Peter Is a Very Precocious 4-Year-Old

question 51

Multiple Choice

Peter is a very precocious 4-year-old.He is already starting to read and has the vocabulary of a 10-year-old.Peter's parents are very academic.Their house is filled with books and intellectual conversation.What is the most reasonable conclusion about the source of Peter's high intelligence?

• A) He inherited the genes for high intelligence from his parents.
• B) His parents provided the stimulation needed to develop high intelligence.
• C) His intelligence resulted from an interaction of genes and environment.
• D) Either genes or the environment could be the causal factor for his high intelligence.

---

Definitions:

Face Validity

The extent to which a test appears to measure what it is supposed to measure at face value.

Frequency

The rate at which something occurs over a particular period or in a given sample.

Functional Analysis

A behavioral technique that identifies the antecedents and consequences of behavior to determine the reason or function behind it, commonly used in behavioral psychology.

Nomothetic Approach

An approach focusing on studying what we share with others (laws or generalizations applicable to all members of a population).