Adult Development and Aging- Chapter 3

Cohort effects

refers to the social, historical and cultural influences that affect ppl during a particular period of time

Most Efficient Design

A set of three designs manipulating the variables of age, cohort, and time of measurement. "most efficient" because it enables the most amount of information to be condensed into the most inclusive data framework.

logistic regression

test the likelihood of an individual receiving a score on a discrete yes-no variable Logistic regression can be used to predict a dichotomous outcome (COVID, no COVID) from a set of risk factors - Chronic health conditions -Age -Risk exposure -Diet

Focus group

A meeting of respondents asked to provide feedback about a particular topic of interest. An investigator attempts to identify important themes in the discussion and keep the conversation oriented to these themes.

Epidemiology

Study of distribution and determinants of health-related states or events, and the application of this study to the control of diseases and other health problems.

Case report

Summarizes the findings from multiple sources for those individuals. Data may be integrated from interviews, psychological tests, observations, archival records, or even journal and dairy entries.

Selective Attrition

The fact that the people who drop out of a longitudinal study are not necessarily representative of the sample that was originally tested.

Validity

The test measures what it is supposed to measure. -content, criterion, construct

Descriptive Research Design

is a study designed to depict the participants in an accurate way. Includes observational, case study and survey.

Independent variable

is the factor that the researcher manipulates

Dependent variable

is the outcome that researchers observe

Qualitative Research

informal research methods, including observation, following social media sites, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and projective techniques -Structured and Unstructured Interviews -Theory guided and theory generating ex: surveys, case studies, focus groups, daily diaries, observational methods, meta-analysis

Features of the Tri-Council policy statement

1. informed consent 2. debriefing and follow up 3. fairness and equity in research participation 4.right to withdraw 5.confidentiality of data

Qualitative Studies

Allows for the exploration of such complex relationships outside the narrow restrictions and assumptions of quantitative methods. Also used in the analysis of life history info, likely to be highly varied from person to person and not easily translated into numbers.

Informed consent

Awareness of study procedures, risks, and benefits

Cohort-Sequential

Cohorts are compared at different ages designs in which adjacent segments consisting of limited longitudinal data on a specific age cohort can be linked together with similar segments from other temporally related age cohorts to determine the existence of a common developmental trend COMMON DEVELOPMENTAL TRENDS ACROSS TIME (do 30 years olds change across time similarly if they are born in 1940 versus 1970)

Lab studies

Considered the most objective way of collecting data because each participant is exposed to same treatment, using same equipment and same data recording procedures.

mediator variable

EXPLAINS the relationship between 2 other variables Age is related to meaning in life, which then relates to life satisfaction. (meaning in life is the mediator)

Survey Studies

Gain info about a sample that can then be generalized to a larger population. Typically short and easily administered with simple rating scales to use for answers.

Age

How old a person is

Terminal Decline

Individuals gradually lose their cognitive abilities as they draw closer to death.

Debriefing and suggest resources

Information at a study's completion about its true purpose suggest resources:Provide information relevant to participant's experiences

Confidentiality

Participant will not be identifiable in published reports and data will be securely stored

Daily diaries

Participants enter data on a daily basis. Data may consist of ratings on such variables as happiness, perceived stress, or interactions with friends, family, or co-workers.

path analysis

Path analysis puts all factors together in one combined test of the model Maybe you can find causality with correlations?

Observation method

Researchers draw conclusions about behavior through careful and systematic examination in particular settings. Records may be made using videotapes or behavioral records.

Meta-Analysis

Statistical procedure that allows them to combine findings from independently conducted studies.

Longitudinal Studies

Study of changes across ages in one cohort at a time In a longitudinal study, participants in one cohort are observed over time as they get older.

Cross-Sectional

Study of cohort differences at one time of measurement. Compare groups of people with different ages at one point in time

Prospective Study

Variant of the longitudinal design, researchers sample from a population of interest before they develop a particular type of illness or experience a particular type of life event. such as widowhood

Reliability

Yields consistent results every time it is used. -consistency, test-retest

Cohort

describes the year or period of a person birth

convergence validity

determine that the measure relates to other measures

Sequential design- the most efficient design

different combinations of the variables, ages,cohort and time of measurement. A "sequence of studies". two or more cohorts are followed across at least two different age periods (says something about cohort differences)

divergent validity

measure does not relate to other measures that have no theoretical relationship to it

multiple regression analysis

predictor variables are regarded as equivalent to the independent variables and the variable that is predicted is regarded as equivalent to a dependent variable

Quasi-experimental

researchers compare groups on predetermined characteristics. EX-age, sex, ethnicity, or social class differences nonrandom assignment (independent variable-age) In quasi-experimental study, participants are not randomlyassigned but are compared on the dependent variable. Studies on age can never be experimental, unfortunately!!

latent variable

stat composite of several variables that were actually measured

Time of measurement

the year of period in which a person is tested

Survey method

to gain information about a sample that can then be generalized to a larger population

Experimental Design

to study a question of interest researchers decide on conditions that will allow them to manipulate a particular independent variable. -random assignment (independent variable-condition) participants are randomly assigned to groups and the dependent variable is observed.

moderation

when 2 variables are believed to have a joint influence on a third sex and age on life satisfaction - Moderation tests the effects of factors other than age

Cross-Sequential

Cohorts are examined at different times of measurement A cross-sequential design to evaluate children's mathematical skillsmight measure a group of 5-year-olds and a group of 10-year-olds at the beginning of the research and then subsequently reassess the same children every 6 months for the next 5 years. CROSS SECTIONS OVER TIME (is there as much change in 5 years olds as 10 year olds?) different cohorts are compared at different times of testing- (Age is not a factor) BUT LOOKING FOR CHANGE (SAME PEOPLE)

Time-Sequential

Data organized by age and time of measurement scores are compared at different times of testing for groups that differ in age. (NOT LOOKING AT CHANGE IN PEOPLE, DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AGES, BUT YOU COULD ADD CHANGE) time-sequential designan experimental design to separate age effects from time-of-measurement and cohort effects (i.e., to determine if the results obtained are age-related only). In a time-sequential design, a second age group is added to a time- lag design, and two or more cross-sectional comparisons are made at different times of testing.

Archival Studies

Investigators use existing resources that contain data relevant to a question about aging. Advantage is that the info is readily accessible, especially given the growth of Web-based data sets including those of the U.S. census.

Multivariate Correlational Designs

Involves the analysis of relationships among more than two variables. Enable researchers to test models in which a set of variables is used to "predict" scores on another variable. This Multiple Linear Regression shows the additional effects on Meaning in Life of other factors in addition to Self- Acceptance- age and purpose also play a role in meaning in life

Incidence Statistics

Provide estimates of the percentage of people who first develop symptoms in a given period

Prevalence Statistics

Provide estimates of the percentage of people who have ever had symptoms in a particular period.

Correlation Designs

Relationships are observed among variables as they exist in the world

Structural Equation Modeling

Researchers test models involving relationships that include latent variables; propose a set of relationships among variables With structural equations, you can determine even more complex relationships

experimental research design

To study causality, researchers turn to experimental research • An experiment is a carefully regulated procedure in which one or more factors believed to influence the behavior being studied are manipulated, while all other factors are held constant -Experiments demonstrate cause and effect -Nonexperimental research methods (descriptive and correlational) cannot establish cause and effect because they do not involve manipulating factors in a controlled way -THERE ARE NEW WAYS TO GET AT CAUSATION WITHOUT EXPERIMENTS -Independent variable: The factor that is manipulated • Dependent variable: The factor that is measured Researchers manipulate the independent variable by giving different experiences to one or more experimental groups and one or more control groups • Experimental group: A group whose experience is manipulated• Control group: A group that is treated like the experimental group in every other way except for the manipulated factor An important principle is random assignment: assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance

simple correlation

ranges +1.00(pos correlation) to -1.00(negative correlation) cant tell cause and effect Represent degree of relationship between two variables how does self acceptance relate to meaning in life Correlations can be used to test direction of relationships (through mediation analysis only) Correlation is not causation- need multiple time points