Exam 1: Seciton 4: Introduction

Friends Jill and Susan both experienced poverty as children. In addition, they were raised by single parents and went to a poor quality school. By the time they were in late adolescence Jill had dropped out of school and had two children. Susan, in contrast, was academically ranked number one in her graduating class and had a full academic scholarship to Harvard. This example illustrates the concept of differential sensitivity.

Dr. Tucker wanted to learn how aggression changed across development. He designed a study in which he assessed aggression among 100 3-year-olds and then re-assessed aggression among these individuals every three years until the participants were 21-year-olds. Dr. Tucker's research design was cross-sectional.

Although past research suggested that the development of depression could be caused by a number of different factors, research has now found that the development of depression is caused by only one factor: genes.

The conclusions of a scientific study are based on whether the evidence supports or refutes the hypothesis.

The influence of "nurture" begins at conception.

Nature is more important than nurture in how a trait or behavior is expressed.

One problem with the data from surveys is that participants may not tell the truth.

Individuals in the same cohort are exposed to the same values, events, technologies, and culture of the era.

Most periods of development are critical periods.

Within the context of Bronfenbrenner's ecological-systems approach, a person's immediate surroundings, such as family or peer group, are part of the macrosystems level.

Culture refers to a system of shared beliefs, conventions, norms, behaviors, and expectations.

The purpose of the scientific method is to conduct research that will only support researchers' hypotheses.

Today, developmental science studies mostly young children and adolescents.

In longitudinal research, the same people are measured at multiple assessment points over a period of time.

According to the dynamic-systems approach, human development is a static process.

A research question becomes a hypothesis when it is stated as a prediction that can be tested.

If Dr. Hall conducts a study in the exact same way that Dr. Jeeves did but uses different participants than Dr. Jeeves, Dr. Hall is demonstrating replication.

Low socioeconomic status can shorten a person's life expectancy.

The purpose of a survey is to allow a researcher to collect data quickly from a large population.

Race and ethnicity are the same thing.