Describe some of the major changes in brain development in middle childhood and the effects these changes have on cognition
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: The weight of the brain increases by only 10 percent during middle childhood and adolescence. Nevertheless, considerable growth occurs in certain brain structures. White matter, consisting largely of myelinated nerve fibers, rises steadily throughout childhood and adolescence, especially in the prefrontal cortex (responsible for consciousness, impulse control, integration of information, and strategic thinking), in the parietal lobes (supporting spatial abilities), and in the corpus callosum (leading to more efficient communication between the two cortical hemispheres). Gray matter, consisting mostly of neurons and supportive material, peaks in middle childhood and then declines as synaptic pruning and death of surrounding neurons proceed. Pruning and accompanying reorganization of brain circuits lead to more optimized functioning of specific brain regions and, thus, to more effective information processing. Additional brain development likely takes place at the level of neurotransmitters, chemicals that permit neurons to communicate across synapses. Over time, neurons become increasingly selective, responding only to certain chemical messages. This change may add to school-age children's more efficient thinking.
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Which of the following is NOT identified by your authors as being a factor that is associated with an increased likelihood of drinking among teenagers?
a. having parents who have an occasional drink on holidays b. having parents who drink as an important part of their social lives c. having parents who are relatively uninvolved in their lives d. having parents who set unreasonable or arbitrary standards for their teens
When he is with his friends, Ron regularly uses slang. However, during a job interview, Ron is sure to use proper English and does not use slang. What does this exemplify?
A. self-expansion theory B. impression management C. other-enhancement D. conspicuous consumption
Research suggests that leptin's main role may be to ___
a. protect against weight loss during famine b. to make weight gain less likely during abundance c. reset the BMR d. detect changes in nutritional levels in food
Dr. Baumgartner wants to study how a group of 4th graders spends time on different daily activities. He asks the children to indicate the amount of time they spend per day watching television, playing video games, and studying. This type of data-gathering technique would be an example of a(n) ________ approach to describing behavior.
Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).