Exam 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Its Research Strategies

Suppose that a researcher wants to study the impact of peers on a child's acquisition of a cognitive task.The researcher uses a computer task to measure the difference in performance between Grade 1,Grade 3- and Grade 5 students,depending on whether they work alone or in a pair.Which design does this research exemplify?

Random assignment to either the control or experimental group is an important aspect of experimental procedures.Why is random assignment used?

List three goals of developmentalists.

Which research method allows for the least ambiguous conclusions regarding causality?

Suppose that a researcher observes a group of children at a neighbourhood playground and records the amount of time that each child spends engaging in various activities.Based on this description,what data collection method is the researcher using?

Dr. Franz sets up an experimental study to investigate how self-esteem is affected by feedback from teachers. During the study, teachers of Grade 3 administer a short quiz where each child earns the same score (5 out of a possible 10 points). All of the children are then given feedback. Half the children are told that this is a very good score whereas the rest are told that it is an average score. -In this study,what is the independent variable?

Which research design would be used to assess whether two variables vary together in a systematic way?

Which of the following terms refers to the capacity for change in response to positive or negative life experiences?

Inherent in the cross-sectional method is the possibility that age and cohort will be confounded.In addition to the age of the subjects,what other variable could influence the results?

Dr. Franz sets up an experimental study to investigate how self-esteem is affected by feedback from teachers. During the study, teachers of Grade 3 administer a short quiz where each child earns the same score (5 out of a possible 10 points). All of the children are then given feedback. Half the children are told that this is a very good score whereas the rest are told that it is an average score. -In this study,what is the dependent variable?

One philosophical view suggests that children are "selfish egoists" who must learn to rechannel their naturally selfish interests into socially desirable outlets.What is this philosophical view,and which psychological theory does it underpin?

What is one of the advantages associated with the use of interviews and questionnaires in developmental research?

Which data-collection methods would be most affected by individual and age-related differences in verbal skills?

What is a research technique that involves unbiased selection of participants for different experimental conditions?

Helen proposed a new theory of child development.Using this theory,she has successfully described and explained past behaviours but she is unable to predict or explain new observations.How should Helen's theory be categorized?

In which of his doctrines did Jean Jacques Rousseau emphasize the active role of the child as a self-motivated explorer?

What is the term for a set of propositions that describe behaviour?

What does normative development consist of?

Which of the following is an example of developmental change that primarily reflects maturation?

Harriet is currently testing children's path finding and other spatial abilities.She is most concerned with defining the details of how children acquire these skills.In order to answer her question,which research design should Harriet use?