Edu/Psy 3327
Final Exam Review
Students are required to construct a response to Parts I and II. Of the remaining
four parts, students are required to complete two parts. Thus, students will
complete four parts total.
I.
REQUIRED. Children’s literature: Be prepared to discuss the behavior of
a child you meet in a children’s book. You will examine the child’s behavior
in cognitive, social, and/or moral terms. 60 points possible
Choose THREE sections of text from the story. For EACH of the THREE sections,
write a well-constructed paragraph which reflects on a single, precise issue of
cognitive, social, or moral development. Thus, you will write THREE paragraphs,
each paragraph reflecting behavior from the perspective of a single, precise, and
different issue. [For example, if you choose to evaluate the child’s behavior in
relation to conservation in one section, then you may not use the concept of
conservation as the basis for evaluation in another paragraph.]
Each paragraph will be worth 20 points for a total of 60 points. Each paragraph
will be graded using the following schema:
 Does the paragraph begin with a thesis statement that clearly establishes a
relationship between the child behavior(s) and a specific aspect of the theory and
theorist to be used in evaluating those behaviors? [0 – 4 points]
 Does the paragraph offer good support for the thesis? Are the supporting
statements both reflective of an understanding of the theory and logical in their
connection to the behaviors in the story? Do the statements highlight and
analyze the appropriate behaviors in the story in their relationship to an
appropriate portion of the theory? Are precise terms from the theory/theorist
appropriately used? [0 – 8 points]
 Does the paragraph offer a legitimate personal experience [from personal
observations] that serves to appropriately connect theory to practice? [0 – 3
points]
 Does the paragraph end with a good conclusion, one that connects theory to
“experience/practice” and offers legitimate insight? [0 – 5]
II.
REQUIRED. Do Parents (or Teachers) Really Matter? 60 points
Sharon Begley, in an article in Newsweek magazine, discusses the claims of Judith
Rich Harris, author of The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way
They Do; Parents Matter Less Than You Think and Peers Matter More (464 pages.
Free Press).
Begley summarizes Harris’ claims in the following sentences:
“After parents contribute an egg or a sperm filled with DNA, she argues, virtually
nothing they do or say – no kind words or hugs, slaps or tirades; neither
permissiveness nor authoritarianism; neither encouragement nor scorn – makes a
smidgen of difference to what kind of adult the child becomes. Nothing parents do
will affect his behavior, mental health, ability to form relationships, sense of selfworth, intelligence or personality. What genes don’t do, peers do.”
A. You are required to place Judith Rich Harris’ position on a continuum
between nature and nurture. In addition, you are required to place your
theorist and other significant contributors (those theorists studied in
class, including project theorists) to the continuum. Finally, you must
establish a place for your own position on the continuum. (26 points) See
sample at the end of this document…**
B. Using the continuum as a framework, write two or three well-constructed
paragraphs in response to Harris’ claim. Be sure to integrate both theory
and practice into your paragraph. Try to develop a good position for
yourself with regard to the nature v. nurture debate using both theory
(specifically identify the portion/term of a theory …not the whole
theory/theorist) and personal experience (from observations and/or your
own life). Here is your opportunity to add “authority” and “construct
meaning” for your position with regard to the nature v. nurture debate
by selecting appropriate portions of theories you have examined this
semester and synthesizing them. In writing your paragraph, ask yourself
the following questions. (34 points)
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Do I begin with a clear statement of my position? [0 – 4 points]
Do I offer good support for the thesis? Are there substantive supporting
statements reflective of an understanding of both theory and practice and
insight from my own research)? Do I use theories, theorists, and precise
terms to develop my argument? Does my argument highlight and offer
appropriate and logical reasoning and conceptual depth (Phase III
Vygtosky)? Does my statement reflect personal meaning…as opposed to a
series of sterile statements that I found in a book or in my notes? [0 – 18
points]
 Do I offer personal experiences to connect theory to practice? [0 – 8
points]
 Do I end with a restatement of my position and a good conclusion that
connects theory to “experience/practice” in a legitimate way? [0 – 4]
III.
Matching [40 points possible]. Match the theory/theorist with the
appropriate "schemes" or associations. Indicate your choice by placing the
correct letter in the blank provided. Names may be used more than once.
Some names may not be used. One term has two theorists equally well
associated with it. [2 points each]
IV.
Multiple Choice: Read each scenario carefully, and then print the letter of
the response that most precisely reflects an understanding of the theory or
concept represented. [4 points each 40 points possible].
Terms/Concepts to Review: This list contains terms used during the semester;
however, there may be terms missing from this list. Use this list to prepare for
sections III and and IV. However, knowledge of these terms and understanding of
the key concepts involving these terms will be useful on all parts of the final exam.
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Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete operational
Formal operational
Scheme
Organization
Adaptation
Accommodation
Equilibration
Disequilibrium
Perceptual centration
Conservation
Egocentrism
Irreversibility
Object permanence
Transductive reasoning
Animism
Heteronomous morality
Autonomous morality
Noble savage
Tabula rasa
Genuine concepts
complexes
pseudoconcepts
syncretic heaps
Epigenetic principle
Pre-conventional / premoral
Conventional / Generalized
Conformity
Post-conventional /
Autonomous Level
Punishment-obedience /
Type 0
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Trust v. mistrust
Autonomy v. shame/doubt
Initiative v. guilt
Industry v. inferiority
scaffolding
Identity v. role confusion
Intimacy v. isolation
Generativity v. selfabsorption [stagnation]
Integrity v. despair
Identity moratorium
Identity achievement
Identity foreclosure
Identity diffusion
Dilemma
Male morality
Female morality
Genotype
Phenotype
Cephalocaudally
Proximodistally
Reciprocal interweaving
Functional asymmetry
Self-regulation
Preformationism
Genetic epistemology
Instrumental relativist /
Type 1 / Hedonistic Egoism
Good boy-nice girl / Type 2
Law and order / Type 3
Social contract /
Democratic Legalists
Universal ethical principle /
Conscience of Principle
Orientation
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Preconvention
Conventional
Postconventional
Ethic of care
Moral reasoning
Justice
Zone of proximal
development
Level of independent
performance
Level of assisted
performance
Sign
Semiotic mediation
Scientific concepts
Spontaneous concepts
Constructivism
Rationalism
Empiricism
Theory
Hereditarianism
Environmentalism
Maturationism
Paradigm
Continuity
Discontinuity
Genetics
Culture
Nature
Nurture
Seriation
Transitive inference
Adolescent egocentrism
Moral judgment
Ethic of care
A/not-B error
Deferred imitation
Gestalt perception
Orthogenic principle
Differentiation
Hierarchical integration
Eidetic imagery
Physiognomic perception
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Geometric-technical
perception
Microgenetic mobility
Synesthesia
Self-object differentiation
Perceptual
Conceptual
Organismic orientation
Constructivist learning
environment
Knowledge construction
Cognitive development
Crisis
Commitment
Sensitive periods
Spontaneous activity
Role of the teacher
Observational learning
Attention
Retention
Motor production
Reinforcement &
motivation
Self-efficacy
Actual performance
Vicarious experiences
Verbal persuasion
Inner speech
Egocentric speech
Mental tool
Mediator
Self-regulation
Ambiguous figures
Inhibitory control
Selective attention
Hurried Stressed
Stressor
Play
Other terms associated with
student projects
V.
October Sky. Erik Erikson uses a set of eight dichotomies to identify the stages in his
theory of psychosocial development. One of those eight stages is "identity v. role
confusion." James Marcia, elaborating on Erikson's work, suggested that there are four
alternatives for adolescents as they confront themselves and their identity. Using
Marcia's four alternatives, as discussed in class, use incidents from the movie to indicate
your understanding of the alternatives by filling in the following table. [40 points
possible.] **Remember, you can be complete this portion of the final exam in advance
and submit it upon coming to the exam IF you have met the following conditions: 1) you
attended the extra class meeting during which the movie was shown and handouts were
distributed -- or you met with and made special arrangements with course instructor to
receive the Erikson/Marcia handouts and make up the extra meeting; 2) the response to
the question is word-processed; and 3) the response is submitted upon entering the final
exam. This specific question and form for responding to this question is online available
among the links to Final Exam Resources.
VI.
Surprise….but think Vygotsky-style!
**
Nature _________________________________________________________________Nurture
Locke
Rousseau
Vygotsky/Khirallah
What about Judith Rich-Harris?
Piaget
Kohlberg
Gilligan
Erikson
Marcia
Vygotsky
Bandura
Elkind
Werner
Gesell
Goodenough
Harris
And others??
Remember you will be expected to not only draw the line but defend it – by explaining both the
theorist’s position in terms of nature – nurture and the theorist’s position in relation to the
position of other theorists.