Exam 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Its Research Strategies

Suppose that a researcher has found a strong relationship between the amount of time spent playing video games and physical fitness such that as the time spent playing video games increases, physical fitness decreases.Which of the following correlation coefficients is most consistent with this finding?

Clovis was abandoned as an infant and spent the first five years of his life being moved from one temporary foster home to another.When he was five years old, his aunt discovered Clovis's whereabouts and provided him with a great deal of understanding, love, and stimulating activities.When Clovis becomes an adult, how would you expect him to behave?

Which theorist would endorse the statement that the child's nature is basically evil, and it is the work of society to restrain that evil?

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

If Meryl believes strongly in the tabula rasa philosophy, what is she least likely to be concerned with?

Peter tells his wife that he thinks that their 4-year-old, Maria, is a good girl.When Maria misbehaves, Peter states that she is exploring and learning, and it is important for them to teach her more appropriate behaviour.Which of the following philosophical positions are Peter's views consistent with?

Marcus designed a research study to assess curiosity.In this study, participants were taken to a waiting room by a research assistant.The research assistant pretended to accidentally leave a file marked "Confidential" on the table before leaving the room.Hidden observers then recorded whether the participants looked at the confidential material once they were left alone in the room.Based upon this description, what data collection method is Marcus using?

What is the term for studies that compare children in two naturally existing situations?

If Gabriella is interested in studying the timing of changes that occur as children develop moral thinking, what is the best research method for her to use?

Briefly design a cross-sectional comparison, a longitudinal comparison, and a sequential comparison, noting essential elements of each.

According to the ethical guidelines for research outlined in the text, which of the following best describes how children can participate in research?

Dr.Richards is developing a questionnaire to assess shyness.He administers the questionnaire to participants in February and then again in April.The scores obtained between the first and second tests are consistent.Based on this information, what can Dr.Richards conclude about his questionnaire?

Identify two potential drawbacks to the use of case studies.

When a correlation coefficient has a positive sign, what does it indicate?

When interviewed, Mr.and Mrs.Williams said that their two children, Jack and Wilbur, were different from the day each child was born.Jack was very affectionate, almost never cried or fussed, and always seemed curious about the faces that appeared above his crib, even those of strangers.Wilbur, on the other hand, was irritable from the outset and often cried for no apparent reason, and usually became upset when strangers' faces came into view.Thus the Williams wondered about their children's early personalities and about children in general.(a) Whose basic theory about children is favoured here, Locke's or Rousseau's? Why? (b) Which child do you think Rousseau would pick as representative of all children? Which child would Hobbes pick? In each case, why? (c) What basic methods might the investigators employ in collecting information on Jack and Wilbur?

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

Explain how cross-cultural studies are carried out, and identify why these studies are important in fully understanding human development.

What is the major limitation of the correlational research design?

What is the term for the variable that is manipulated or changed by the researcher over the course of an experiment?

Identify the two general ways in which developmental changes can occur and provide examples that illustrate each of these processes.