Ch. 3 || Research

Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates the strongest relationship between variables? a - -.82 b - -.18 c - +.63 d - +.49

-.82

Real-Time Prospective Designs

Research designs in which the research sample is identified and then followed longitudinally over time, with data collected at specific time intervals.

Qualitative Research

Research for which the purpose is to describe, interpret, and understand the phenomenon of interest in the context in which it is experienced.

Analogue Research

Research that evaluates a specific variable of interest under conditions that only resemble or approximate the situation to which one wishes to generalize.

Random Assignment

The assignment of research participants to treatment conditions whereby each participant has an equal change of being assigned to either condition. Random assignment increases the likelihood that characteristics other than the independent variable will be equally distributed across treatment groups.

Treatment Effectiveness

The degree to which a treatment can be shown to work in actual clinical practice, as opposed to under controlled laboratory conditions.

Treatment Efficacy

The degree to which a treatment can produce changes under well-controlled conditions that depart from those typically used in clinical practice.

External Validity

The degree to which findings can be generalized, or extended to people, settings, times, measures, and characteristics other than the ones in the original study.

Internal Validity

The extent to which an intended manipulation of a variable, rather than extraneous influences, accounts for observed results, changes, or group differences.

A documentary film series that interviews the same set of people every seven years could be considered an example of which of the following?

longitudinal research

The practice of facilitated communication with autistic children is considered an example of which of the following? a - analogue research b - scientific methods c - pseudoscience d - structured interview

pseudoscience

The well-known Strange Situation procedure used to identify child attachment styles in an example of which of the following? a - cross sectional research b - structured observation c - single-case experiment d - A-B-A-B design

structured observation

At what age can a researcher first seek to obtain assent from a potential child subject?

7

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)

A design used to evaluate treatment outcomes in which children with a particular problem are randomly assigned to various treatment and control conditions.

Cohort

A group of individuals who are followed over time and who experience the same cultural or historical events during the same time period.

Assent

Evidence of some form of agreement on the part of a child to participate in a research study without the child's having the full understanding of the research that would need to give informed consent.

Natural Experiments

Experiments in which comparisons are made between preexisting conditions or treatments (i.e., random assignment is not used).

Standardization refers to which aspect of the research process?

Measurement

Which of the following best describes research correlates? a - related to negative outcomes b - related to positive outcomes c - causal factors for any outcome d - associated but not casual

associated but not casual

From an overall ethical perspective, which of the following is the primary focus when conducting research with children? a - respecting the right to privacy b - assuring the child's welfare c - protecting scientific freedom d - balancing all three factors

balancing all three factors

Which of the following provides assent for participation in research? a - parent b - child c - investigator d - review board

child

Why are ethical concerns elevated when conducting research with child subjects?

children are quite vulnerable

For research purposes, Gen Xers who grew up the United States are considered a ___________.

cohort

A child who has been diagnosed with depression and social anxiety disorder demonstrates which concept? a - concurrence b - prevalence c - convergence d - comorbidity

comorbidity

When the results of a particular method of measurement are considered reliable, they are _________.

consistent

What determines the degree of experimentation in research activity?

control

When research demonstrates a correlation between two variables that are expected to be related, the research is said to have which of the following? a - predictive validity b - convergent validity c - face validity d - construct validity

convergent validity

A one-time comparative study of children who are 7, 10, and 13 years old is an example of __________.

cross-sectional research

Which of the following did researchers employ to develop the human connectome? a - EEG b - dMRI c - fcMRI d - PET

dMRI

Which of the following correctly pairs an imaging technique with its area of focus?

dMRI - connection

The goal of qualitative research is to ___________.

describe and interpret

Data collected from pediatricians on their patients' response to a new anti-anxiety medication will be used to determine its ___________.

effectiveness

Before a new medication is approved for sale to the public, researchers must determine its _____________.

efficacy

A state-funded study that identified all Grade 10 students with an eating disorder is an example of what type of research?

epidemiological

From a scientific perspective, which of the following is the most important aspect of a theory? a - timing b - generalizability c - relevance d - evidence

evidence

The findings of a research study that can be readily be applied to members of a larger population are considered to have __________.

external validity

What is commonly the first step in conducting research into an issue related to abnormal child psychology?

forming a hypothesis

PET scans measure which of the following to track activity in the brain? a - glucose b - dopamine c - deoxyribose d - serotonin

glucose

Which of the following is NOT a rationale for the skeptical attitudes many people have toward research in abnormal child psychology? a - simplified findings b - harmful experiments c - debatable interventions d - divergent opinions

harmful experiments

Statistics that track new cases of anxiety disorders that appear in children following their exposure to a natural disaster wold be considered _______ rates.

incidence

When a couple attends a parent-teacher conference to learn how their child is performing in the classroom, what are they engaged in?

informant report

What is considered the most effective method to protect research participants?

informed consent

Why is the facilitated communication method considered by many psychology professionals to be pseudoscience?

it is not backed by research

Which type of variable is associated with the outcomes of research?

mediator

Which of the following is key to advancing formal scientific knowledge in a particular field of study? a - controlled experiments b - high correlations c - internal validity d - multiple findings

multiple findings

Which of the following terms best reflects the scientific approach to research? a - valid b - experimental c - organized d - predictive

organized

A moderator variable is associated with the ______ of other variables.

relationship

A young boy who sees his friend get hit and killed by a car and then as a teenager is afraid to learn to drive may be experiencing which of the following? a - naturalistic observation b - sleeper effect c - comorbidity d - internal consistency

sleeper effect

What should an investigator do when over the course of research the potential for causing harm to child subjects becomes apparent?

stop the research project

Which of the following carries the ultimate responsibility for the ethical integrity of a research project?

the investigator

How do the estimated lifetime prevalence rates of mental disorders gathered in prospective research relate to prevalence rates gathered in retrospective research?

they are twice as high

When developing and conducting research focused on children, when must ethical factors be considered?

throughout the process

Proponents of facilitated communication state that during this process communication is controlled by the _________, whereas controlled studies indicate that communication is controlled by the ____________.

Child; Faciltator

Moderator Variables

A factor that influences the direction or strength of a relationship between variables.

Cross-Sectional Research

A method of research whereby different individuals at different ages/stages of development are studied at the same point in time.

Longitudinal Research

A method of research whereby the same individuals are studied at different ages/stages of development.

Correlation Coefficient

A number that describes the degree of association between two variables of interest.

Retrospective Design

A research design in which people in the research sample are asked to provide information relating to an earlier time.

Multiple-Baseline Design

A single-case experimental design in which the effect of a treatment is shown by demonstrating that behaviors in more than one baseline change as a result of the institution of a treatment.

Single-Case Experimental Designs

A type of research design most frequently used to evaluate the impact of a clinical treatment on a subject's problem. Single-case experimental design involves repeated assessment of behavior over time, the replication of treatment effects on the same subject over time, and the subject serving as his or her own control by experiencing all treatment conditions.

A-B-A-B Reversal Design

A type of single-case experimental design in which a baseline of behavior is first taken (A), followed by an intervention phase (B), then a return-to-baseline phase, during which the intervention is removed (A), and a final phase in which the intervention is reintroduced (B). When changes in behavior only occur during the intervention phases, this provides evidence that changes in behavior are due to the intervention.

True Experiment

An experiment in which the researcher has maximum control over the independent variable or conditions of interest and in which the researcher can use random assignment of subjects to groups, can include needed control conditions, and can control possible sources of bias.

Informed Consent

An individual's expressed willingness to participate in a research study, based on his or her understanding of the nature of the research, the potential risks and benefits involved, the expected outcomes, and possible alternatives.

Case Study

An intensive and usually anecdotal observation and analysis of an individual subject.

Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates the strongest causal relationship between variable A and variable B? a - +.73 b - -.86 c - +.12 d - None

None

Structured Observation

Observation of a subject, usually occurring in a clinic or laboratory, in which the subject is given specific tasks or instructions to carry out, and researchers look for specific information.

Prevalence Rates

The number of cases a disorder, whether new or previously existing, that are observed during a specified period of time.

Comorbidity

The overlapping of two or more disorders at a rate that is greater than would be expected by chance alone.

Mediator Variables

The process, mechanism, or means through which a variable produces a specific outcome.

Incidence Rates

The rate at which new cases of a disorder appear over a specified period of time.

Epidemiological Research

The study of the incidence, prevalence, and cooccurrence of childhood disorders and competencies in clinic-referred and community samples.

Naturalistic Observation

The unstructured observation of a child in his or her natural environment.

Research Designs

These are the strategies used to examine questions of interest. They detail the ways in which a researcher arranges conditions to draw valid inferences about the variables of interest.

Why do neuroimaging techniques offer limited benefit for research into psychological disorders?

They do not indicate cause