Question 1

A strength of correlational research is that it can be used to determine cause and effect.

Accepted Answer

Correlational research can suggest a relationship between variables, but it cannot establish cause and effect. Other research methods, such as experimental research, are needed to establish cause and effect.

Question 2

A microgenetic study is a particularly long type of longitudinal study.

Accepted Answer

A microgenetic study is a short-term, intensive study designed to observe changes as they occur, unlike a longitudinal study which spans a longer period.

Question 3

Gregory knows that hitting his sister is wrong.When a researcher asks Gregory how many times he has ever hit his sister,Gregory's answer is much lower than the real number.This is an example of response bias.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of response bias, specifically social desirability bias, where the respondent provides an answer that is more socially acceptable or favorable, rather than the truth.

Question 4

Techniques developed during the last 25 years allow modern scientists to record many facets of brain functioning as children are performing specific tasks.These developed techniques fall under physiological research measures.

Accepted Answer

Physiological research measures, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), have been developed in the last 25 years and allow scientists to record brain functioning during specific tasks.

Question 5

In an experiment,the researcher manipulates the dependent variable and measures the independent variable.

Accepted Answer

In an experiment, the researcher manipulates the independent variable and measures the dependent variable. The dependent variable is "dependent" on the independent variable, meaning that it is the outcome or result of the manipulation of the independent variable.

Question 6

A researcher wanted to study the growth rates of infants in Canada.He collects information from 120 infants at a very expensive day care centre in a wealthy neighbourhood in Vancouver.This constitutes a representative sample of the population he is interested in.

Accepted Answer

The sample only consists of infants from a very expensive daycare center in a wealthy neighborhood in Vancouver. This does not represent the population as a whole, which includes infants from different socioeconomic backgrounds and regions of Canada. Therefore, the sample may not be representative of the population that the researcher is interested in studying.

Question 7

A correlation coefficient of .85 indicates that two variables are positively related (e.g. ,children who watch many violent TV shows are more aggressive).

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of .85 indicates a strong positive relationship between the two variables. In this example, it suggests that there is a strong positive relationship between watching violent TV shows and aggressive behavior in children.

Question 8

In cross-sectional studies,children are tested repeatedly over the course of months or years.

Accepted Answer

Cross-sectional studies involve testing a group of individuals at a single point in time, rather than repeatedly over time. Longitudinal studies involve testing individuals repeatedly over the course of months or years.

Question 9

A strength of field experiments is that the results are more likely to be representative of behaviour in real-world settings than results obtained in a laboratory.

Accepted Answer

Field experiments take place in real-world settings, allowing for a more natural and representative observation of behaviour. Laboratory experiments, on the other hand, often involve controlled environments and may not reflect real-life situations.

Question 10

The null hypothesis states that a child has no knowledge of what the experimenter is expecting.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis is a general statement that there is no effect or no difference, not specifically about a child's knowledge of an experimenter's expectations.

Question 11

Inferential statistics allow researchers to draw conclusions.

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics use sample data to draw conclusions about a larger population, so researchers can make generalizations and predictions about the population based on the sample.

Question 12

A strength of laboratory work is that the behaviour of interest is not studied in its natural setting.

Accepted Answer

The statement is incorrect. A strength of laboratory work is that it allows for tight experimental control, but a weakness is that the behavior may not generalize to real-world settings.

Question 13

Self-reports are children's answers to questions about a topic of interest.

Accepted Answer

Self-reports are indeed children's answers to questions about a topic of interest.

Question 14

Children can "get used to" the presence of a researcher observing them,and exhibit their usual behaviour patterns.

Accepted Answer

This is known as the "observer effect" and can occur in various research settings. Children may initially feel uncomfortable or change their behavior when being observed, but over time they may become accustomed to the presence of the researcher and behave more naturally.

Question 15

When investigators can't observe a behaviour directly in a natural context,they are unable to study that behaviour.

Accepted Answer

When investigators can't observe a behaviour directly in a natural context, they can still study it through indirect methods such as self-report surveys, experimentations, or observations in a controlled environment.

Question 16

A strength of correlational research is that investigators can examine relationships between variables as they exist naturally in the world.

Accepted Answer

Correlational research focuses on examining the association between variables that already exist in the natural world. It does not manipulate or intervene with the variables, but rather observes them as they occur. Therefore, it is a strength of correlational research that investigators can examine relationships between variables as they exist naturally, without artificial manipulation or interference.

Question 17

A correlation coefficient of -.85 indicates that there is no relationship between two variables (e.g. ,children's aggressive behaviour and watching violent TV shows are not related).

Accepted Answer

The statement is false. A correlation coefficient of -.85 indicates a strong negative relationship between two variables, meaning that as one variable increases, the other decreases.

Question 18

One strength of longitudinal studies is that they allow researchers to chart an individual's development.

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies involve following individuals over time, which allows researchers to observe changes and trends in their development. This is a major advantage over cross-sectional studies, which only measure a group of individuals at a single point in time.

Question 19

Response bias occurs when children change their answers to questions based on what they believe is more socially acceptable.

Accepted Answer

Response bias is a well-known phenomenon observed in survey research, where respondents provide inaccurate answers to questions due to various reasons, such as a desire to look good in front of the interviewer, fear of retaliation, or simply the desire to please the researcher. Children are also susceptible to response bias, where they might modify their answers to appear more socially acceptable or adhere to group norms.

Question 20

Joseph is interested in studying political attitudes of Canadian adolescents.He collects information from 500 high school students in Toronto.These students are the population he is interested in.

Accepted Answer

The 500 high school students in Toronto are a sample, not the entire population of Canadian adolescents, which would include all adolescents across Canada.

Quiz 1: The Science of Child Development