Sigmund Freud constructed his psychosexual theory __________.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Sigmund Freud constructed his psychosexual theory on the basis of his adult patients' memories of painful childhood events. Freud believed that events in early childhood had a significant impact on an individual's development and personality. He used his patients' recollections of childhood experiences to develop his theories on psychosexual development. Choice B is incorrect as Freud did not base his theory on studies of animal behavior. Choice C is incorrect as Freud's theory was not solely based on interviews with institutionalized children and adolescents. Choice D is incorrect as Freud did not construct his theory by observing his own children.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: According to social learning theory, children primarily learn through modeling, observation, and imitation of others. This theory emphasizes the importance of cognitive processes in learning, as opposed to only focusing on direct reinforcement or punishment. Social learning theory was developed by psychologist Albert Bandura and is a key theory in the field of child development. Choice A, reinforcement, is incorrect as it refers to the process of strengthening a behavior through rewards or punishments. Choice B, operant conditioning, is also incorrect as it is a learning process that involves reinforcement and punishment to shape behavior. Choice D, classical conditioning, is not the correct answer as it involves learning through association between stimuli.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: According to Jean Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory, children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world. Piaget emphasized that children learn through their own actions and interactions with the environment, leading to cognitive development. Choice B is incorrect because Piaget's theory focuses on children's active engagement in learning rather than passive reinforcement. Choice C is incorrect because Piaget's theory highlights the child's role in constructing knowledge, not solely relying on adult teaching. Choice D is incorrect as it refers to sensitive periods, a concept more associated with other developmental theories like Erikson's psychosocial theory, not Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Piaget's critics point out that his stagewise account pays insufficient attention to social and cultural influences. Critics argue that Piaget's theory does not fully consider the impact of social interactions, cultural differences, and individual experiences on children's cognitive development. They believe that these factors play a crucial role in shaping a child's thinking and problem-solving abilities, which should be given more emphasis. Choice A is incorrect because Piaget's critics do not focus on him overestimating the competencies of infants and young children. Choice C is incorrect as it discusses a different aspect of learning rather than the critique of Piaget's theory. Choice D is also incorrect since critics do not argue that children's performances on Piagetian tasks cannot be improved with training.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The criticism that the information-processing approach ignores transformation in adulthood, concluding that no major cognitive changes occur after adolescence, suggests a limitation of the theory in not fully acknowledging that cognitive development continues throughout the lifespan. This criticism highlights a potential drawback of the approach in terms of its understanding of cognitive changes beyond adolescence. Choice A is incorrect because the criticism is not about underestimating the individual's contribution. Choice C is also incorrect as the criticism is not related to age-specific competencies. Choice D is incorrect as it focuses on a different aspect of the information-processing approach.