Question 1

The scientific study of the changes that occur in people as they age from conception to death is called

Accepted Answer

Human development is the field of study that examines the changes in people as they age from conception to death, encompassing physical, cognitive, and social changes.

Question 2

In a __________design,one group of participants is followed and assessed as the group ages.

Accepted Answer

In a longitudinal design, one group of participants is followed and assessed over a period of time, making it the best choice for the given scenario. Cohort design also follows a specific group, but does not necessarily track them as they age. Correlational design focuses on analyzing the relationship between variables, while cross-sectional design compares different age groups at a single point in time.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is illustrative of the post hoc fallacy?

Accepted Answer

The post hoc fallacy is based on the false assumption that one event follows another in a cause-and-effect relationship. In this case, it is assumed that weightlifting causes professional athletes, simply because most professional athletes lift weights. However, this is a fallacy because there could be other reasons why professional athletes lift weights, and weightlifting alone does not guarantee professional athletic success. The other options are not post hoc fallacies, as they do not assume a causal relationship between two events without proper evidence.

Question 4

Which of the following is a main disadvantage of the cross-sectional design?

Accepted Answer

The main disadvantage of the cross-sectional design is that individuals of different ages are being compared, which can make it difficult to determine whether observed differences are due to age, cohort effects, or other factors.

Question 5

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the longitudinal design?

Accepted Answer

One disadvantage of the longitudinal design is that participants may drop out due to various reasons such as moving, loss of interest, or death, which can result in smaller sample sizes and less accurate results. The other answer choices are not disadvantages of the longitudinal design.

Question 6

A researcher has studied a group of patients who have a rare terminal type of cancer and has found that they all were regular cranberry juice drinkers.He concluded that drinking cranberry juice led to the development of the rare cancer.In this case,the researcher has most likely made an error in judgment due to

Accepted Answer

The researcher has committed the post hoc fallacy, meaning he has assumed that because a behavior (drinking cranberry juice) occurred before an outcome (developing rare cancer), the behavior must have caused the outcome. This assumption is invalid because other factors could be responsible for the cancer, and correlation does not equal causation.

Question 7

Dr.Spinella's research focuses on the effects of early parenting practices on future behavioural tendencies of children.It is most likely that Dr.Spinella is a(n)__________ psychologist.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Spinella's research on the effects of early parenting practices on future behavioural tendencies of children suggests a focus on child development, therefore indicating that Dr. Spinella is most likely a developmental psychologist.

Question 8

Professor Sanchez is interested in studying development of motor skills.She collects data from 200 one-year-olds and follows and assesses them for a period of five years.What type of research design is Professor Sanchez using?

Accepted Answer

Professor Sanchez is using a longitudinal research design as she is collecting data from the same sample of individuals over a span of five years to assess the development of motor skills.

Question 9

When attempting to understand developmental transitions that people face throughout their life span,which of the following research designs would be most informative?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research involves studying the same participants over an extended period. This design is the most informative when investigating developmental changes as it allows researchers to measure changes within individuals over time. In contrast, cross-sectional research only looks at participants at a specific point in time, which may not accurately capture developmental changes. Cohort studies compare different age groups, but they do not necessarily follow the same participants over time. Correlational studies can be helpful in identifying relationships between variables but not necessarily in understanding developmental changes.

Question 10

You are in the process of conducting a longitudinal study on lifestyle factors and health problems and notice that many of the women in your study have dropped out.What type of problem are you experiencing with this research design?

Accepted Answer

The problem in this research design is selective attrition, which means that participants drop out at different rates depending on certain characteristics or factors. In this case, it appears that women are dropping out more often than men, which could bias the results and make it difficult to draw accurate conclusions about the relationship between lifestyle factors and health problems. It's important for researchers to try to minimize selective attrition by understanding the reasons why participants drop out and taking steps to keep them engaged in the study.

Question 11

A researcher who selects a sample of people of varying ages and studies them at one point in time is,by definition,using the __________ method.

Accepted Answer

The cross-sectional method involves selecting a sample and studying them at one point in time. It is commonly used to study developmental changes across different age groups at the same time. Cohort studies involve selecting a group of people who share a common characteristic and studying them over a period of time. Longitudinal studies involve selecting a sample and following them over a period of time. Correlational studies involve measuring the relationship between two or more variables.

Question 12

Which of the following statements reflects a failure to consider bidirectional explanations for behaviour?

Accepted Answer

This statement only considers the idea that witnessing violence leads to aggressive behavior, without acknowledging that aggressive behavior in the child could also contribute to the violence they experience at home. It only considers a unidirectional relationship, without acknowledging the bidirectional nature of behavior.

Question 13

The local health department of a small town has hired a research firm to study the development of cancer in residents in the town due to a suspected cancer-causing agent and environmental pollution.The researcher will compare data on the same participants at age 10,20,30,40,50,60,70,and so on,to see if there are increasing rates of cancer in the town.This type of research study is called a

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal design involves following the same group of participants over a long period of time to study changes or development. In this case, the researcher is comparing data on the same participants at different ages to see if there are increased cancer rates, making it a clear example of a longitudinal design. Cross-sectional design involves comparing different groups at the same point in time, cohort research design involves studying groups who share a particular characteristic (such as being born in the same year), and correlational research design involves studying the relationship between two variables.

Question 14

Which research method is most suitable for studying factors that influence behavioural change over time?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research method involves the study of the same individuals or groups over an extended period, and it is suitable for studying factors that influence behavioral change over time. This method allows researchers to track changes in behavior and collect in-depth data on how the behavior changes over time.

Question 15

Dr.Kiwanis is conducting a longitudinal study on the development of externalizing behaviours in children.He samples children each year as they age but has found that,each year,his sample size is getting smaller because families are dropping out of the study.This is called

Accepted Answer

Attrition refers to the loss of participants in a study over time, which can lead to a smaller sample size and potentially biased results. This is different from developmental effects, which refer to changes in behavior or abilities that occur naturally over time. Cohort effects refer to differences between groups of participants based on the time period in which they were born or experienced significant life events. Infant determinism is not a recognized concept in psychology.

Question 16

Cohort effects are to __________ as developmental effects are to __________.

Accepted Answer

Cohort effects refer to differences between groups based on the time period in which they were born or grew up. Developmental effects refer to changes that occur over the course of an individual's lifespan. Cross-sectional designs compare groups of people at different stages of development, while longitudinal designs follow the same group of people over time. Therefore, cohort effects are to cross-sectional designs as developmental effects are to longitudinal designs.

Question 17

A psychologist spends her entire career studying how and why changes occur in people throughout their lives.This psychologist is most likely working in the field of

Accepted Answer

The psychologist's focus on studying changes in people throughout their lives suggests a specialization in human development, which encompasses the study of changes that occur from infancy to old age.

Question 18

Dr.Brady studies parenting practices and childhood dispositions.He has found a relationship between the two variables and concludes that if parents treat their children with warmth and care,then their children will be well-adjusted and emotionally healthy.What problem would be associated with Dr.Brady's conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Brady's conclusion may overlook bidirectional influences, where children's dispositions could also affect parenting practices, not just the other way around.

Question 19

Professor Grant is interested in studying the development of a sense of humour.She collects data from groups of six-year-olds,16-year-olds,26-year-olds,and 46-year-olds.What type of research design is Professor Grant using?

Accepted Answer

Professor Grant is using a cross-sectional research design as she is collecting data from different age groups at the same point in time. This design allows for quick and efficient data collection, but does not allow for the examination of changes within individuals over time.

Question 20

What was the main point of the discussion of three pairs of twins and their athletic ability in the introduction of this chapter?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was the main point of the...

Quiz 10: D: Human Development