Passage Based Questions: Human Development | Psychology Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Development is influenced by an interplay of biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional processes. Development due to genes inherited from parents, such as in height and weight, brain, heart, and lungs development, etc. all point towards the role of biological processes. The role of cognitive processes in development relate to mental activities associated with the processes of knowing, and experiencing, such as thought, perception, attention, problem solving, etc. Socio-emotional processes that influence development refer to changes in an individual’s interactions with other people, changes in emotions, and in personality.

Q1: What are the key factors influencing development according to the passage?
Ans:

• Biological processes: Inherited genes from parents influence aspects like height, weight, brain, heart, and lung development.
• Cognitive processes: Mental activities such as thought, perception, attention, and problem-solving contribute to development.
• Socio-emotional processes: Changes in interpersonal interactions, emotions, and personality also play a crucial role in development.

Q2: Can you provide examples of biological processes mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Genetic inheritance determining height and weight.
• Genetic factors influencing the development of essential organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs.

Q3: How are socio-emotional processes defined in the context of development?
Ans:

• Changes in interactions with others.
• Changes in emotional experiences.
• Changes in personality traits.

Passage - 2

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Genetic transmission is very complex. Most characteristics that we observe in humans are combinations of larger number of genes. You can imagine the combinations produced by 80,000 or more genes – accounting for a variety of characteristics and behaviours. It is also not possible to possess all the characteristics made available to us by our genetic structure. The actual genetic material or a person’s genetic heritage is known as genotype. However, not all of this genetic material is apparent or distinctly identifiable in our observable characteristics.

Q1: Why is genetic transmission considered complex, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Characteristics in humans result from combinations of numerous genes.
• There are over 80,000 genes contributing to a variety of traits and behaviors.
• It is impossible for an individual to possess all available characteristics encoded in their genetic structure.

Q2: What is meant by genotype in the context of genetic heritage?
Ans:

• Genotype refers to the actual genetic material or heritage of a person.
• It represents the entire set of genes present in an individual's DNA.

Q3: Why are not all genetic characteristics observable in individuals?
Ans:

• Not all genetic material is apparent or distinctly identifiable in observable traits.
• The complex combinations of genes may not always manifest visibly, leading to variations in observable characteristics among individuals.

Passage - 3

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The exosystem includes events in social settings where the child does not participate directly, but they influence the childs’ experiences in the immediate context. For example, the transfer of father or mother may cause tension among the parents which might affect their interactions with the child or the general amenities available to the child like quality of schooling, libraries, medical care, means of entertainment, etc. Macrosystem includes the culture in which the individual lives.

Q1: What does the exosystem encompass in the context of a child's development, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Exosystem includes events in social settings where the child is not directly involved.
• These events influence the child's experiences in immediate contexts, such as parental interactions or access to amenities like quality education, libraries, and medical care.

Q2: Provide an example of an exosystem event affecting a child's experiences, as mentioned in the passage.
Ans: The transfer of a parent (father or mother) causing tension among parents, which can influence their interactions with the child and affect the quality of resources available to the child, including education and medical care.

Q3: What does the macrosystem refer to in the context of an individual's development environment?
Ans:

• Macrosystem includes the culture in which the individual lives.
• It encompasses the broader cultural context that shapes beliefs, values, and societal norms, influencing the individual's overall development.

Passage - 4

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Human life proceeds through different stages. For example, you are at present in the stage of adolescence and after a few years you will enter the stage of adulthood. Developmental stages are assumed to be temporary and are often characterised by a dominant feature or a leading characteristic, which gives each period its uniqueness. During a particular stage, individual progresses towards an assumed goal - a state or ability that s/he must achieve in the same order as other persons before progressing to the next stage in the sequence. Of course, individuals do vary with respect to the time or rate of development from one stage to another. 

Q1: How are developmental stages characterized in human life, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Developmental stages are temporary periods in human life.
• Each stage is characterized by a dominant feature or leading characteristic, giving it uniqueness.
• Individuals progress towards specific assumed goals during each stage, following a sequential order before moving to the next stage.

Q2: Is there a uniform progression through developmental stages for all individuals? Explain.
Ans:

• While there is a general sequence in developmental stages, individuals vary in the time and rate of progression.
• Not all individuals progress through stages at the same pace; there are variations in the speed at which people move from one stage to another.

Q3: Can you explain the concept of assumed goals in the context of developmental stages?
Ans:

• Assumed goals represent specific states or abilities that individuals must achieve during a particular stage.
• These goals are achieved in a predetermined order, and individuals must accomplish them before progressing to the next stage in the sequence of human development.

Passage - 5

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Prenatal development is also affected by maternal characteristics, which include mother’s age, nutrition, and emotional state. Disease or infection carried by the mother can adversely affect prenatal development. For example, rubella (German measles), genital herpes, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are believed to cause genetic problems in the newborn. Another source of threat to prenatal development is teratogens - environmental agents that cause deviations in normal development that can lead to serious abnormalities or death.

Q1: What are some maternal characteristics that can impact prenatal development, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Mother’s age, nutrition, and emotional state can affect prenatal development.
• Diseases or infections carried by the mother, such as rubella, genital herpes, and HIV, can cause genetic problems in the newborn.

Q2: What are teratogens, and how do they pose a threat to prenatal development?
Ans:

• Teratogens are environmental agents that cause deviations in normal development.
• They can lead to serious abnormalities or even death in the developing fetus.
• Teratogens pose a threat by disrupting the typical developmental processes, resulting in harmful consequences for the unborn child.

Q3: Provide an example of a disease mentioned in the passage that can adversely affect prenatal development.
Ans: Rubella (German measles) is mentioned as a disease carried by the mother that can cause genetic problems in the newborn during prenatal development.

Passage - 6

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Cognitive Development : Does a 3 year old child understand things the same way as would an 8 year old? Jean Piaget stressed that children actively construct their understanding of the world. Information does not simply enter their minds from the environment. As children grow, additional information is acquired and they adapt their thinking to include new ideas, as this improves their understanding of the world. Piaget believed that a child’s mind passes through a series of stages of thought from infancy to adolescence.

Q1: According to Jean Piaget, how do children understand the world around them?
Ans:

• Children actively construct their understanding of the world, according to Jean Piaget.
• Information doesn't just enter their minds; instead, they actively engage with their environment and experiences to comprehend the world.

Q2: How do children adapt their thinking as they grow, according to Piaget's theory?
Ans:

• As children grow, they acquire additional information and adapt their thinking to incorporate new ideas.
• This adaptive process enhances their understanding of the world, allowing them to accommodate new knowledge into their existing cognitive frameworks.

Q3: According to Piaget, what is the concept of stages of thought in a child's mind?
Ans:

• Piaget proposed that a child’s mind progresses through a series of stages of thought from infancy to adolescence.
• Each stage represents a distinct way of thinking and understanding the world, and children move through these stages as they develop cognitively.

Passage - 7

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The child assumes the toy does not exist. According to Piaget, children at this stage do not go beyond their immediate sensory experience, i.e. lack object permanence — the awareness that the objects continue to exist when not perceived. Gradually by 8 months of age the child starts pursuing the object partially covered in her/his presence. The basis of verbal communication seems to be present in infants. Vocalisation begins with the infant’s babbling, sometime between 3 to 6 months of age.

Q1: What is object permanence, as described in the passage?
Ans:

• Object permanence is the awareness that objects continue to exist even when they are not perceived.
• According to Piaget, children in the early stage lack object permanence, meaning they do not understand that objects continue to exist beyond their immediate sensory experience.

Q2: At what age do children typically start demonstrating object permanence, according to the information provided?
Ans:

• Children gradually develop object permanence by 8 months of age.
• At this stage, they begin to pursue objects that are partially covered in their presence, indicating an understanding that the object still exists even when partially hidden.

Q3: What is the basis of verbal communication in infants, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• The basis of verbal communication in infants starts with babbling, which typically begins between 3 to 6 months of age.
• Babbling represents the early vocalizations of infants and marks the beginning of their journey towards developing verbal communication skills.

Passage - 8

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The close emotional bond of affection that develop between infants and their parents (caregivers) is called attachment. In a classic study by Harlow and Harlow (1962), baby monkeys were separated from their mothers approximately 8 hours after birth. The baby monkeys were placed in experimental chambers and reared for 6 months by surrogate (substitute) “mothers”, one made of wire and the other of cloth. Half the baby monkeys were fed by the wire mother, half by the cloth mother. Regardless of whether they were fed by the wire or the cloth mother the baby monkeys showed a preference for the cloth mother and spent a lot more time with her. 

Q1: What is the term used to describe the emotional bond between infants and their parents or caregivers, as per the passage?
Ans: The close emotional bond between infants and their parents or caregivers is called attachment.

Q2: Briefly explain the findings from the study conducted by Harlow and Harlow (1962) with baby monkeys.
Ans:

• Baby monkeys were separated from their mothers shortly after birth and were raised for 6 months by surrogate mothers, one made of wire and the other of cloth.
• Regardless of which surrogate mother provided food, the baby monkeys showed a clear preference for the cloth mother and spent significantly more time with her.

Q3: What did the study by Harlow and Harlow (1962) reveal about the importance of attachment in infant behavior?
Ans:

• The study demonstrated that the quality of attachment is not solely based on the source of nourishment.
• It emphasized the significance of comfort, emotional connection, and security in forming attachment bonds, highlighting the importance of emotional factors in the development of attachment between infants and their caregivers.

Passage - 9

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Early development follows two principles : (i) development proceeds cephalocaudally, i.e. from the cephalic or head region to the caudal or tail region. Children gain control over the upper part of the body before the lower part. This is why you would notice that the infant’s head is proportionately larger than her/his body during early infancy or if you see an infant crawling, s/he will use the arms first and then shift to using the legs, (ii) growth proceeds from the centre of body and moves towards the extremities or more distal regions — the proximodistal trend, i.e. children gain control over their torso before their extremities.

Q1: According to the principles mentioned in the passage, how does development proceed in early stages?
Ans: Development follows two principles:

• Cephalocaudally: Development proceeds from the head region to the tail region. Control over the upper part of the body occurs before the lower part. For instance, infants gain control over their arms before their legs.
• Proximodistally: Growth starts from the center of the body and moves towards the extremities. Control over the torso is gained before control over the extremities.

Q2: Why is an infant's head proportionately larger than the body during early infancy, as per the principles described?
Ans:

• An infant's head is proportionately larger than the body during early infancy due to the cephalocaudal principle, where development progresses from the head region to the tail region.
• Control over the head and upper body occurs before control over the lower body.

Q3: How does the proximodistal trend manifest in a child's motor development?
Ans:

• In the proximodistal trend, children gain control over their torso before their extremities. For example, infants first gain control over their core muscles before developing fine motor skills in their hands and fingers.
• This trend signifies the progression of motor skills from the center of the body towards the more distal regions.

Passage - 10

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As the child grows and is approximately between 7 and 11 years of age (the period of middle and late childhood) intuitive thought is replaced by logical thought. This is the stage of concrete operational thought, which is made up of operations — mental actions that allow the child to do mentally what was done physically before. Concrete operations are also mental actions that are reversible. In a wellknown test, the child is presented with two identical balls of clay. One ball is rolled by the experimenter into a long thin strip and the other ball remains in its original shape. On being asked which has more clay, the child of 7 or 8 years, would answer that, both have the same amount of clay.

Q1: What characterizes the stage of concrete operational thought in children, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Concrete operational thought is characterized by the replacement of intuitive thought with logical thought in children between 7 and 11 years of age.
• This stage involves mental actions known as operations, allowing children to perform mentally what was previously done physically. These operations are also reversible, indicating a higher level of cognitive flexibility.

Q2: Can you describe a specific example mentioned in the passage that illustrates concrete operational thought?
Ans:

• In a well-known test, a child is presented with two identical balls of clay. One ball is rolled into a long thin strip, while the other remains in its original shape.
• When asked which ball has more clay, a child aged 7 or 8 in the concrete operational stage would correctly answer that both balls have the same amount of clay, demonstrating an understanding of conservation of quantity.

Q3: What mental abilities are involved in concrete operational thought, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Concrete operational thought involves mental actions known as operations, which allow children to mentally manipulate objects and concepts.
• These mental actions are reversible, indicating that children in this stage can perform cognitive tasks in a flexible and logical manner.

Passage - 11

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Adolescence is commonly defined as the stage of life that begins at the onset of puberty, when sexual maturity, or the ability to reproduce is attained. It has been regarded as a period of rapid change, both biologically and psychologically. Though the physical changes that take place during this stage are universal, the social and psychological dimensions of the adolescent’s experiences depend on the cultural context.

Q1: How is adolescence commonly defined in terms of biological changes, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescence is defined as the stage of life that begins at the onset of puberty, when sexual maturity and the ability to reproduce are attained.
• It is a period marked by rapid biological and psychological changes.

Q2: What aspects of adolescence are influenced by the cultural context, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• While the physical changes during adolescence are universal, the social and psychological dimensions of adolescent experiences depend on the cultural context.
• Social and psychological aspects such as identity formation, social roles, and expectations vary across cultures and can influence the experiences of adolescents.

Q3: Why is adolescence considered a period of rapid change, as stated in the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescence is regarded as a period of rapid change both biologically and psychologically.
• Biologically, it involves significant physical changes related to sexual maturity and reproductive ability.
• Psychologically, adolescents experience various emotional, cognitive, and social changes as they transition from childhood to adulthood.

Passage - 12

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Physical Development : Puberty or sexual maturity marks the end of childhood and signifies the beginning of adolescence, which is characterised by dramatic physical changes in both, growth rate, and sexual characteristics. However, puberty is not a sudden event, but is part of a gradual process. The hormones released during puberty result in the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics. The primary sex characteristics include those directly related to reproduction and the secondary sex characteristics include features or signs of achieving sexual maturity. Pubertal changes in boys are marked by acceleration in growth, facial hair, and changes in voice. In girls, rapid growth in height usually begins about two years before menarche, the onset of menstruation.

Q1: What marks the end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence in terms of physical development, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Puberty or sexual maturity marks the end of childhood and the start of adolescence.
• Puberty is characterized by dramatic physical changes, including changes in growth rate and sexual characteristics.

Q2: How are primary and secondary sexual characteristics defined in the context of puberty?
Ans:

• Primary sex characteristics: These are directly related to reproduction and include organs such as the testes in males and ovaries in females.
• Secondary sex characteristics: These are features or signs of achieving sexual maturity and include changes like facial hair growth and changes in voice in boys, and rapid growth in height and the onset of menstruation in girls.

Q3: Can you describe some of the specific pubertal changes mentioned for boys and girls in the passage?
Ans:

• Boys: Pubertal changes in boys include acceleration in growth, the development of facial hair, and changes in voice.
• Girls: Girls experience rapid growth in height, usually beginning about two years before menarche, which is the onset of menstruation.

Passage - 13

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During adolescence a detachment process enables the individual to develop a personalised set of beliefs that are uniquely her or his own. In the process of achieving an identity the adolescent could experience conflict with parents and within herself or himself. Those adolescents who can cope with the conflicting identities develop a new sense of self. Adolescents who are not able to cope with this identity crisis are confused. This “identity confusion”, according to Erikson, can lead to individuals isolating themselves from peers and family; or they may lose their identity in the crowd. Adolescents on one hand, may desire independence but may also be afraid of it and show a great deal of dependence on their parents.

Q1: What is the purpose of the detachment process during adolescence, according to the passage?
Ans:

• The detachment process in adolescence enables individuals to develop a personalized set of beliefs and values unique to them.
• It plays a crucial role in the formation of a distinct identity for the individual.

Q2: What can the conflict experienced during the process of achieving identity lead to, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescents experiencing conflict with parents and within themselves may develop a new sense of self if they can cope with the conflicting identities.
• However, those unable to cope may experience "identity confusion," potentially leading to isolation from peers and family, or losing their identity in a crowd.

Q3: What contradictory feelings do adolescents often experience regarding independence and dependence, as stated in the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescents desire independence but might also be afraid of it, leading to a conflict between the need for freedom and the dependence on their parents.
• This ambivalence can result in complex emotional experiences and behaviors during adolescence.

Passage - 14

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During adolescence peer influence, new gained freedom, unresolved problems may create difficulties for many of you. Conforming to peer pressure can be both positive and negative. Adolescents are often confronted with decisions regarding smoking, drugs, alcohol, and breaking parental rules, etc. These decisions are taken without much regard to the effect they can have. Adolescents may face periods of uncertainty, loneliness, self-doubt, anxiety, and concern about themselves and their future, they are also likely to experience excitement, joy, and feelings of competence as they overcome the developmental challenges.

Q1: What challenges related to peer influence are faced by adolescents, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescents experience difficulties due to peer influence, newfound freedom, and unresolved problems.
• Conforming to peer pressure can have both positive and negative consequences.
• They are often confronted with decisions related to smoking, drugs, alcohol, and breaking parental rules, sometimes without considering the potential effects.

Q2: What range of emotions do adolescents commonly experience during this period, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescents may face periods of uncertainty, loneliness, self-doubt, anxiety, and concern about themselves and their future.
• Additionally, they are likely to experience excitement, joy, and feelings of competence as they overcome developmental challenges.

Q3: How does peer influence impact decision-making in adolescents, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Adolescents, influenced by peers, may make decisions without much consideration for the consequences.
• Peer pressure can lead to decisions related to smoking, drugs, alcohol, and rule-breaking, sometimes without adequate awareness of the potential effects of their choices.

Passage - 15

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The addictive powers of nicotine make it difficult to stop smoking. It has been found that adolescents who are more vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, and nicotine use, are impulsive, aggressive, anxious, depressive, and unpredictable, have low self-esteem, and low expectation for achievement. Peer pressure and the need to be with their peer group make the adolescent either go along with their demands to experiment with drugs, alcohol, and smoking or be ridiculed. 

Q1: What makes it difficult for adolescents to quit smoking, as stated in the passage?
Ans: The addictive nature of nicotine makes it challenging for individuals, including adolescents, to stop smoking.

Q2: What are some characteristics of adolescents who are more vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, and nicotine use, according to the passage?
Ans:

• Vulnerable adolescents tend to be impulsive, aggressive, anxious, depressive, and unpredictable.
• They often have low self-esteem and low expectations for achievement, making them more susceptible to substance abuse.

Q3: How does peer pressure influence adolescents' decisions related to experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and smoking, as per the passage?
Ans:

• Peer pressure and the need to be accepted within their peer group often compel adolescents to go along with demands to experiment with drugs, alcohol, and smoking.
• The fear of being ridiculed can further push adolescents to engage in these behaviors to fit in with their peers.