Question 1

Genetic linkage analysis has not yet provided the types of answers scientists hope for in terms of understanding the specific genetic influences of psychopathology.Why is this so?

Accepted Answer

Psychopathology is thought to be influenced by multiple genes, not just a single gene defect. Therefore, genetic linkage analysis, which primarily focuses on identifying single genes associated with a trait, may not be as effective in understanding the genetic influences of psychopathology.

Question 2

"I remember being a very shy child,keeping to myself,and reading books.As an adolescent,I became more serious and quiet.As a young adult,I became more confident and outgoing." What type of research would this kind of information be used for?

Accepted Answer

The information provided suggests changes in personality traits over time from childhood to young adulthood. A longitudinal study would be the most appropriate research design to investigate these changes within the same individuals over an extended period of time.

Question 3

Your friend was the recipient of a nine-month research grant.Based on her interests,she can choose one of the four areas of concentration.She has always wanted to work with street youth.Based on this fact,what prevention strategy will she most likely choose?

Accepted Answer

Selective prevention strategies target individuals or groups that are at higher risk of developing a particular problem, in this case, street youth. By choosing a selective prevention strategy, your friend can focus her research on developing and implementing interventions specifically for street youth, rather than attempting to prevent the problem for everyone (universal prevention), addressing only those who have already exhibited signs of the problem (indicated prevention), or promoting positive development more broadly (positive development strategy).

Question 4

Given what we know about the effects of genes and the environment,which of the following pairs of children would be expected to be most similar in terms of overall personality,psychological disorders,and intelligence?

Accepted Answer

Biological siblings raised in the same home would have the most similar genetic and environmental backgrounds, making them the most similar in terms of overall personality, psychological disorders, and intelligence.

Question 5

Two monozygotic twins are raised in very different environments.One is adopted into a loving,healthy environment and the other is raised in a war-ravaged country where food,safety,and family support are hard to find.Compared to the child raised in the war-ravaged country,the child raised in the healthy environment will most likely be which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The child raised in the healthy environment is likely to have better nutrition and medical care, leading to better physical development and a taller height. Additionally, the child is less likely to develop psychological problems due to the secure and loving environment in which they were raised. Therefore, option A is the best choice.

Question 6

Which of the following can family,twin,and adoption studies NOT identify?

Accepted Answer

Family, twin, and adoption studies can provide information on the degree of genetic influence on a particular psychological disorder and whether it is influenced by the environment. However, they cannot identify the specific location of a gene associated with psychopathology. This requires more advanced techniques such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) or molecular genetics studies.

Question 7

What are cohort effects?

Accepted Answer

Cohort effects refer to the influence of a person's birth and societal experiences on their development. It is a combination of age and life experiences, rather than just one factor alone like cultural differences or genetics.

Question 8

Why are adoption studies often used when attempting to study the influence of genetic factors on psychological disorders?

Accepted Answer

Adoption studies help to remove the confounding factor of siblings raised in the same environment, which can make it difficult to determine whether similarities in psychological disorders are due to genetics or environment. By comparing individuals with the same genetic background but different environmental experiences, adoption studies provide a way to isolate genetic influences on psychological disorders.

Question 9

Brown and Finn (1982)found that attitudes regarding alcohol were somewhat different for 12-,15-,and 17-year-olds.All measures were taken during the same year from children of different ages.What kind of research method is this?

Accepted Answer

This is a cross-sectional study because data was collected from different age groups at the same time, rather than following the same individuals over time (longitudinal) or studying a single case in depth (case study).

Question 10

Which research design is most helpful in determining how individuals with particular disorders change over time?

Accepted Answer

The longitudinal method involves studying the same individuals over a period of time, which is most helpful in determining how individuals with particular disorders change over time. This design allows researchers to track changes in symptoms, behaviors, and other variables within the same group of participants, which can provide valuable insights into the course of the disorder and potential predictors of outcomes. The experimental method involves manipulating variables to determine cause-and-effect relationships, which may not be appropriate or ethical when studying individuals with disorders. The cross-sectional design compares different groups of individuals at the same point in time and may not account for individual differences or changes over time. The cohort design involves following different groups of individuals over time, which may not provide as detailed information about individual changes as the longitudinal method.

Question 11

In an attempt to compare treatment strategies in various psychiatric settings,researchers are evaluating the psychiatric patients' levels of depression every four months for four years in three different hospitals.What type of research are they applying?

Accepted Answer

The researchers are evaluating the same psychiatric patients' levels of depression every four months for four years, which indicates that they are conducting a longitudinal research study, tracking changes in the patients' depression levels over time. Cross-sequential research involves comparing different age groups at different points in time, while cross-sectional research involves comparing different age groups at a single point in time. Naturalistic research involves observing individuals in their natural settings without intervention, which is not the case in this scenario.

Question 12

Combining twin and adoption studies,researchers often study monozygotic twins raised in different families.Using this method,what do similarities in behaviours,traits,and psychological disorders between monozygotic twins raised apart help researchers to determine?

Accepted Answer

By studying monozygotic (identical) twins raised apart, researchers can assess the extent to which similarities in behavior, traits, and psychological disorders are due to genetics rather than shared environment. This helps determine the effects of genes on psychological functioning.

Question 13

Dr.Allen is lobbying the government to start a reading program for all children who live in regions where school achievement is lower than average.What type of program would this be?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr.Allen is lobbying the government to start...

Question 14

To study how anxiety disorders develop in individuals,a researcher asks a group of adults whether they were anxious about school when they were children,and then measures their current functioning with respect to symptoms of anxiety.What is one significant limitation of this approach?

Accepted Answer

The limitation of this approach is that the information about childhood experiences is retrospective in nature and may not be accurate. People may not remember accurately how they felt as children, and their memories may be influenced by current attitudes and experiences. Therefore, it may not be possible to establish a clear causal link between childhood anxiety and adult anxiety based solely on retrospective self-reports.

Question 15

Which of the following questions could be answered using a cross-sectional design?

Accepted Answer

Cross-sectional designs are used to compare different groups at a single point in time. Choice B, which compares cognitive triggers between children and adults, fits this description as it involves comparing two distinct groups without tracking changes over time.

Question 16

What is the main advantage of longitudinal research over cross-sectional research?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research is particularly valuable for its ability to assess changes in individuals over time, which is crucial for understanding development, learning, aging, and other processes that unfold across different stages of life. Unlike cross-sectional research, which compares different groups at a single point in time, longitudinal research follows the same group of individuals over time. This approach avoids cohort effects, which are differences between age groups that stem from their unique historical or social contexts, rather than from actual developmental or aging processes. By tracking the same individuals, longitudinal studies can more accurately attribute observed changes to the passage of time or the effect of interventions, rather than to differences between cohorts.

Question 17

What kind of study is conducted to identify the location of genes that may be associated with specific psychological disorders?

Accepted Answer

A genetic linkage analysis is a type of study that examines the correlation between the genetic makeup of different family members and the presence of a particular trait or disorder. This type of study can help researchers identify the location of genes that may be associated with specific psychological disorders.

Question 18

A researcher studying a family with a history of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)records data for each person in the family with OCD and for those who have been diagnosed with OCD in the past.The researcher is interested in whether family members with OCD share any other inherited characteristics.What type of research is being conducted?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is examining whether family members with OCD share inherited characteristics, suggesting a potential genetic link. Therefore, the type of research being conducted is a genetic linkage analysis, which focuses on identifying specific genetic markers linked to a disease or trait in families with a history of the condition. Association studies examine the relationship between a certain condition and a particular trait or marker, while chromosome analysis and family DNA analyses involve evaluating the structure of genetic material in various individuals.

Question 19

A researcher is studying how people of different ages tend to experience anxiety.The researcher interviews anxious adolescents,young adults,individuals in their 30s and 50s,and those over 70.What do the individuals in each age group represent?

Accepted Answer

The individuals in each age group represent a cohort, which is a group of people who share a common characteristic or experience, such as age or generation. In this case, the researcher is studying how anxiety is experienced across different age cohorts.

Question 20

What type of research compares people with a specific disorder to those without the disorder,and then identifies markers that occur significantly more often in people with the disorder?

Accepted Answer

The type of research described compares people with a specific disorder to those without the disorder and identifies markers that occur significantly more often in people with the disorder. This is an association study. Genetic linkage studies involve tracking genetic traits within families to identify chromosomal regions associated with a disorder. Family studies examine the incidence of a disorder within families to determine if the disorder has a genetic basis. Heritability analyses are used to estimate the contribution of genetic factors to variation in a trait or disorder. Therefore, the best choice is D, an association study.

Quiz 4: Research Methods