Lifespan development week 1
Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates the strongest relationship between two variables. -.90 -.50 +.80 +.25
-.90
As a scientific researcher, you want to find out when children learn to read. Based on what you've learned about the scientific method:
Ideally you would study a random sample of children
correlation
Remember, correlation is not causation. A correlation coefficient only tells you about relationships between variables, not if one causes the other.
informed consent
a process of informing a research participant what to expect during a study, any risks involved, and the implications of the research, and then obtaining the person's agreement to participate
survey
asking a standard set of questions to a group of subjects
operationalized
concepts transformed into variables that can be measured in research
Dr. Thompson uses observation and surveys to study how much time children spend playing outside. The objective of this research is to
describe the occurrence of time spent playing outside.
According to Baltes' lifespan perspective, what is true about development?
development is plastic
case study
exploring a single case or situation in great detail. Information may be gathered with the use of observation, interviews, testing, or other methods to uncover as much as possible about a person or situation
variables
factors that change in value
Hawthorne effect
individuals tend to change their behavior when they know they are being watched
A researcher conducted an in-depth study of a child who was raised in isolation and had no contact with same-age peers until age 10. This researcher detailed the child's development in a number of spheres: physical/motor, language/cognitive, social and emotional. What kind of research method is this?
Case study- Case studies involve exploring a single case or situation in great detail to uncover as much as possible about a person or situation. Case studies are helpful when investigating unusual situations such as children reared in isolation.
A graduate student research team is giving an oral presentation of their research on resilience in young adults. They note that a downside of their study is that participants were recruited from the university that they attend. What makes this a study limitation?
College students are samples of convenience that are not randomly selected from the wider population and may not represent all young adults in our society.
control group
a comparison group that is equivalent to the experimental group, but is not given the independent variable
cohort
a group of people who are born at roughly the same period in a particular society. Cohorts share histories and contexts for living
IRB Institutional Review Board
a panel of experts who review research proposals for any research to be conducted in association with the institution (for example, a university)
The correlation coefficient indicates the weakest relationship when ________.
closest to zero
experiments
designed to test hypotheses in a controlled setting in efforts to explain how certain factors or events produce outcomes; the only research method that measures cause and effect relationships between variables
While one of Baltes' key principles is that development is plastic, meaning that characteristics are malleable or changeable, consider which principle describes how early events of one's childhood can be transformed by later events in one's life.
development is lifelong
A teenager bemoans, "My life is a roller coaster. I've got all this new stuff to think about and I'm not as good at things I used to do well. I think I'm making progress in one area, but I'm losing ground in another." This statement about alternating between gains and losses reflects which of Baltes' key principles of lifespan development?
development is multi- directional
You are interested in finding out if life satisfaction changes with age. You send a survey to individuals who are 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, and 85 years old in 2019 and compare their life satisfaction ratings. From what you've learned about developmental research designs:
differences found could be to age and cohort effects
nurture
environmental, social, and cultural influences on behavior
Teresa believes her cultural practices are the best and right ones, and it is difficult for her to understand the cultural practices of other societies. Tanya expresses an appreciation for cultural differences and a willingness to consider the perspectives of people in other cultures. Teresa's view demonstrates ________, while Tanya's view demonstrates ________.
ethnocentrism; cultural relativity
For funding purposes, research is done to assess the effectiveness of Head Start (preschool) programs on children's academic achievements. This type of research is:
evaluation
nonnormative influences
events that are irregular: they happen to just one person or a few people and do not follow a predictable timetable. A unique experience of an individual whether biological or environmental that shape the development process
discontinuous development:
idea that development takes place in unique stages and occurs at specific times or ages
If cross-cultural research reveals that certain aspects of childhood physical development are the same and happen at the same ages in different countries, this would most likely be evidence for:
influence of nature on human development
content analysis
involves looking at media such as old texts, pictures, commercials, lyrics or other materials to explore patterns or themes in culture
Andrea's brain has recently reached its adult size, though it continues to develop; her body's growth has slowed down for now, and her motor skills are more coordinated. She is busy with learning and testing in school; her friendships with other girls are especially important. Considering all of this information, Andrea is probably in this period of human development:
middle childhood
Iminathi and all of her siblings are being raised by their grandmother (with few resources) because both of their parents have died from complications of AIDS. This is very common in recent years in South Africa, as many adults have died due to the AIDS/HIV epidemic, leaving their children to be raised by grandparents. According to Baltes' contextual paradigm, this best exemplifies:
normative history graded influence
correlation coefficient
number from -1 to +1, indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between variables, and usually represented by r
A theorist proposes that children learn language by observing and imitating their parents, who in turn reinforce the sounds and words their children produce. In the nature versus nurture debate, where does this theorist's proposal fit?
nurture Scientists do believe that there is an interaction between our genes and our environment, such that our unique experiences in our environment influence whether and how particular genetic traits are expressed, and at the same time, our genes influence how we interact with our environment. In this example, consider the singular focus on the role of parents in children's language learning.
attrition
occurs when participants fail to complete all portions of a study
correlational research
research design with the goal of identifying patterns of relationships, but not cause and effect
evaluation research
research designed to assess the effectiveness of policies or programs
independent variable
something that is manipulated or introduced by the researcher to the experimental group; treatment or intervention
hypotheses
specific statements or predictions about the relationship between variables
Which statement best illustrates a negative correlation between the number of hours spent watching TV the week before an exam and the grade on that exam?
students who watch more television perform more poorly on their exams
experimental group
the group of participants in an experiment who receive the independent variable
continuous development
the idea that development is a progressive and cumulative process, gradually improving on existing skills
nature
the influences of biology and genetics on behavior
dependent variable
the outcome or variable that is supposedly affected by the independent variable
correlation
the relationship between two or more variables; when two variables are correlated, one variable changes as the other does
negative correlation
two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes smaller; a negative correlation is not the same thing as no correlation
positive correlation
two variables change in the same direction, both becoming either larger or smaller
nonnormative influences
unpredictable influences not tied to a certain developmental time, personally or historical period
In a study of children, let's suppose that researchers found a positive correlation (r= .63) between creativity and resilience. How is this finding interpreted?
Children who score higher on measures of creativity also score higher on measures of resilience.
early childhood
Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years and includes ages 2 to 5 or 6. This period precedes formal schooling. Consider which period is connected to children's involvement in the early grades of school.
Longitudinal research
Longitudinal research tends to be expensive and time consuming. Longitudinal research has the advantage of allowing researchers to examine changes with age over time.
nonnormative: normative history graded
Nonnormative influences are the unique experiences of an individual, whether biological or environmental, that shape the development process. Normative history-graded influences are associated with a specific time period that define the broader context in which an individual develops. While both may impact a person's views, there are more specific terms for one's views on different cultures.
Research indicates that family education, income, and occupation strongly influence the academic achievement gap across racial/ethnic groups. Which contextual influence on development does this exemplify?
Socioeconomic status is a way to identify families and households based on their shared levels of education, income, and occupation. While there are certainly individual differences, members of a social class tend to share similar parenting styles, stressors, and other aspects of daily life.
Baltes' key principles of lifespan development
While one of Baltes' key principles is that a complex interplay of biological, cognitive, and socioemotional factors influence development across the lifespan, consider which principle describes alternating between gains (growth) and losses (decline). Development is multi-directional *not multi-dimensional*
scatterplot
a plot or mathematical diagram consisting of data points that represent two variables
double-blind
a research design in which neither the participants nor the researchers know whether an individual is assigned to the experimental group or the control group
observational studies
also called naturalistic observation, involves watching and recording the actions of participants
lifespan perspective
an approach to studying development which emphasizes that development is lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, contextual, and multidisciplinary
secondary content analysis
archival research, involves analyzing information that has already been collected or examining documents or media to uncover attitudes, practices or preferences
Height and weight are positively correlated. This means that ________
as height increases typically weight increases
normative age graded influences
biological and environmental factors that have a strong correlation with chronological age
culture
blueprint or guideline shared by a group of people that specifies how to live; passed down from generation to generation; learned from parents and others
Using the scientific method, researchers should
build upon earlier research to enhance understanding of a topic.
Using the scientific method, researchers should
build upon earlier research to enhance understanding of a topic. The scientific method involves continuously renewing our understanding of the topics in question and an ongoing investigation of how and why events occur. Findings from scientific research can inform healthcare recommendations.
selective attrition
certain groups of individuals may tend to drop out more frequently resulting in the remaining participants no longer being representative of the whole population
Parents track the number of new words their toddler learns each day and are surprised by how many new words their child has learned at the end of one month. By charting their child's language development, these parents are showing an interest in the ________ of human development.
cognitive domain -The cognitive domain involves learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity.
sequential research design
combines aspects of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, but also adding new cohorts at different times of measurement; allows for analyses to consider effects of age, cohort, time of measurement, and socio-historical change
A team of researchers is interested in studying changes in parenting style over time, as children and parents grow older. One researcher states, "If we choose a ________, then it would be less time consuming and expensive. Another researcher comments, "If we choose that design, then we have measurements of parenting style for one point in time, and we can't be sure about changes with age over time." They are discussing the advantages and disadvantages of which research design?
cross-sectional research design
A talk show host likes to interview guests who thought their course in life was set and determined by challenges they experienced as children and teens, but who later encountered situations and opportunities that transformed their lives into something they could not have envisioned earlier in life. This talk show host's approach is aligned with Baltes' key principle of lifespan development that ________.
development is lifelong
While most human development theorists and researchers have focused on infancy and childhood, and some on adolescence, others have explored development over the course of one's entire life, which aligns with Baltes' key principle of lifespan development that ________.
development is lifelong
Brain training programs, which are used to reverse cognitive decline seen in aging, capitalize on the brain's lifelong capacity to reorganize cortical tissue, which aligns with Baltes' key principle of lifespan development that ________.
development is plastic
normative history-graded influences
influences associated with a specific time period that define the broader bio-cultural context in which an individual develops
quantitative research
involves numerical data that are quantified using statistics to understand and report what has been studied
In a psychotherapy session, Adrienne talks with her therapist about the stress of raising two young children who are involved in competitive sports and preparing for standardized tests, while caring for her parents who are experiencing ill health, including early signs of dementia. Adrienne's therapist normalizes her experience as part of the "sandwiched generation," sandwiched between caring for young kids and aging parents. Adrienne is in the ________ period of human development.
middle adulthood
Michael's grandfather was teaching Michael how to drive a car. At first, Michael was frustrated because his grandfather's reactions and driving were rather slow; his grandfather explained that while he's not as fast as he used to be, he is more careful in his driving in later life. When Michael followed his grandfather's example and avoided hitting another car due to his cautious driving, he appreciated his grandfather's slow, but careful driving. This difference in ability involving the loss of speed but gain of caution best illustrates Baltes' principle that development is:
multi-directional
A theorist proposes that children learn language by observing and imitating their parents, who in turn reinforce the sounds and words their children produce. In the nature versus nurture debate, where does this theorist's proposal fit?
nurture
A pediatrician provides parents with a chart that plots changes in their child's height and weight over time. This growth chart represents a ________ in human development.
physical domain The physical domain involves growth and changes in the body and brain, the senses, motor skills, and health and wellness. Pediatricians consult height and weight charts that estimate if babies, children, and teens are growing within normative ranges of physical development.
Jesse recently started elementary school and is forming new relationships with other children and the teacher. Social comparisons with schoolmates begin to influence Jesse's self-esteem. The changes described here best illustrate Jesse's development in the ________ domain of human development.
psychosocial
descriptive studies
research focused on describing an occurrence
correlational research
research that formally tests whether a relationship exists between two or more variables, however, correlation does not imply causation
experimental research
research that involves randomly assigning people to different conditions and using hypothesis testing to make inferences about how these conditions affect behavior; the only method that measures cause and effect between variables
explanatory studies
research that tries to answer the question "why"
Question The National Institutes of Health released a large dataset from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, or the ABCD Study. Now researchers from around the world have access to this data and can conduct ________ on various factors related to brain, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
secondary content analysis
longitudinal research
studying a group of people who may be of the same age and background (cohort), and measuring them repeatedly over a long period of time; may confound age and time of measurement effects
Jaime is a graduate student who will be conducting research on infants and emotions for her master's degree. Jaime and her graduate school advisor have developed the plan for her research and her advisor reminds Jaime that the first thing she needs to do is to:
submit her proposal for review by the institutional review board at the university
cross sectional research
used to examine behavior in participants of different ages who are tested at the same point in time; may confound age and cohort differences
validity
when something yields accurate results
reliability
when something yields consistent results
A researcher wants to know as much as possible about Mr. Jackson, who is a middle-aged adult with extraordinary memory abilities. Various tests, interviews, and other methods are used to gather in-depth data about Mr. Jackson and his memory. From what you have learned about research methods, ________.
findings about Mr Jackson may not be generalizable to other people.
qualitative research
theoretical ideas are "grounded" in the experiences of the participants, who answer open-ended questions
Researchers conducted an experiment to study the effects of sleep training on sleep duration and quality. They randomly assigned some participants to a treatment condition where they received eight sessions of sleep enhancement training and some participants to a control condition where they did not receive the training. If the participants who received sleep enhancement training had better sleep duration and quality than the people who did not receive the training, then the researcher can conclude that the training works. What advantage of experimental research does this demonstrate?
Experimental research helps establish cause and effect relationships. The major advantage of the experimental design is that it helps to establish cause and effect relationships.
A couple arrives at a research lab to participate in a research study of psychosocial factors related to relationship satisfaction. After they learn about the study, they are asked to review a(n) ________, which reviews the procedures to be used in the research, any expected risks or benefits, and serves as a contract stating that they agree to participate in research.
informed consent statement-An informed consent statement is a contract stating that participants agree to take part in research after learning about a study. As part of this process, participants are informed of the procedures to be used in the research, along with any expected risks or benefits.
As an elementary school student, Hayden's life revolves around learning and testing new academic skills, refining motor skills, and developing social relationships with friends and students outside of the family. Hayden is in the ________ period of human development.
middle childhood
Let's suppose that developmental researchers found a correlation coefficient of r = +.85 between how often parents read to their young children and the size of children's vocabulary. What conclusion could you accurately make from this information?
parents reading to young children causes an increase in the childs vocabulary
Researchers are interested in whether a new tutoring program can improve students' scores on math tests. All students were given math tests at the beginning. Then half of the students were randomly assigned to a group and given the new tutoring program; the other half were randomly assigned to another group and did not receive any tutoring. All students were given math tests again. Which of the following statements is true?
the assignment or lack of assignment to the new tutoring program is the independent variable
research design
the strategy or blueprint for deciding how to collect and analyze information; dictates which methods are used and how
