AP Psychology Unit 9 Practice Test

Developmental psychology is the correct answer because it is the branch of psychology that specifically studies the physical, cognitive, and social changes that individuals go through as they age and develop across the lifespan. It focuses on understanding how people grow and change in areas such as language acquisition, cognitive development, social interactions, and emotional development.

The given scenario of a ten-year-old girl, Melanie, insisting on wearing feminine clothes to appear ladylike demonstrates the impact of gender typing. Gender typing refers to the process by which children acquire behaviors, interests, and attitudes that are considered appropriate for their gender. Melanie's desire to conform to societal expectations of femininity and her understanding of what it means to be "ladylike" reflects the influence of gender typing on her behavior and self-expression.

Olivia's understanding of the world through grasping and sucking objects indicates that she is in Piaget's Sensorimotor stage. This stage is characterized by infants' exploration and understanding of the world through their senses and motor actions. They learn about objects and their properties through direct interaction and physical manipulation. Olivia's behavior aligns with the sensorimotor stage as she relies on her senses and actions to make sense of her surroundings.

Male facial hair is an example of a secondary sex characteristic. Secondary sex characteristics are physical features that develop during puberty and distinguish males from females. These characteristics are not directly involved in reproduction but are influenced by sex hormones. Facial hair growth is typically associated with males due to the increased levels of testosterone during puberty, which stimulates the growth of facial hair. Female ovaries and male testes are primary sex organs involved in reproduction, while female height is not specifically a secondary sex characteristic.

Excess neural connections in the brain's Association Areas are reduced through a process called pruning. Pruning is a natural process in which unnecessary or unused neural connections are eliminated to optimize the brain's efficiency. This allows the brain to streamline its neural networks and enhance its ability to process information more effectively. Pruning is crucial for the development and functioning of the brain, as it helps to refine and strengthen the connections that are most relevant and important for cognitive processes.

Authoritarian parents are known for imposing rules and expecting obedience from their children. They tend to have strict guidelines and enforce them strictly without much room for negotiation or flexibility. This parenting style often emphasizes discipline, control, and adherence to authority. The focus is on obedience rather than understanding or meeting the child's emotional needs. The explanation provided aligns with the characteristics of authoritarian parents and accurately describes their tendency to impose rules and expect obedience from their children.

According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, integrity is the final stage that occurs in late adulthood. It involves reflecting on one's life and feeling a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Abner, as a retired teacher who feels that his life has not been of any real value or significance, is likely experiencing a lack of integrity. He may feel a sense of despair and regret, as he has not achieved a sense of wholeness and purpose in his life.

Infants with an insecure maternal attachment often exhibit a lack of trust and emotional connection with their mothers. This can lead to a lack of responsiveness or interest in their mother's return after a brief absence. They may not show any particular joy or distress upon their mother's return, indicating a sense of indifference towards her presence. This behavior can be seen as a result of the insecure attachment style, where the infant has not developed a strong sense of security and comfort in the presence of their caregiver.

Henry's belief that his mother will spank him if he steals jelly beans from his sister's Easter basket indicates that his moral decision-making is based on avoiding punishment. This aligns with the pre-conventional stage of morality, where individuals make decisions based on self-interest and the consequences of their actions. At this stage, moral judgments are primarily driven by a fear of punishment and a desire for personal reward, rather than considering societal norms or ethical principles.

A Post-Conventional level of morality is most likely to be found in cultures that value individualism. This is because individuals at this level of moral development prioritize their own principles and rights over societal norms and expectations. They believe in making decisions based on their own personal values and judgments, rather than conforming to the expectations of the group or society. Therefore, cultures that value individualism are more likely to foster the development of individuals who reach the Post-Conventional level of morality.

As people age, their capacity to learn and remember meaningful material, such as information that is relevant and has personal significance, does not decline as much as their capacity to learn and remember meaningless material. This suggests that older individuals rely more on their accumulated knowledge and experience, which is known as crystallized intelligence. Crystallized intelligence refers to the ability to use acquired knowledge and skills. In contrast, fluid intelligence, which declines with age, refers to the ability to solve new problems and think abstractly. The other options, concrete operational thought and formal operational thought, are stages of cognitive development that occur in childhood and adolescence, not related to the aging process.

Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that individuals go through different stages of cognitive development. The formal operational stage is the fourth and final stage, typically occurring during adolescence and adulthood. During this stage, individuals are capable of abstract thinking, logical reasoning, and hypothetical thinking. They can understand and solve complex problems, think about possibilities and alternatives, and consider different perspectives. Therefore, according to Piaget, people are first able to reason abstractly and think hypothetically during the formal operational stage.

During the embryonic period of prenatal development, the heart begins to beat. This period occurs after the zygotic period, which is the initial stage of development after fertilization, and before the fetal period, which is the later stage of development characterized by further growth and maturation. The embryonic period is a critical time when major organ systems begin to form, including the heart. Therefore, the correct answer is embryonic.

During prenatal development, a human organism starts as a zygote, which is formed when the sperm fertilizes the egg. The zygote then undergoes cell division and differentiation to form an embryo. As the embryo continues to develop, it eventually becomes a fetus. Therefore, the correct answer is that a human organism begins as a zygote and finally develops into a fetus.

Adolescence today is characterized by earlier onset of menarche, which refers to the first occurrence of menstruation in girls. This is supported by scientific research and can be attributed to factors such as improved nutrition and healthcare. On the other hand, adult independence occurs later in life due to various societal and economic factors. Young people today tend to stay in education for longer, delay marriage and starting a family, and rely on their parents for financial support for a longer period of time compared to a century ago.

This answer correctly describes gender differences in life expectancy. It states that the number of newborn females is smaller than the number of males, and that females have a longer life expectancy than males. This aligns with the general trend observed in many populations around the world, where women tend to live longer than men on average.

Haidt's Social Institutionist Theory suggests that our moral judgments are influenced by social and cultural factors. In this case, the moral repulsion towards stabbing someone with a knife may be explained by the cultural norms and social conventions that have been established. The act of stabbing someone with a knife is seen as more personal and intimate, which goes against societal norms of interpersonal distance and respect for personal boundaries. On the other hand, shooting someone from a distance may be seen as more detached and impersonal, aligning more with societal norms and therefore causing less moral repulsion.