EPPP Growth and Lifespan Development Practice Questions

Question 1

During which period of prenatal development is exposure to a teratogen MOST likely to cause major structural malformations of organs and limbs?

Accepted Answer

B. The embryonic period, from about week 3 to week 8 B is correct because the major organs and body structures form during the embryonic period, so this is the critical period in which most teratogens produce major structural defects. A is incorrect because exposure in the germinal period tends to have an all-or-none effect, either ending the pregnancy or leaving no lasting defect. C is incorrect because late exposure mainly affects growth, brain maturation, and the newborn's condition rather than causing major structural malformations. D is incorrect because organs are already formed in the fetal period, so exposure then more often affects growth and function than basic structure.

Question 2

When a newborn's head is allowed to drop back suddenly, the infant flings the arms outward and then brings them back toward the body. This response is called the:

Accepted Answer

D. Moro reflex D is correct because the Moro or startle reflex is an outward flinging of the arms followed by bringing them inward in response to a sudden loss of support or a loud noise, and it fades in the first months. A is incorrect because the palmar grasp is the curling of the fingers around an object placed in the infant's palm. B is incorrect because the Babinski reflex is the fanning of the toes when the sole of the foot is stroked. C is incorrect because rooting is turning the head toward a touch on the cheek or mouth, which helps the infant find the nipple.

Question 3

Infants gain control of the head and neck before the trunk, and control of the trunk before the legs. This sequence illustrates which principle of development?

Accepted Answer

C. The cephalocaudal principle C is correct because the cephalocaudal principle states that growth and motor control proceed from the head downward toward the feet. A is incorrect because that principle describes development moving from global, undifferentiated states toward differentiated and integrated ones. B is incorrect because the proximodistal principle describes development from the center of the body outward, such as the arms before the fingers. D is incorrect because canalization refers to the way some traits are strongly buffered by genes so they develop similarly across many environments.

Question 4

A 22-month-old says "Daddy go," "more juice," and "my ball," leaving out articles and verb endings. The parents ask whether this is a sign of delay. Which response is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

D. This is typical telegraphic speech for a child of this age D is correct because two-word combinations made of content words, without function words and grammatical endings, are expected around 18 to 24 months and are called telegraphic speech. A is incorrect because complete grammatical sentences with articles and verb endings develop later, during the preschool years. B is incorrect because 12-month-olds usually produce single words or holophrases rather than two-word combinations. C is incorrect because overregularization is applying a grammatical rule to irregular words, as in "goed," which is not what is described.

Question 5

A school counselor is planning a prevention group for students at highest risk from the timing of puberty. Based on research on pubertal timing, which students should the counselor be MOST concerned about?

Accepted Answer

D. Girls who mature much earlier than their peers D is correct because early-maturing girls show elevated rates of depression, body image problems, early sexual activity, and substance use, partly because they associate with older peers. A is incorrect because early maturation in boys has historically been linked to more positive outcomes such as popularity, although it carries some risk for delinquency. B is incorrect because on-time maturation is not the timing pattern associated with heightened risk. C is incorrect because on-time maturing boys are not a high-risk group for problems linked to pubertal timing.

Question 6

A 16-year-old who reasons well about risks in a calm interview drives recklessly when friends are in the car. Which account of adolescent brain development BEST explains this pattern?

Accepted Answer

C. Reward circuits mature earlier than prefrontal control systems C is correct because dual systems models propose that limbic reward sensitivity rises around puberty while prefrontal self-regulation matures into the twenties, so emotional and peer contexts can override reasoning. A is incorrect because the prefrontal cortex is among the last brain regions to mature, continuing into early adulthood. B is incorrect because pruning of unused connections continues through adolescence, especially in the prefrontal cortex. D is incorrect because myelination continues through adolescence and into adulthood, which supports later gains in processing speed and control.

Question 7

A 78-year-old has stopped attending large social events and now spends time mainly with a few close family members and old friends, and reports being content. According to socioemotional selectivity theory, this change MOST likely reflects:

Accepted Answer

C. A focus on close, meaningful ties as time feels limited C is correct because socioemotional selectivity theory proposes that when time is perceived as limited, people prioritize emotionally satisfying relationships over gaining information or new contacts. A is incorrect because that is disengagement theory, which views withdrawal as inevitable and mutual rather than as an active choice that supports well-being. B is incorrect because a smaller network of close ties with good reported well-being is typical of healthy aging and is not by itself a sign of depression. D is incorrect because activity theory would predict lower well-being from reduced activity, yet the person reports being content.

Question 8

A 75-year-old concert pianist continues to perform. The pianist now plays fewer pieces, practices those pieces more often, and slows down before fast passages so they sound quicker by contrast. Which model BEST accounts for this pattern?

Accepted Answer

A. Selective optimization with compensation A is correct because the pianist selects a smaller repertoire, optimizes it through extra practice, and compensates for slower speed with a performance strategy, which are the three processes in the Baltes model. B is incorrect because that theory predicts withdrawal from roles, whereas the pianist remains active by adapting. C is incorrect because that theory concerns how a perceived limited future shifts social goals toward emotionally close relationships, not how skills are maintained. D is incorrect because that stage concerns reviewing one's life and finding meaning in it, not strategies for keeping up performance despite losses.

Question 9

A cross-sectional study finds that 70-year-olds score far lower than 30-year-olds on reasoning tests. A longitudinal study of the same cohorts finds much smaller declines that begin later in life. What BEST explains the difference?

Accepted Answer

C. The cross-sectional design confounds age with cohort differences C is correct because cross-sectional comparisons mix aging with generational differences in education and experience, so they overstate decline compared with following the same people over time. A is incorrect because both designs show some decline in fluid reasoning in later life; they differ in how large and how early it appears. B is incorrect because fluid abilities such as reasoning speed tend to decline earlier, while crystallized knowledge remains stable or rises into late adulthood. D is incorrect because a longitudinal design follows one cohort over time, so cohort differences are not the problem; its weaknesses are attrition and practice.

Question 10

In Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, a parent's workplace that adopts a policy of long mandatory overtime, which in turn affects the parent's time with the child, is part of the child's:

Accepted Answer

B. Exosystem B is correct because the exosystem consists of settings the child does not take part in directly, such as a parent's job, which still affect the child through their effects on people in the child's life. A is incorrect because the microsystem consists of settings the child takes part in directly, such as the home and classroom. C is incorrect because the macrosystem consists of broad cultural values, laws, and customs rather than a specific workplace. D is incorrect because the mesosystem consists of the links between the child's microsystems, such as communication between home and school.

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