5 Steps to a 5 AP Psychology, 2010-2011 Edition - Laura Lincoln Maitland [18]
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Multiple-Choice Questions
If you have progressed beyond Chapter 13 (Development) in your study of psychology and are ready to write a practice essay, try the one that follows in this book. If you haven’t studied development yet, and you really do want to write an essay, here’s a good alternative:
• Go to the College Board website at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/
• Select “AP” under College Board Tests.
• Select “Psychology” under Subjects.
• Select “Sample Questions & Scoring.”
• You will arrive at a page that typically lets you select from 5 or 6 years of exams. Choose a year for which you see Scoring Guidelines available so that you’ll be able to score your response.
• Free-response question #1 for 2006 deals with research methods. This is a topic generally studied early in the course, so it might be an appropriate practice essay for you.
Essay Scoring Directions
Score your essay using this eight-point rubric or guide. Award yourself a point for each segment you answered correctly.
This essay has eight points:
Point 1: Define continuity or communicate its meaning.
Continuity is gradual or cumulative or quantitative change.
Point 2: Define discontinuity or communicate its meaning.
Discontinuity is distinct or qualitative change, or stages.
Point 3: Describe cognitive development.
Cognitive development is characterized by changes in thinking and the way people process information as they grow from birth to death.
Point 4: Give an example of a theory of cognitive development that supports continuity.
Vygotsky’s theory supports continuity.
Point 5: Give an example of a theory of cognitive development that supports discontinuity.
Piaget’s theory supports discontinuity.
Point 6: Describe personality development.
Personality development is characterized by changes in unique behaviors, attitudes, and emotions as an individual grows from birth to death.
Point 7: Give an example of a theory of personality development that supports continuity.
Behavioral studies support continuity. Kagan’s studies support continuity for temperament, activity level.
Point 8: Give an example of a theory of personality development that supports discontinuity.
Stage theories support discontinuity.
Sample Full-Credit Essay
The controversy of continuity versus discontinuity deals with the question of whether development is gradual with change accumulating until we die, or a sequence of discrete stages that differ in kind, structure, or organization.
Cognitive development refers to development of the ability to think and know. Lev Vygotsky thought that cognitive change is continuous. His sociocultural theory highlights the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which is the distance between what a child can master on his/her own and what a child can master with the assistance of others. Working close to the upper limit of a child’s capability, the instructor and child work closely together to reach that goal and then, through continued practice, the child is able to attain the goal more and more independently. When the goal is achieved without help, then that goal becomes the new lower limit for a new ZPD. So, in Vygotsky’s theory, cognitive development is gradual or continuous.
On the other hand, Jean Piaget in his theory of cognitive development thought that cognitive development is marked by stages during which children have different abilities. He named four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. During the sensorimotor stage, babies are unable to use symbols, whereas once in the preoperational stage, young children can.
Personality refers to the unique behaviors, attitudes, and emotions of an individual. Theorists who support continuity think that change in an individual’s personality over time is gradual, whereas theorists who