Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Early Childhood Education Practice Test

What does evolutionary developmental psychology apply to human development?

1. Behavior modification techniques

2. Psychological resilience strategies

3. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution

4. Freud's psychosexual stages

The correct answer is: Charles Darwin's theory of evolution

The correct choice applies the principles of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to human development. Evolutionary developmental psychology examines how evolutionary processes shape the ways in which humans grow and develop over time. This field of study emphasizes the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence development, focusing on the adaptive significance of behaviors and developmental stages throughout human life. By understanding development through an evolutionary lens, researchers can analyze how certain traits and behaviors may have been beneficial for survival and reproduction in various environments. The other choices involve important concepts in psychology and education but do not align with the foundational theories of evolutionary developmental psychology. Behavior modification techniques focus on altering behavior through reinforcement and punishment rather than developmental processes. Psychological resilience strategies are concerned with how individuals cope with adversity and stress, which is a different aspect of human functioning. Freud's psychosexual stages are part of psychoanalytic theory and primarily address personality development, which does not encompass the evolutionary perspectives central to the question at hand.