Exam 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Its Research Strategies

What is the major limitation of the correlational method of research?

The first chapter presented an experiment on the effects of violent TV programs on children's aggression. The dependent variable was

Generational differences in child-rearing practices suggest that researchers must pay attention to

A team of researchers set out to study aggressive behavior in preschool children in two different play settings, one where only large playground equipment was present and another where only small toys were present. Aggressive behavior was defined as arguing, taking toys by force, and fighting. The researchers hypothesized that the large playground equipment would produce more sharing, whereas the small toys would produce more aggression, due to the nature of the toys. To test their hypothesis, the researchers created two groups of children, one for each play area. More aggressive behavior was observed in the small-toy play area. (a) What research methods and techniques were employed? (b) What procedures might have been employed to ensure accuracy in the observing of aggressive behavior? (c) Can we say for sure that the small toys caused aggressive behavior?

In contrast with well-fed American babies, impoverished babies in rural Africa achieve movement skills at consistently younger average ages. This is an example of research on ____ development.

The research goal of explanation is summarized as,

An experiment that takes place in a naturalistic setting is referred to as a

The big advantage of experimentation over all other research approaches is that experiments

Which of these is a limitation of psychophysiological research methods?

"Long-term follow-up" would be a suitable label for the ____ research design.

Describe psychophysiological methods of investigation, and discuss how they are being used in developmental research.

Identify the four main ethical guidelines that have been adopted to protect the rights of children who take part in research studies.

Watching behavior at locations where it ordinarily happens is called

The correlational design is WEAKEST at

In the first week after hatchout, chicks improve their accuracy of pecking for seeds, regardless of their visual experience. This reflects development from

Identify two potential drawbacks in using case studies to obtain information about development.

Describe several goals of developmentalists.

Researchers guard against overgeneralizing their results to worldwide societies by carrying out

During structured observation, the child is

Connor has Asperger's syndrome. His behavior is socially awkward, and the children in his classroom tend to react negatively to him because of it. In your text's discussion of developmental themes, the impact of Connor's awkwardness on his peers' response to him illustrates