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Quizzes > Science

Developmental Psychology Quiz: Stages and Key Theories

Quick, free developmental psychology test. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Henry GoldmanUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Teal background with paper cutout child, books, brain icon and colorful blocks representing developmental psychology quiz

This developmental psychology quiz helps you check your grasp of stages and key theories with quick, real-life scenarios. Get instant feedback, spot weak areas before a test, and build confidence across child and lifespan development. For more practice, try our developmental psychology practice questions and explore human development questions.

According to Piaget, the sensorimotor stage encompasses which age range?
Birth to approximately 2 years
2 to 7 years
11 to 15 years
7 to 11 years
The sensorimotor stage, defined by Piaget, spans from birth to about two years, during which infants learn through sensory experiences and motor actions. This phase is marked by the emergence of object permanence, when babies realize objects exist even when out of sight. Understanding this stage is fundamental to Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
In Piaget's theory, the preoperational stage spans which age range?
11 to 15 years
Birth to 2 years
2 to 7 years
7 to 11 years
The preoperational stage occurs from about two to seven years and is characterized by symbolic thinking and language development. Children in this stage engage in pretend play but struggle with logical reasoning such as conservation tasks. This stage is critical for understanding early language acquisition and egocentric thought.
Which stage did Piaget identify as occurring roughly between 7 and 11 years of age?
Formal operational
Concrete operational
Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Piaget's concrete operational stage spans ages seven to eleven and is characterized by logical thinking about concrete events. Children begin to grasp conservation, reversibility, and classification tasks. This stage marks a shift toward more organized and rational cognitive operations.
The formal operational stage in Piaget's model begins at approximately what age?
2 years
5 years
7 years
11 years and older
Piaget's formal operational stage begins around age eleven and extends through adulthood, featuring abstract and hypothetical reasoning. Adolescents develop the capacity for systematic problem solving and propositional thought. This stage underpins scientific thinking and advanced moral reasoning.
In Erikson's psychosocial theory, the first stage (Trust vs. Mistrust) occurs during which period?
Early childhood (2-3 years)
Infancy (0-1 year)
Middle adulthood
Adolescence
Erikson's first stage, Trust vs. Mistrust, spans infancy up to about one year, focusing on whether basic needs are met by caregivers. A reliable caregiving environment fosters trust, while inconsistent care can lead to mistrust. This foundation shapes future relationships and emotional security.
Which type of attachment is characterized by infants who show distress when separated and seek comfort upon reunion?
Secure attachment
Avoidant attachment
Disorganized attachment
Resistant attachment
Securely attached infants use the caregiver as a secure base, showing distress when separated and seeking comfort at reunion. This pattern reflects sensitive caregiving and consistent responsiveness. Secure attachment predicts healthier social and emotional outcomes.
In infant reflexes, the rooting reflex causes a baby to:
Clasp fingers around an object
Extend foot when sole is touched
Turn the head toward a cheek stimulus
Curl toes when foot is stroked
The rooting reflex prompts infants to turn their head toward any cheek stroke, facilitating breastfeeding. It typically disappears around four months as voluntary feeding behaviors emerge. This reflex is a key indicator of neurological development.
Most infants begin to walk independently at around what age?
12 to 15 months
18 to 24 months
4 to 6 months
2 to 3 years
Independent walking typically emerges between 12 and 15 months as infants develop balance and coordination. This milestone reflects maturation of muscle strength and neural pathways. Variations within a few months are still considered normal.
In developmental research, 'habituation' refers to:
Enhanced learning through reinforcement
Heightened sensitivity to pain
Increased interest in a new toy
Decreased response to repeated stimulus
Habituation is the process by which infants show decreased attention to a repeated stimulus, indicating learning and memory. Researchers use habituation paradigms to study perception and cognitive processing. A renewed interest in a novel stimulus (dishabituation) confirms the effect.
A 'teratogen' is defined as:
A medical procedure to monitor pregnancy
A type of nutrient essential for fetal development
An environmental agent that causes birth defects
A genetic mutation transmitted to offspring
Teratogens are substances or conditions, such as drugs or infections, that can cause developmental malformations during prenatal development. The impact depends on dosage, timing, and genetic vulnerability. Avoiding teratogens is critical for healthy fetal outcomes.
In Kohlberg's theory, the first level of moral development is characterized by:
Obedience to avoid punishment
Social contract orientation
Universal ethical principles
Law and order morality
Kohlberg's preconventional level, stage one, focuses on obedience and punishment avoidance as the basis for moral decisions. Children at this stage view rules as fixed and absolute. This level evolves as they learn about reciprocity and social norms.
Cooing in infants typically begins at around what age?
9 months
12 months
6 months
2 months
Cooing usually appears around two months, marking the earliest stage of vocal development where infants produce soft vowel-like sounds. This vocal play is foundational for later babbling and speech. Tracking cooing helps assess early communication milestones.
In Piagetian terms, 'assimilation' refers to:
Equilibrating cognitive structures
Incorporating new experiences into existing schemas
Using accommodation to adapt behaviors
Altering schemas to fit new information
Assimilation involves applying existing mental frameworks (schemas) to interpret new information. When a child sees a new object, they try to fit it into what they already know. It works together with accommodation to drive cognitive development.
Theory of mind typically emerges around which age?
6 months
4 years
2 years
10 years
Theory of mind, the understanding that others have beliefs and intentions different from one's own, usually develops by around four years. A common test is the false-belief task, where children predict another's behavior based on incorrect beliefs. This ability marks a key social-cognitive milestone.
In Vygotsky's theory, 'scaffolding' refers to:
Genetic predisposition for cognition
Support given by a more knowledgeable other
Child-led independent discovery
Intrinsic motivation to learn
Scaffolding involves temporary assistance from a skilled partner to help a learner perform tasks within their zone of proximal development. It is gradually withdrawn as competence increases. This concept highlights the social nature of learning.
An insecure-avoidant attachment pattern is characterized by:
Clinging to caregiver at all times
Ignoring caregiver upon return
Disorganized behaviors
Intense distress at separation
Insecure-avoidant infants tend to ignore or avoid the caregiver after separation, showing minimal distress. This pattern often stems from unresponsive caregiving. It contrasts with secure attachment, where proximity seeking occurs at reunion.
Vygotsky emphasized which process as central to cognitive development?
Self-discovery independent of context
Reinforcement of behaviors
Biological maturation alone
Social interaction with more knowledgeable others
Vygotsky viewed social interaction as the primary driver of learning, arguing that cognitive development arises through collaborative dialogues with more knowledgeable peers or adults. Language and culture shape thought processes. This contrasts with Piaget's emphasis on individual exploration.
What defines the zone of proximal development (ZPD)?
Tasks a child refuses to attempt
Tasks a child can do with support but not alone
Tasks mastered without any help
Tasks beyond a child's realistic reach
The ZPD refers to activities that learners can perform with guidance but cannot yet do independently. Effective teaching targets this zone to optimize development. Recognizing the ZPD underscores the role of scaffolding.
Parallel play is best described as:
Children share toys cooperatively
Children play side by side without interaction
Children engaging in make-believe together
Adults guiding children's activities
Parallel play typically occurs in toddlers, where children play adjacent to each other but do not directly engage. It represents a transitional social stage before cooperative play. Observing parallel play helps gauge social development.
Erikson's stage of identity vs. role confusion occurs during:
Adolescence
Infancy
Middle adulthood
Early childhood
The identity vs. role confusion stage typically spans adolescence, when individuals explore personal values, beliefs, and goals. Successful resolution leads to a coherent sense of identity. Failure can result in uncertainty about one's role in society.
Which parenting style is high in both demandingness and responsiveness?
Authoritarian
Authoritative
Neglectful
Permissive
Authoritative parenting combines high expectations and structure with warmth and responsiveness, promoting independence while enforcing clear boundaries. It is linked to positive outcomes like self-regulation and social competence. This style contrasts with authoritarian and permissive approaches.
Stranger anxiety usually emerges at what developmental stage?
18 to 24 months
Around 6 to 8 months
12 to 15 months
2 to 3 months
Stranger anxiety appears between six and eight months as infants differentiate familiar versus unfamiliar people. It reflects attachment and memory development. This milestone helps assess social and emotional growth.
The 'goodness of fit' model in temperament research refers to:
Parental adjustment to child's needs
Compatibility between child temperament and environment
Matching of siblings' temperaments
Genetic similarity of temperament traits
The goodness of fit model highlights how well a child's temperament aligns with environmental demands and parental expectations. A good fit fosters positive adjustment, while a poor fit can lead to behavioral issues. This concept underscores tailored parenting strategies.
In Piaget's conservation tasks, children demonstrate understanding by:
Relying on authority for answers
Focusing solely on superficial attributes
Using trial-and-error methods
Recognizing quantity remains despite appearance changes
Conservation tasks assess whether children understand that certain properties (e.g., volume) remain constant despite changes in shape or arrangement. Mastery typically occurs in the concrete operational stage (7 - 11 years). Success indicates logical thought processes.
According to Kohlberg, conventional morality involves:
Universal ethical principles
Avoiding punishment only
Adherence to social rules and approval
Self-interest exchange
At the conventional level, individuals conform to societal norms and seek approval by fulfilling duties and respecting authority. This stage typically emerges during adolescence. It reflects internalization of social rules.
Private speech in children serves primarily to:
Practice adult conversation
Communicate with peers
Regulate their own behavior and thought
Show off language skills
Private speech, as described by Vygotsky, is self-directed talk that guides problem-solving and self-regulation. It typically declines as internal, silent thought emerges. This process highlights the social origins of cognition.
A longitudinal study is primarily valued because it:
Is cheaper than cross-sectional designs
Studies different age groups at once
Avoids any participant dropout
Tracks the same individuals over time
Longitudinal studies follow the same participants across multiple time points, allowing researchers to observe developmental trajectories. They control for cohort effects but can be costly and risk attrition. This design provides strong evidence of change over time.
A meta-analysis is best described as:
An ethnographic field report
Statistical synthesis of multiple studies
An observational case study
A single large-scale experiment
A meta-analysis uses statistical methods to combine results from several studies, increasing power and resolving inconsistencies. It follows systematic review protocols. Meta-analyses are crucial for evidence-based practice.
Bandura's concept of observational learning is also known as:
Classical conditioning
Modeling
Habituation
Operant conditioning
Observational learning, or modeling, involves acquiring behaviors by watching others' actions and outcomes, as demonstrated in Bandura's Bobo doll experiments. It highlights the importance of imitation and social context. This mechanism expands beyond direct reinforcement.
The 'visual cliff' experiment primarily demonstrates infant ability in:
Balance and coordination
Auditory discrimination
Color vision
Depth perception
The visual cliff, pioneered by Gibson and Walk, shows that most infants refuse to cross a glass platform over a perceived drop, indicating depth perception by around six to fourteen months. It provides evidence for early perceptual development.
Joint attention can be best defined as:
A child's self-talk during play
Adult-led group activity
Shared focus of two individuals on an object
Infant's solitary exploration of toys
Joint attention involves caregivers and infants coordinating their attention toward an object or event, which supports language learning and social cognition. It typically develops around nine months. This shared focus is foundational for communication skills.
Erikson's stage of generativity vs. stagnation focuses on:
Developing trust in infancy
Contributing to future generations
Forming identity in adolescence
Establishing intimacy in early adulthood
Generativity vs. stagnation, the seventh stage, occurs in middle adulthood and centers on leaving a legacy through parenting, teaching, or community involvement. Success leads to feelings of productivity and care. Failure can result in self-absorption and stagnation.
Which temperament category describes infants who are negative, slow to adapt, and irregular in routines?
Slow-to-warm-up
Reserved
Difficult
Easy
Slow-to-warm-up infants are characterized by low activity levels, withdrawal from new situations, and gradual adaptation. This category was identified by Thomas and Chess in their temperament research. It highlights individual differences in reactivity and self-regulation.
Sameroff's transactional model emphasizes:
Fixed genetic programming alone
Unidirectional parental influence
Dynamic interactions between child and environment
Isolated cognitive milestones
Sameroff's transactional model posits that development results from ongoing reciprocal exchanges between the child and their environment. Each influences and modifies the other over time. This framework underscores complexity in developmental pathways.
In the information-processing approach, 'working memory' refers to:
Temporary storage and manipulation of information
Long-term retention of facts
Automatic recall of routines
Sensory impressions from the environment
Working memory is the cognitive system responsible for holding and manipulating information over short periods. It is crucial for reasoning, comprehension, and learning. Capacity and efficiency increase through childhood.
Which attachment classification is associated with contradictory or disoriented behaviors at reunion?
Secure attachment
Avoidant attachment
Resistant attachment
Disorganized attachment
Disorganized attachment is marked by inconsistent, confused, or apprehensive behaviors when the caregiver returns, indicating a breakdown in strategy. It often relates to frightening or atypical caregiving. This classification predicts risk for later emotional difficulties.
Dynamic systems theory in motor development views skills as:
Programmed solely by genetics
Fixed at birth
Emerging from multiple interacting subsystems
Learned only through imitation
Dynamic systems theory conceptualizes motor development as the result of continuous interactions among neural, muscular, and environmental factors. New skills arise when these systems spontaneously reorganize. This approach emphasizes variability and self-organization.
In Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, the mesosystem includes:
Societal laws and customs
Individual genetic makeup
Interactions among microsystems
Cultural norms over time
The mesosystem encompasses connections between immediate environments, such as between home and school. These interrelations influence development by creating supportive or conflicting experiences. It highlights the importance of context interactions.
The Strange Situation procedure was designed to assess:
Infant - caregiver attachment quality
Moral reasoning
Language development
Sensorimotor skills
The Strange Situation, developed by Ainsworth, observes infants' reactions to separation and reunion with their caregiver to classify attachment types. It remains a gold standard for assessing attachment security. Different behaviors at reunion indicate secure or insecure patterns.
Social referencing occurs when infants:
Play independently without looking up
Look to caregivers for emotional cues
Avoid eye contact in new situations
Mimic peers' actions
Social referencing involves infants checking a caregiver's emotional reaction to decide how to respond to unfamiliar events or objects. It develops around one year and guides safe exploration. This behavior underscores the social nature of emotional regulation.
A-not-B error in infants indicates limitations in:
Gross motor coordination
Object permanence and working memory
Language comprehension
Depth perception
In the A-not-B task, infants search for an object at its original hiding place (A) even after seeing it moved to a new location (B), revealing developing object permanence and limited working memory. Performance typically improves after eight months. This task illustrates incremental cognitive growth.
Vygotsky's concept of internalization involves:
Rejecting external guidance
Isolating cultural tools from learning
Transforming social processes into cognitive functions
Focusing solely on biological maturation
Internalization is the process by which children absorb social interactions and culturally mediated tools, turning them into internal mental functions. Language and dialogue gradually become inner speech. This mechanism explains how culture shapes cognition.
Executive functions in development primarily refer to:
Higher-order cognitive processes like planning and inhibition
Attachment behaviors
Basic reflexive movements
Sensory memory capacity
Executive functions encompass cognitive skills such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These functions support goal-directed behavior and improve significantly during childhood. They underpin academic and social success.
An example of evocative gene - environment correlation is when:
A child selects books to read independently
A sociable child elicits more social interaction from others
Genes mutate in response to environment
Parents choose neighborhoods based on their genes
Evocative gene - environment correlation occurs when a child's genetically influenced traits evoke specific responses from the environment, such as a friendly child receiving more social attention. This dynamic illustrates how genetics and environment interact. It contrasts with passive and active correlations.
Core knowledge theories propose that infants are born with:
Specialized cognitive systems for domains like geometry and number
Complete language proficiency
Blank slates without innate structures
Fully formed adult reasoning skills
Core knowledge theories suggest that infants have innate, domain-specific knowledge systems for understanding objects, numbers, and spatial relationships. These systems support rapid learning in early life. This approach challenges strictly empiricist views.
Gene - environment interaction in development refers to:
Genes determining all outcomes regardless of environment
Environment fully overriding genetic influences
Differential effects of environments depending on genotype
Unidirectional gene expression
Gene - environment interaction occurs when the impact of environmental exposures on development differs based on an individual's genetic makeup. For example, certain genotypes may increase sensitivity to stressors. Understanding these interactions is key for personalized interventions.
Epigenetic mechanisms in developmental psychology primarily involve:
Immediate shifts in neural connectivity
Chemical modifications that regulate gene expression
Changes in protein structure
Mutations in DNA sequence
Epigenetics studies how chemical tags like DNA methylation and histone modification influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. These changes can be shaped by environmental factors and affect development. They help explain long-term effects of early experiences.
Socioemotional selectivity theory posits that as people age, they:
Prioritize emotionally meaningful goals over knowledge acquisition
Focus solely on career advancement
Ignore social relationships
Seek novel experiences above all else
Socioemotional selectivity theory suggests older adults shift priorities toward emotionally fulfilling relationships and experiences due to perceived time limitations. Younger individuals focus more on gathering knowledge and expanding horizons. This framework explains age-related motivational changes.
In neurodevelopment, myelination primarily facilitates:
Increased neuron production
Faster and more efficient neural transmission
Growth of dendritic spines only
Pruning of unused synapses
Myelination involves the formation of a myelin sheath around axons, which accelerates electrical signal conduction and supports efficient neural communication. This process continues into early adulthood. It is crucial for cognitive and motor development.
A major confound in cross-sectional developmental studies is:
Longitudinal attrition
Cohort effects mixing age with generational differences
Excessive testing fatigue
High cost of repeated measures
Cross-sectional designs compare different age groups at one time point, making it difficult to separate age-related changes from cohort effects, which arise from unique generational experiences. This confound can misrepresent true developmental trends. Researchers often complement with longitudinal designs to address this issue.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand developmental psychology theories -

    Through the quiz, you'll grasp essential frameworks like Piaget's cognitive stages and Erikson's psychosocial theory governing human growth.

  2. Identify child development milestones -

    You'll pinpoint cognitive, emotional, and social milestones across infancy to adolescence, reinforcing concepts from the child development quiz.

  3. Analyze real-world growth scenarios -

    Interpret practical case studies to determine developmental stage and apply theory accurately in multiple-choice contexts.

  4. Apply theoretical frameworks -

    Use key models to solve quiz questions, demonstrating your ability to connect theories like Vygotsky's zone of proximal development to real-life examples.

  5. Evaluate theory distinctions -

    Critically compare major developmental psychology trivia topics to recognize nuanced differences among core approaches.

  6. Reinforce learning with free psychology quiz challenges -

    Engage with interactive psychology quizzes online to test your mastery and track progress in a fun, educational format.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Piaget's Four Stages of Cognitive Development -

    Jean Piaget's theory outlines Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational stages, which you can recall with the mnemonic "SPCF." For instance, object permanence emerges around 8 - 12 months in the Sensorimotor stage, while abstract reasoning appears in the Formal stage (11+ years). Mastering these stages is vital for any developmental psychology quiz or child development quiz.

  2. Erikson's Eight Psychosocial Stages -

    Erik Erikson described eight crises from Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy) to Integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood), often remembered by the phrase "Trust Autonomy Initiative Industry Identity Intimacy Generativity Integrity." Each stage involves a developmental "task" that shapes personality - like Autonomy vs. Shame in toddlerhood. Reviewing Erikson's model boosts your confidence on psychology quizzes online.

  3. Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) -

    Lev Vygotsky defined the ZPD as the gap between what a child can do alone and what they can achieve with guidance, often illustrated by scaffolding - think training wheels for learning. A tip: recall ZPD by "Zooming Potential Developments." This concept is frequently tested in free psychology quizzes and developmental psychology trivia.

  4. Bowlby's Attachment Styles -

    John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth identified Secure, Avoidant, Ambivalent, and Disorganized attachment patterns using the "Strange Situation" procedure. For example, securely attached infants explore freely when mom is present but seek contact when she returns. Understanding these styles is crucial for acing a child development quiz module on social-emotional growth.

  5. Key Milestones in Early Childhood -

    Memorize primary milestones - like two-word sentences by age 2, symbolic play around 3, and cooperative games by 4 - using the acronym "PECS" (Physical, Emotional, Cognitive, Social). For example, by 3 years most children can ride a tricycle (Physical) and engage in group play (Social). Quizzing yourself on these milestones is a surefire way to excel in developmental psychology quizzes online.

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