Worksheet Solutions: Human Development | Psychology Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Fill in the Blanks

Q1: Development involves both __________ and __________ changes.
Ans: physical and psychological
Development means changes in both our body and mind. Physical changes include things like growing taller or getting stronger. Mental (or psychological) changes involve thinking, feeling, and learning. Both types of changes help shape who we are as we grow up.

Q2: According to the life-span perspective, development is __________ and occurs across all age groups.
Ans: continuous

The life-span perspective says that development is a never-ending process. It starts at birth and continues all the way to old age. This view emphasizes that every stage of life, from childhood to adulthood to old age, has its own unique changes and growth.

Q3: Cognitive processes in development relate to mental activities such as __________ and __________.
Ans: thinking and problem-solving

Cognitive processes involve the ways we use our mind, such as thinking, understanding, and solving problems. These activities help us make sense of the world, learn new things, and adapt to different situations.

Q4: The interplay of biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional processes influences development throughout the __________.
Ans: lifespan

Our development is shaped by biological processes (like body and brain growth), cognitive processes (how we think and learn), and socio-emotional processes (how we relate to others and manage emotions). These three types of changes work together throughout our lives, helping us grow and adapt at every stage.

Q5: Genotype refers to a person's __________ genetic material.
Ans: inherited
A genotype is the set of genes that a person gets from their parents. These genes carry instructions that help determine unique characteristics, like eye color or height. This inherited genetic material plays a big role in shaping who we are biologically.

Q6: The immediate environment in which an individual lives is known as the __________.
Ans: microsystem

The microsystem includes the places and people a person interacts with daily, such as family, friends, teachers, and neighbors. This close environment has a direct impact on a person’s development, shaping their values, behaviors, and experiences.

Q7: According to Urie Bronfenbrenner, the culture in which an individual lives is part of the __________.
Ans: macrosystem

The macrosystem is the larger cultural and social environment in which someone lives. This includes things like the society's values, traditions, and beliefs. The macrosystem influences development by shaping the way people see the world and interact within it.

Q8: __________ is the stage of developing trust or mistrust, according to Erik Erikson.
Ans: Infancy

Erik Erikson's theory of development suggests that infancy is the stage where a child learns to trust or distrust others. This happens through experiences with caregivers. If a caregiver is consistent and caring, the child learns to trust people and feel safe. If not, the child may develop mistrust toward people and the world.

Q9: The growth of the brain and head occurs more rapidly than any other part of the body during __________.
Ans: infancy

During infancy, a baby’s brain and head grow faster than the rest of the body. This is because the brain needs to develop early to support important functions like seeing, hearing, and learning basic skills. This rapid growth is essential for healthy mental and physical development.

Q10: __________ refers to the child's ability to mentally represent an object that is not physically present.
Ans: Object permanence

Object permanence is the understanding that objects still exist even if we can’t see them. For example, if you hide a toy under a blanket, a child with object permanence knows the toy is still there. This concept usually develops in infancy and is important because it shows the child is starting to understand the world better.

Assertion and Reason Based

Q1: Assertion (A): Development is lifelong, taking place across all age groups.
Reason (R): Different age groups experience the same changes in development.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Ans: (b)
Development indeed continues throughout life, affecting all ages, from infancy to old age. However, different age groups experience different types of changes. For example, children develop motor skills, teenagers experience rapid hormonal changes, and older adults might focus on cognitive adjustments. The reason is incorrect because changes are not the same across all age groups.

Q2: Assertion (A): Genes provide a distinct blueprint for the development of an individual.
Reason (R): Genes exist in isolation and are not influenced by the environment.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Ans: (d)
Genes do provide a blueprint for individual characteristics like height or eye color, forming a foundation for development. However, genes are not isolated; they interact with environmental factors like nutrition, lifestyle, and experiences. This interplay affects how genetic traits are expressed.

Q3: Assertion (A): The mesosystem consists of relations between different contexts in a child's development.
Reason (R): The exosystem includes the child's immediate environment.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Ans: (a)

 The mesosystem includes the interactions between various parts of a child's immediate environments, such as the connection between home and school. However, the exosystem does not consist of the child’s immediate environment but instead includes settings that indirectly influence the child, like a parent’s workplace.

Q4: Assertion (A): Object permanence is the awareness that objects continue to exist when not perceived.
Reason (R): Children in the preoperational stage of cognitive development lack object permanence.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Ans: (a)

Object permanence is indeed the understanding that objects still exist even when they’re out of sight, and it develops during the sensorimotor stage, not the preoperational stage. By the time children reach the preoperational stage, they typically have developed object permanence.

Q5: Assertion (A): Children's moral thinking is relatively inflexible during the concrete operational stage.
Reason (R): At this stage, children can think about alternatives when solving problems.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Ans: (b)
Children in the concrete operational stage start to develop logical thinking skills and can consider different options when solving problems. However, their moral thinking can be rigid, often viewing rules as fixed and absolute. The ability to consider alternatives in problem-solving does not directly explain the inflexibility in moral thinking at this stage
`

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Define development.
Ans: Development refers to the systematic and progressive changes that occur in individuals over the course of their lifespan, encompassing physical, cognitive, and socioemotional domains.

Q2: What is the life-span perspective on development?
Ans: The life-span perspective on development means that it takes place across all age groups, from conception to old age, and involves both gains and losses.

Q3: Explain the concept of genotype and phenotype.
Ans: Genotype is a person's inherited genetic material, while phenotype is how it is expressed in observable characteristics.

Q4: What is the role of cognitive processes in development?
Ans: Cognitive processes in development include mental activities like knowing, perception, and problem solving.

Q5: Define Bronfenbrenner's microsystem and mesosystem.
Ans: Bronfenbrenner's microsystem is the immediate environment, and the mesosystem consists of relations between these contexts.

Q6: What is object permanence, and which developmental stage is it associated with?
Ans: Object permanence is the awareness that objects continue to exist when not perceived and is typically lacking in infants.

Q7: Describe the proximodistal trend in physical development.
Ans: The proximodistal trend is the development from the center of the body to the extremities.

Q8: What is egocentrism in Piaget's theory?
Ans: Egocentrism is the tendency to see the world only from one's perspective, typical of young children.

Q9: Define attachment in the context of socioemotional development.
Ans: Attachment is a close emotional bond of affection between infants and parents or caregivers.

Q10: What are Kohlberg's stages of moral development?
Ans: Kohlberg's stages of moral development include preconventional, conventional, and postconventional stages.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Discuss the interplay of biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional processes in human development.
Ans: Development is influenced by biological, cognitive, and socio-emotional processes. Biological processes involve physical growth and changes, cognitive processes relate to mental activities, and socio-emotional processes involve interactions with others and emotional changes. These processes are interwoven throughout the life-span.

Q2: Explain the role of environmental factors in development according to Bronfenbrenner's contextual view.
Ans: Bronfenbrenner's contextual view emphasizes that an individual's development is significantly affected by the complex world that surrounds them. This includes the microsystem (immediate environment), mesosystem (relations between contexts), exosystem (events in social settings not directly participated in), macrosystem (culture), and chronosystem (events in the individual's life course and socio-historical circumstances).

Q3: Describe the differences between genotype and phenotype, providing an example of each.
Ans: Genotype refers to a person's genetic heritage, which is inherited from their parents. Phenotype is how an individual's genotype is expressed in observable characteristics, influenced by both genetic traits and the environment.

Q4: Discuss the significance of attachment in a child's socioemotional development.
Ans: Attachment in socio-emotional development refers to the close emotional bond of affection that develops between infants and their parents or caregivers. It's not solely based on providing nourishment but on responsive and sensitive parenting.

Q5: Explain Piaget's preoperational stage of cognitive development, including the concept of object permanence.
Ans: Piaget's preoperational stage is characterized by a child's inability to think abstractly and their lack of object permanence. Children in this stage rely on their senses and concrete experiences to understand the world.

Q6: Describe the proximodistal trend in physical development during childhood.
Ans: The proximodistal trend in physical development during childhood means that children gain control over the upper part of the body before the lower part. It's related to the maturation of the nervous system.

Q7: Explain how egocentrism and animism are related to cognitive development in early childhood.
Ans: Egocentrism and animism are characteristics of children's thinking during the preoperational stage in Piaget's theory. Egocentrism is the inability to see the world from others' perspectives, and animism is the belief that all things are living.

Q8: Discuss the stages of moral development according to Kohlberg.
Ans: Kohlberg's stages of moral development include preconventional (focused on obedience and self-interest), conventional (focused on societal norms and approval), and postconventional (focused on ethical principles and individual rights).

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1: Discuss the prenatal stage of development, including the influence of genetic and environmental factors and the concept of teratogens.
Ans: The prenatal stage encompasses the period from conception to birth, lasting about 40 weeks. Development during this stage is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors provide the blueprint for development, but environmental influences can affect the process. Teratogens are environmental agents that can disrupt normal development, leading to serious abnormalities or even death. For example, drug use during pregnancy can harm the fetus. The impact of radiation and certain chemicals in industrial areas can result in permanent genetic changes. Environmental pollutants like carbon monoxide, mercury, and lead can also pose dangers to the unborn child.

Q2: Explain the cognitive development in early childhood according to Piaget, including the transition from preoperational thought to concrete operational thought. 
Ans: Piaget's theory of cognitive development highlights the preoperational stage, occurring in early childhood. During this stage, children start to represent objects mentally but lack logical thought. Object permanence, the understanding that objects exist even when not seen, is yet to fully develop. Children's thinking is egocentric, focusing on their perspective and exhibiting animism. However, as they transition into the concrete operational stage, they become capable of more logical, flexible, and concrete thought processes. They can also consider others' perspectives and understand that there are multiple ways to view things.

Q3: Describe the socio-emotional development of children in early childhood, focusing on the development of self, gender identity, and moral understanding.
Ans: Socio-emotional development in early childhood involves the development of self-concept, gender identity, and moral understanding. Children begin to define themselves physically and psychologically, including social aspects of self and self-comparisons. Self-initiated activities and responsive parenting play a crucial role in developing a sense of initiative or guilt, according to Erikson. The child's understanding of right and wrong, as well as empathy and moral reasoning, are components of moral development, which can be assessed using Kohlberg's stages.

Q4: Analyze the physical development in childhood, including the proximodistal trend and the role of motor skills and brain growth.
Ans: Physical development in childhood shows a pattern of growth from the center of the body towards the extremities, known as the proximodistal trend. Motor skills, including fine and gross motor skills, improve as the nervous system matures. Brain growth is rapid, leading to the development of abilities like eye-hand coordination and cognitive skills. Children also experience a transition from egocentric and animistic thinking to more logical and concrete thought processes. The growing cognitive abilities facilitate language acquisition, and children become more involved in social systems, such as family and peer groups. These changes mark the development of children during childhood.