants typically react by:

  1. AIgnoring the change and carrying on playing as before
  2. BTrying to re-engage her, then becoming upset and looking away
  3. CTurning to the experimenter instead and staying calm throughout
  4. DSmiling and babbling much more than before the change
8.Hard

Romanian orphan studies (Rutter and colleagues) found that children adopted after about 6 months of severe deprivation:

  1. AShowed no differences from non-adopted children raised in their birth families
  2. BRecovered completely regardless of adoption age
  3. CHad better outcomes than children adopted earlier
  4. DWere more likely to show lasting difficulties than those adopted earlier

Answer key

  1. 1. A · Biological readiness to learn language
  2. 2. C · Alcohol exposure before birth
  3. 3. B · Identity versus role confusion
  4. 4. D · Prefrontal cortex
  5. 5. D · Fast mapping
  6. 6. C · Seriation
  7. 7. B · Trying to re-engage her, then becoming upset and looking away
  8. 8. D · Were more likely to show lasting difficulties than those adopted earlier

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