COUN 5050: Human Growth and Development

Study Guide - Exam I


You should be able to:

  1. Define and explain the mechanistic, organismic, contextual, psychoanalytic, dialectic, nativist, maturationist, and empiricist views as they relate to human development.

  2. Describe the mechanistic perspective on human development and aging
  3. model, key features, and an example of the theory that fits this perspective

    4.
  4. Describe the organismic perspective on human development and aging
  5. model, key features, and an example of the theory that fits this perspective

  6. Describe the contextual perspective on human development and aging
  7. model, key features, and an example of the theory that fits this perspective
    8.

  8. Provide an example of a theory that fits within each of the views listed in question one and be able to explain why that theory fits within each view.

  9. Compare and contrast the views outlined in question one; be able to discuss their similarities and differences.

  10. Compare and contrast the principal assumptions of the mechanistic, organismic, and contextual perspectives with the life-span developmental approach

  11. Be able to define and explain the life-span developmental perspective and discuss the features that are unique to this perspective.

  12. Be able to define and provide examples of normative age-graded influences, normative history-graded influences, and non-normative events impact on human development.

  13. Be able to describe and differentiate between the terms development, life-span development, maturation, aging, life-span, life-cycle, and life-course.

  14. Outline the major points contained in the "Culture in Development" chapter.

  15. What are the major problems inherent in cross-cultural research? What is Coles hypothesized solution to these problems?

    16.
  16. Describe the major characteristics of case studies, observational/naturalistic research, correlational studies, experiments, and quasi-experiments.

  17. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.

    18.
  18. Describe and discuss the problems and benefits associated with each of the following research designs: cross-sectional, longitudinal, and cross-sequential.

  19. Describe the characteristics of cross-sectional studies. Define cohort, and explain how age and cohort effects are confounded in cross-sectional designs.

  20. Describe the characteristics of longitudinal studies. Explain the various problems with validity (history, mortality, etc.) in the longitudinal design.

  21. Describe the characteristis of sequential designs. Explain the advantages and disadvantages to this design.

  22. Explain the ethical principles guiding research in human development and aging.

  23. Explain the impact of normative age-graded influences, normative history-graded influences, and non-normative events on the research designs outlined in the previous question and on the creation of developmental theories.

  24. Outline the major points contained in the "Developmental Neuroscience" chapter.

  25. Why was this chapter included in the text? Why is this information important for counselors?

    26.
  26. Outline and critique Gessell's theory of cognitive development.

  27. Outline and critique the basic assumptions underlying a learning approach to cognitive development.

  28. What are the distinct features of Skinner's operant conditioning theory? What are the strengths and weaknesses?

  29. Outline and critique Bandura's theory of cognitive development.

  30. Outline, discuss, and critique Piaget's theory of cognitive development.

  31. Describe each of Piaget's stages of cognitive development.

  32. Explain Piaget's change from a structuralist to a constructivist.

  33. Compare and contrast pre-operational and concrete operational thought.

  34. Compare and contrast formal-operational and post-formal thought/fifth stage thought.

  35. Describe the basic principles of the information-processing approach.

  36. Explain how it can be used to elaborate on Piaget.

  37. Outline the major criticisms of the information processing approach to cognitive development.

    38.
  38. Describe the various perspectives on whether intelligence is a single ability or many abilities.

  39. Distinquish between fluid and crystallized intelligence.

    40.
  40. Explain the psychometric approach to the study of cognition.

  41. Describe the Wechsler intelligence tests.

    42.
  42. Explain the benefits and major concerns associated with the psychometric approach.

  43. Discuss whether IQ scores are stable during childhood and whether they predict school achievement.

  44. Discuss factors that influence IQ scores, including genes, home environment, social class, racial and ethnic difference, and cultural bias in testing.

    45.
  45. Describe the ways that intellectual abilities change or don't change with age.

  46. Discuss the factors that are associated with declining intellectual abilities in older adults.

  47. Explain which world view underlies each theory of cognitive development.

  48. Outline the major theories of language acquisition and discuss the empirical evidence both for and against each.

  49. Outline the stages of language development and the underlying pattern of language development.

  50. Discuss the unique contributions of Vygotsky's theory as it relates to cognitive and linguistic development.


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