Exam 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Its Research Strategies

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?

Identify the two qualities that scientific measures must have if they are to be useful, and briefly explain what is meant by each of these terms.

In the late 19th century, researchers kept baby biographies.How did this approach to studying child development improve on the earlier philosophers' approaches?

Child-rearing practices in premodern times were different than our current perspective.List three points to support this statement.

Which research methodology allows for flexibility and adaptability to the individual child?

Minsun is interested in studying whether gender messages in toy advertisements influence how children perceive themselves.Which research method should Minsun use to best answer her question?

Identify one key strength and one weakness of psychophysiological methods of conducting developmental research.

What is one advantage of using eye-tracking methods with young children?

Lia has found a strong positive relationship between pet ownership and children's academic performance.What can Lia conclude from this result?

Under what circumstances would a natural (or quasi-) experiment be most useful?

Which of the following is the best example of the joint functions of maturation, learning, and the active individual?

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 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?

Hayao is interested in understanding how children's academic performance changes over long periods of time as a result of the number of friends they have.What would be Hayao's best choice of research design and method?

What is a measure said to be if it consistently gives the same results?

Which method of research allows the developmentalist to make appropriate inferences about cause and effect?

What does the holistic perspective of development emphasize?

What does ethnography require of a researcher?

Which research method involves introducing a change to the environment of some participants but not to others?

What is a measure said to be if it accurately measures what it is designed to measure?

Of the following, which correlation coefficient indicates the weakest relationship between two variables?