Chapter 11, Problem 1RQ

Summary Introduction

Developmental psychology is a science dealing with behavioral aspects of child’s and infants and their psychological changes over the due course of time. Developmental psychology has three dimensions like physical, cognitive and socioeconomic development. Developmental psychology examines the nature of human psychology and the process of changes in it.

Answer to Problem 1RQ

Preschool student characteristics of treating a doll or stuffed animals as the live object is a sort of Animism. Therefore Option (4) is correct.

Option (4) is given as “Animism”

Explanation of Solution

Justify the reasons for the correct statement:

Animism is a psychological belief that non-living objects and creatures have a spirit as like that of living objects and treating them as a live object. Children less than 5 years old have animism psychology which makes them consider their dolls and other non-living objects as live objects and treat them in the same manner as they do to adult human beings like speaking, playing with them etc.

Hence, the correct answer is Option (4).

Justify the reasons for the incorrect statement:

Option (1) is given as “Logical reasoning.”

Logical reasoning is based on logic. Thinking of doll or stuffed animals as alive is not a logic. Hence, option (1) is incorrect.

Option (2) is given as “Egocentrism.”

Egocentrism is when someone is preoccupied in their own world. This does not have any relevance to the doll is alive. Hence, option (2) is incorrect.

Option (3) is given as “Concrete thinking.”

Concrete thinking is thinking based on facts. The doll being alive is not a fact. Hence, option (3) is incorrect.

Hence, the options (1), (2), and (3) are incorrect

Conclusion

Animism is an attribute of developmental psychology. Animism is found commonly in children’s and infants which make them treat dolls and stuffed animals as live objects. Animism psychology changes in due course of a lifetime when children are grown to adults.