Question 1

What are the four types of design validity and in what ways might each be particularly relevant to developmental scientists?

Accepted Answer

Response should correctly describe, distinguish and discuss the particular relevance to developmental researchers of (1) statistical conclusion validity, (2) internal validity, (3) construct validity, and (4) external validity.

Question 2

What features distinguish true experiment, quasi-experiment, and nonexperimental designs? Please provide examples that illustrate these features.

Accepted Answer

Response should focus on the degree to which research designs (1) direct the assignment of independent variables and (2) control for the influence of extraneous variables on dependent variables. True experiments meet both criteria, quasi-experiments typically only meet the latter criterion, and nonexperiments meet neither. Examples should reflect these distinctions.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a measurement facet relevant to developmental research?

Accepted Answer

A)   The degree to which a measurement provides numeric information
B)   If a measurement reflects a stable trait or changing state
C)   Whether a measurement is compared across individuals or within an individual
D)   The interpretation of a measurement is norm referenced or criterion referenced A

Question 4

How does design structure variables to allow for appropriate conclusions to be drawn from research?

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

Pearsonian analyses are based upon _____ data, whereas Fisherian analyses are based upon _____ data:

Accepted Answer

A)   Correlational; group-difference
B)   Group-difference; correlational
C)   Multivariate; univariate
D)   Univariate; multivariate

Question 6

_____ are employed to measure change, whereas _____ are employed to measure growth:

Accepted Answer

A)   Two-wave data; multiwave data
B)   Difference scores; age-adjusted scores
C)   Q-sorts; grade-adjusted scores
D)   Difference scores; two-wave data

Question 7

A study of infant visual perception finds that increased errors in tracking a moving object are moderately correlated with cognitive ability of children entering kindergarten. This finding represents what kind of measurement validity?

Accepted Answer

A)   Predictive validity
B)   Construct validity
C)   Concurrent validity
D)   Factorial validity

Question 8

According to Hartmann, Pelzel, and Abbott, external validity refers to the _____:

Accepted Answer

A)   Generalizability of study results to other settings, populations, and contexts
B)   Appropriateness of inferences made from statistical tests
C)   Inferences about the causal connections of independent and dependent variables
D)   Degree to which variables represent intended constructs

Question 9

Describe, with examples, two types of directional causal bias relevant to developmental science.

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

What is the difference between reliability as internal consistency and reliability as interobserver agreement?

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

According to Hartmann, Pelzel, and Abbott, construct validity refers to the _____:

Accepted Answer

A)   Degree to which variables represent intended constructs
B)   Appropriateness of inferences made from statistical tests
C)   Inferences about the causal connections of independent and dependent variables
D)   Generalizability of study results to other settings, populations, and contexts

Question 12

Which of the following types of measurement validity refers to the degree to which an instrument corresponds with an important and currently assessed criterion?

Accepted Answer

A)   Concurrent validity
B)   Face validity
C)   Predictive validity
D)   Construct validity

Question 13

According to Hartmann, Pelzel, and Abbott, statistical conclusion validity refers to the _____:

Accepted Answer

A)   Appropriateness of inferences made from statistical tests
B)   Inferences about the causal connections of independent and dependent variables
C)   Degree to which variables represent intended constructs
D)   Generalizability of study results to other settings, populations, and contexts

Question 14

_____ is a particularly relevant design issue for developmental investigators conducting longitudinal research:

Accepted Answer

A)   Attrition
B)   Causal bias
C)   Limited self-report
D)   Social desirability

Question 15

A child's verbal performance on a standardized intelligence test was reported to be at the 75th percentile. This would be an example of a(n) _____ score:

Accepted Answer

A)   Normative
B)   Ipsative
C)   Criterion-referenced
D)   Grade-adjusted

Question 16

What is a Type II error and under what conditions are researchers most likely to commit them when testing a null hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

According to Hartmann, Pelzel, and Abbott, internal validity refers to the _____:

Accepted Answer

A)   Inferences about the causal connections of independent and dependent variables
B)   Appropriateness of inferences made from statistical tests
C)   Degree to which variables represent intended constructs
D)   Generalizability of study results to other settings, populations, and contexts

Exam 4: Design, Measurement, and Analysis in Developmental Research