Deck 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Its Research Strategies

Question 1

What is the name of an objective and replicable procedure to gather data for the purpose of testing a theory or hypothesis?

A)scientific method
B)theoretical technique
C)self-report approach
D)psychometrics

Answer 1

scientific method

Question 2

What is the major disadvantage of the quasi-experimental approach?

A)vulnerability to observer bias
B)non-standardized treatment of research participants
C)contrived or artificial situations
D)nonrandom assignment of participants to groups

Answer 2

nonrandom assignment of participants to groups

Question 3

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

A)a standardized interview or questionnaire
B)the clinical method
C)the experimental approach
D)structured observation

Answer 3

the clinical method

Question 4

Ivan, a father of three children, states that children are really no different from adults.He believes that the way to raise children is to have them take on adult responsibilities as soon as they are physically able.Which statement best describes Ivan's view?

A)It is an example of what developmentalists suggest are the most effective modern child-rearing practices.
B)It is more consistent with some previous periods in history than with today's modern view of child rearing in Canada.
C)It is an example of what developmentalists suggest is a causal factor for the development of pathology.
D)It is more consistent with today's modern Canadian view of child rearing than with views from previous periods of history.

Question 5

Which statement best characterizes the use of psychophysiological research methods?

A)A researcher lives within a culture or subculture and makes extensive naturalistic observations of the member's physical attributes.
B)A researcher measures the relationship between physiological processes and various aspects of behaviour.
C)A researcher gathers extensive information about a few individuals regarding physical features that relate to cultural circumstances.
D)A researcher randomly selects participants for the study.

Question 6

What is the term for the variable that is observed or measured during an experiment?

A)dependent
B)independent
C)confounding
D)bi-directional

Question 7

Which characteristic of experimental design allows for more confident cause-effect interpretation than do other designs?

A)random assignment of subjects to groups
B)objective measurement of the variables of interest
C)people studied in naturally occurring real-world groups
D)random sampling of a population

Question 8

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

A)valid
B)reliable
C)objective
D)generative

Question 9

Garrett tells you that he believes that it is crucial for a parent to establish ground rules for acceptable behaviour, from day one.Garrett confides that everyone knows that all children will be naughty.Which philosophy does Garrett likely believe in?

A)tabula rasa
B)innate purity
C)experiential purity
D)original sin

Question 10

Suppose that a researcher wants to study the impact of peers on a child's acquisition of a cognitive task.The researcher uses a computer task to measure the difference in performance between Grade 1, Grade 3, and Grade 5 students, depending on whether they work alone or in a pair.Which design does this research exemplify?

A)cross-correlational
B)natural longitudinal
C)cross-sectional
D)longitudinal correlation

Question 11

Pat has developed a test to measure aggression.Pat gives the test to her developmental psychology class at the beginning of the term and again at the end of the term.Much to Pat's dismay, the results obtained at the end of the semester are completely different from those obtained at the start.What is a likely explanation for the difference in results?

A)The test does not have strong validity.
B)The test is not reliable.
C)The test is free from cohort effects.
D)The test is adequately standardized.

Question 12

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?

A)the type of feedback the child receives
B)the child's score on the quiz
C)the age of the children who take part in the study
D)the child's level of self-esteem after the quiz is returned

Question 13

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?

A)-.80
B)-.10
C)+.10
D)+.80

Question 14

What does normative development consist of?

A)changes that characterize most individuals
B)changes that are specific to the individual
C)changes that result from experience and environmental influences
D)changes that optimize developmental outcomes

Question 15

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

A)+0.80
B)+0.65
C)-0.70
D)-0.89

Question 16

Which statement best exemplifies the holistic approach to development?

A)Parents notice the gaps in the child's abilities and must work to fill those gaps.
B)Traits or abilities are distinct and show separate developmental patterns of change.
C)Aspects of developmental change are interrelated.
D)Developmental trends in human and nonhuman animals are similar.

Question 17

Dr.Li predicts that if parents are nurturing and responsive, then children are less likely to act aggressively.What does Dr.Li's prediction exemplify?

A)a subjective observation
B)an operational definition
C)a hypothesis
D)a dependent variable

Question 18

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

A)valid
B)reliable
C)objective
D)generative

Question 19

What is one of the main disadvantages of using the case study method?

A)A historical analysis of the behaviour is not possible.
B)The data may not be representative of the general population.
C)Hypotheses for the origin of the behaviour cannot be generated.
D)Researchers are limited to the clinical method.

Question 20

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?

A)original sin
B)innate purity
C)tabula rasa
D)psychoanalytic sin

Question 21

What was one of the major contributions of baby biographies and diaries?

A)The parallels between the development of an individual child and the entire evolution of the human species came to light.
B)The subjective role of parent observation was finally recognized and valued.
C)Detailed and systematic views from the early philosophers were replaced with more free-form observations.
D)Human development was viewed as worthy of scientific discovery.

Question 22

How do experience and biological processes affect human development?

A)Experience produces change through maturation, and biological processes produce change through learning.
B)Both experience and biological processes produce change through learning.
C)Experience produces change through learning, and biological processes produce change through maturation.
D)Both experience and biological processes produce change through maturation.

Question 23

Which of the following is an interview technique in which a child's response to each successive question determines what the investigator will ask next?

A)the experimental method
B)the case study method
C)the correlational method
D)the clinical method

Question 24

What does ideographic development consist of?

A)changes that characterize most individuals
B)changes that are specific to the individual
C)changes that result from the unfolding of a genetic "blueprint"
D)changes that optimize developmental outcomes

Question 25

Which research design would be used to assess whether two variables vary together in a systematic way?

A)a case study
B)naturalistic observation
C)a correlational study
D)the survey method

Question 26

Ari wants to determine the optimal age for the introduction of a bullying education program in her school district.She is also interested in assessing the short- and long-term impact of the program on the development of self-esteem in children.Which research design should Ari choose?

A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)sequential
D)natural (or quasi-) experiment

Question 27

What is the term for a prediction about the characteristics of a behaviour under investigation?

A)a hypothesis
B)an operational definition
C)significance
D)a dependent variable

Question 28

Dr.Lauterbach predicts that as the temperature of a room increases, individuals are more likely to act aggressively.What does Dr.Lauterbach's prediction exemplify?

A)a hypothesis
B)a subjective observation
C)an operational definition
D)a dependent variable

Question 29

One philosophical view suggests that children are "selfish egoists" who must learn to rechannel their naturally selfish interests into socially desirable outlets.What is this philosophical view, and which psychological theory does it underpin?

A)Tabula rasa is the philosophical underpinning for psychoanalytic theory.
B)Original sin is the philosophical underpinning for learning theory.
C)Original sin is the philosophical underpinning for psychoanalytic theory.
D)Tabula rasa is the philosophical underpinning for learning theory.

Question 30

What did John Locke mean when he said that the mind of an infant is a tabula rasa?

A)Children are born inherently evil or sinful.
B)Children are born as blank slates ready to learn from experience.
C)Children are born innately good.
D)Children are born incapable of learning.

Question 31

Why do philosophical perspectives on childhood differ from those proposed by developmental psychologists?

A)Philosophical perspectives are based on objective data collected through the use of controlled experiments.
B)Philosophical perspectives are supported by persuasive, logical arguments and are more believable than those proposed by developmental psychologists.
C)Philosophical perspectives have a long history and are based on more years of research than those of developmentalists.
D)Developmentalist perspectives are based on objective data collection and analysis.

Question 32

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

A)naturalistic observation
B)quasi-experimental design
C)correlational design
D)experimental design

Question 33

Nancy is a developmentalist and she tells her friend that she believes it is important to study children in laboratory settings.She further states that there is no need to study the child's social relationships.Are Nancy's views consistent with the holistic view of development?

A)They are consistent with the holistic perspective.
B)They are consistent with the holistic perspective, but they do not represent complete agreement with it either.
C)They are consistent with the holistic perspective, but Nancy is not aware of recent research.
D)They are not consistent with the holistic perspective.

Question 34

How can researchers try to reduce observer influence in naturalistic observation?

A)videotape participants using a concealed camera
B)introduce themselves to the participants before beginning their observations
C)tell participants that all their responses will be kept strictly confidential
D)reward socially desirable behaviours and ignore socially undesirable behaviours

Question 35

Studies have indicated that children who watch violent films demonstrate more violent behaviours.One hypothesis for this finding is that children who are more aggressive might begin with choose more violent films to view.What is this notion of existing aggression known as?

A)experimental control
B)ecological factor
C)confounding variable
D)random variable

Question 36

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

A)The two factors being measured move in opposite directions.
B)There is no relationship between the two factors being measured.
C)There is a significant relationship between the two factors being measured.
D)The two factors being measured move in the same direction.

Question 37

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

A)+0.95
B)+0.70
C)-0.69
D)-0.85

Question 38

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?

A)clinical interview
B)naturalistic observation
C)case study
D)controlled experiment

Question 39

Sometimes to best answer a research question, the investigator would have to ask children to participate in a potentially harmful situation.In this situation, what would ethical guidelines suggest?

A)Because of the possible benefits to humankind of the knowledge obtained, the researcher should go ahead with the project.
B)As long as the children consent to participate, and the research design is a field experiment, the researcher can proceed.
C)As long as the researcher adequately debriefs subjects after the project, and the research design is microgenetic, the researcher can proceed.
D)Other means of obtaining the information should be found or the research abandoned.

Question 40

To better understand the factors that might produce exceptional skills, Dr.Zittleman carefully observed and extensively questioned three child prodigies.Based on this information, what type of research was Dr.Zittleman conducting?

A)case study
B)correlational
C)survey
D)experimental

Question 41

Which data-collection methods would be most impacted by individual and age-related differences in verbal skills?

A)interviews and questionnaires
B)naturalistic observation
C)structured observation
D)controlled experiments

Question 42

Reginald is conducting research related to moral development in children of different ages.Initially he asks each participant in his study the same set of questions, but he follows up each answer, and asks participants to elaborate and clarify their responses.Which research method is Reginald using?

A)a case study
B)the clinical method
C)a structured interview
D)ethnography

Question 43

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

A)Pet ownership causes children to perform better in school.
B)Children who do well in school are rewarded with pets.
C)Pet ownership and school performance are related, but it is not clear that there is a causal link.
D)Children do better in school when they have no pets to distract them while they study.

Question 44

What does the holistic perspective of development emphasize?

A)the active role of the child in his or her own development
B)the belief that development is a lifelong process that is continual and cumulative
C)the interdependent way in which all components of the self unify to determine development
D)the belief that all the members of the family influence the development of one another

Question 45

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

A)independent
B)dependent
C)confounding
D)bi-directional

Question 46

How can the research goal of description be summarized?

A)as How
B)as Best
C)as What
D)as Why

Question 47

Random assignment to either the control or experimental group is an important aspect of experimental procedures.Why is random assignment used?

A)to gather a representative sample of participants
B)to equate the experimental and control groups
C)to ensure that cohort effects are minimized
D)to ensure that the independent variable will be reliable and valid

Question 48

In comparison to laboratory studies, what is the primary advantage of using a field experimental design?

A)They often have a real-world quality that experimental studies lack.
B)They are more useful than experimental studies for determining cause-and-effect relationships.
C)They are less expensive than experimental studies.
D)They use a more representative sample of the general population.

Question 49

Suppose that the plasticity principle did not apply to development.How would this change our understanding of a child's abilities?

A)Children with cognitive disabilities could be taught many skills.
B)Children who grow up in poor environments would suffer inevitably from their deficiencies.
C)Parental training would be vital for all children to develop normally.
D)Sex differences in children's behaviour would be nonexistent.

Question 50

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

A)without the consent of the parent or other legal authority if the child agrees to participate
B)without the consent of the parent or other legal authority in charge if the child is informed of all features of the research
C)with the child's consent, as long as his or her name does not appear with his or her data
D)only with the informed consent of the parent or other legal authority

Question 51

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?

A)longitudinal
B)cross-sectional
C)cross-correlational
D)cross-longitudinal

Question 52

Caleb is 10 years old and as part of an ongoing research study he has been assessed for "creativity" every six months for the past six years.Now that Caleb understands what is expected on the test, his answers have become more creative and he achieves higher scores.What accounts for Caleb's increased performance?

A)selective attrition
B)observer influences
C)cohort effects
D)practice effects

Question 53

Kayla started walking at 12 months of age, just like her three brothers and her seven cousins.Most children start walking at about this age.What type of development does this example illustrate?

A)optimization of development
B)holistic development
C)normative development
D)ideographic development

Question 54

Which statement best describes a cross-sectional study spanning an age range of four years?

A)Individual differences are tracked over a four-year span.
B)Temporal descriptions of behaviour are obtained over a four-year span.
C)The data gathered from a single cohort are repeatedly assessed over a four-year span.
D)The data gathered across a four-year span are collected at the same time.

Question 55

Which theorist proposed the notion that children are selfish egoists?

A)Thomas Hobbes
B)Charles Darwin
C)G Stanley Hall
D)Jean Piaget

Question 56

Which method of studying developmental change would a researcher be using if he or she compared the television-viewing habits of three different cohorts of children who were attending the same middle school but were in different grades?

A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)sequential
D)experimental

Question 57

Yvonne is designing a research study to determine whether infants can discriminate between sounds of different frequencies.In order to answer her question, which research method should Yvonne use?

A)naturalistic observation
B)clinical interview
C)psychophysiology
D)structured observation

Question 58

Lena wants to know whether young children can be taught to have certain phobias.She argues that previous research has indicated that phobias can be taught and that there is nothing unethical about continuing such research.Do current ethical guidelines support Lena's position?

A)No, such research procedures could cause psychological harm to the participants.
B)Yes, this is acceptable if the research benefits humankind.
C)Yes, this is acceptable if parents give informed consent.
D)No, the use of such research procedures is permissible only if carried out with adults.

Question 59

Aliya has been living in an Inuit community for the past three years to understand how the Inuit culture affects different aspects of development.Based on this example, which research method is Aliya using?

A)structured observational
B)ethnography
C)cross-sectional
D)clinical

Question 60

The confounding of age and cohort that can occur with the cross-sectional design is most likely to impact interpretation in a comparison between which of the following age groups?

A)1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-month-olds
B)3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds
C)3-, 10-, 18-, and 30-year-olds
D)15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds

Question 61

Inherent in the cross-sectional method is the possibility that age and cohort will be confounded.In a cohort effect what other variable, other than the age of the subjects, could influence the results?

A)the ethnic background of the subjects
B)an observer bias
C)differences between individuals in the groups in their interpretation of the experiences they have shared
D)differences between groups in the experiences they had during the time period in which they grew up (e.g., 1970s vs.1990s)

Question 62

Dr.Donnetelli predicts that if parents are nurturing and responsive, then children are less likely to act aggressively.What does Dr.Donnetelli believe about parental responsiveness and children's aggression?

A)They are positively correlated.
B)They are uncorrelated.
C)They are negatively correlated.
D)They are independently correlated.

Question 63

Researchers studying the effects of alcohol consumption assessed the physical coordination skills of 21-year-old men.Prior to the assessment, each participant was randomly assigned to drink a beverage with either 4, 2, or 0 ounces of alcohol.In this study, what is the independent variable?

A)the age of the research participants
B)the amount of alcohol consumed
C)the physical coordination skills of the research participants
D)the length of time between drinking the beverage and the assessment

Question 64

What does ethnography require of a researcher?

A)that he or she lives in the culture or subculture and makes extensive observations
B)that he or she gathers extensive information about one or a few individuals
C)that he or she randomly selects participants from different cultures to participate in the study
D)that he or she measures the relationship between physiological processes and various aspects of the culture

Question 65

Researchers studying the effects of alcohol consumption assessed the physical coordination skills of 21-year-old men.Prior to the assessment, each participant was randomly assigned to drink a beverage with either 4, 2, or 0 ounces of alcohol.In this study, what is the dependent variable?

A)the age of the research participants
B)the amount of alcohol consumed
C)the length of time between drinking the beverage and the assessment
D)the physical coordination skills of the research participants

Question 66

What is the advantage of structured interviews over unstructured interviews?

A)A person can fully explain his or her views.
B)A person will submit for interview even without pay.
C)The interviewer's racial or gender biases are minimized.
D)Subjects are treated alike, and responses can be compared among them.

Question 67

What is a research technique that involves unbiased selection of participants for different experimental conditions?

A)random assignment
B)correlational sampling
C)random sampling
D)natural (or quasi-) assignment

Question 68

What defines a cross-cultural study?

A)A researcher makes extensive observations of a given culture while living with its members.
B)Participants from different cultural or subcultural backgrounds are observed, tested, and compared.
C)The ethnographic approach is used.
D)A researcher focuses on normative rather than ideographic changes.

Question 69

Charles Darwin observed the early development of his son to develop a theory regarding which of the following?

A)the retracing of the evolutionary history of the species
B)language acquisition
C)the development of logical thinking in children
D)optimization of development

Question 70

Which research design should you choose if you were interested in exploring answers to the following questions: "When can children first understand the notion that germs can cause illness?" "At what age do children benefit most from drug education?" and "Do the effects of a training program to reduce prejudice persist over time?"

A)correlational
B)longitudinal
C)sequential
D)microgenetic

Question 71

The belief that children are inherently selfish egoists is described by which of the following philosophical views?

A)fundamental gratification axiom
B)tabula rasa
C)original sin
D)innate purity

Question 72

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?

A)G Stanley Hall
B)Charles Darwin
C)Jean Jacques Rousseau
D)Thomas Hobbes

Question 73

The holistic perspective is a dominant theme of human development.What does this perspective emphasize?

A)Growth and change are continual.
B)Physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects of development are independent.
C)Growth and change are cumulative processes.
D)Physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects of development are interdependent.

Question 74

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

A)The two factors being measured move in the same direction.
B)The two factors being measured move in opposite directions.
C)There is no relationship between the two factors being measured.
D)There is a significant relationship between the two factors being measured.

Question 75

Which research goal establishes the facts of development?

A)optimization
B)adaptation
C)explanation
D)description

Question 76

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?

A)a microgenetic, experimental study
B)a microgenetic, observational study
C)a longitudinal, observational study
D)a cross-sectional, experimental study

Question 77

Clara and William Stern observed the development of their three children to develop a theory regarding which of the following?

A)the retracing of the evolutionary history of the species
B)language acquisition
C)the development of logical thinking in children
D)optimization of development

Question 78

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

A)cross-sectional
B)experimental
C)quasi-experimental
D)correlational

Question 79

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

A)Jackson was frightened by a collie when he was a toddler.Now, as a preschooler, whenever he sees any type of dog he whimpers in fear.
B)Ji-hye sat before she crawled and crawled before she walked.
C)Noah was a cheerful, happy baby whose parents loved to make him gurgle and smile.So, whenever Noah saw his parents he smiled and wriggled so they would come over and tickle and cuddle him.
D)Mia's mother neglected Mia because Mia looked like her father, who had abandoned the family.

Question 80

Which research method allows for the most appropriate conclusions regarding causality?

A)correlational design
B)natural (or quasi-) design
C)experimental design
D)naturalistic observation