Question 1

A developmental psychologist believes that increased TV watching by young children is responsible for a decline in reading stories when these children enter school.To explore her hypothesis,she records the TV viewing habits of toddlers in a suburban community.She examines these habits again when the children enter kindergarten and again every year until the kids enter the sixth grade.This is the ________ method.
A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)lifespan
D)correlational

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies gather data from the same participants over an extended period of time.

Question 2

A researcher who selects a sample of people of varying ages and studies them at one point in time is by definition,using a ______ design.
A)cohort design
B)longitudinal design
C)lifespan design
D)cross-sectional design

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional design studies several different age groups at the same time.

Question 3

In a __________design,one group of participants is followed and assessed over a period of time as the group ages.
A)cohort
B)longitudinal
C)lifespan
D)cross-sectional

Accepted Answer

In a longitudinal design, the same group of participants is observed and assessed over a period of time, allowing for the study of age-related changes within individuals. Cohort refers to a group of people sharing a common characteristic and can be studied using a cross-sectional design, while lifespan refers to the entire span of a person's life and can be approached using various designs including longitudinal and cross-sectional. Cross-sectional design involves studying different groups of individuals at one point in time.

Question 4

Which of the following types of changes are of interest to a developmental psychologist?
A)physical changes
B)physical and cognitive changes
C)physical,cognitive,and social changes
D)physical,cognitive,social,and emotional changes

Accepted Answer

Physical,cognitive,social,and emotional changes are all of interest to developmental psychologists.

Question 5

The study of growth and changes that occur over the course of the entire lifespan is called ________ psychology.
A)physiological
B)evolutionary
C)developmental
D)personality

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychology is the study of growth and changes that occur throughout the lifespan, from infancy to old age. It focuses on the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development of individuals, as well as the environmental and cultural factors that influence these processes. Physiological psychology studies the biological and neurological processes underlying behavior, while evolutionary psychology examines the evolutionary roots of human behavior. Personality psychology studies the patterns and traits of individuals that make up their personality.

Question 6

A researcher decides to study cognitive changes in children by tracking a group of 3-year-olds until they reach the age of 18.This researcher is conducting a ________ study.
A)longitudinal
B)correlational
C)cross-sectional
D)lifespan

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies gather data from the same participants over an extended period of time.

Question 7

The scientific study of the changes that occur in people as they age from conception to death is called:
A)abnormal psychology.
B)gerontology.
C)developmental psychology.
D)maturational studies.

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology that studies the psychological growth of individuals throughout their lifespan, from conception to death. It encompasses changes in physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development.

Question 8

One-year-olds and follows and assesses them for a period of five years.What type of research design is Professor Sanchez using?
A)cohort design
B)longitudinal design
C)lifespan design
D)cross-sectional design

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal design is one in which participants are followed and assessed as they age.

Question 9

A research study in which different groups of people of different ages are compared to assess a particular variable is a __________ study.
A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)experimental
D)survey

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional study compares different groups of people of different ages at one point in time. This type of study can be useful for identifying age-related changes or differences in a particular variable, such as cognitive abilities or health outcomes. In contrast, a longitudinal study follows the same group of people over time, which can be useful for tracking changes within individuals and identifying developmental trajectories. Experimental studies involve manipulating an independent variable to observe its effects on a dependent variable, and survey studies involve gathering data through questionnaires or interviews.

Question 10

A method of studying developmental changes by evaluating the same people at different points in their lives is a ________ study.
A)longitudinal
B)cohort
C)biographical
D)lifespan

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study involves following the same individuals over an extended period of time, typically years or even decades, and observing changes that occur. This method is particularly useful for studying developmental changes because it allows researchers to track an individual's development from infancy or childhood through adulthood and old age. Cohort studies, on the other hand, involve comparing groups of people who were born in the same time period, and biographical studies typically involve conducting intensive interviews or investigations of an individual's life history. Lifespan studies may refer to any study that investigates development across the entire lifespan, but they do not necessarily involve following the same individuals over time.

Question 11

Dawn is a graduate student investigating the development of fine motor skills.She selects one group of children and assesses their fine motor skills every six months over a six-year period.In this example,Dawn is using a __________ research design.
A)cross-sectional
B)sequential
C)longitudinal
D)cohort

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal design is one in which participants are followed and assessed as they age.

Question 12

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the longitudinal design?
A)Individuals of different ages are being compared to one another.
B)Longitudinal samples are rarely representative.
C)Longitudinal studies fail to track changes over time.
D)Participants may drop out due to moving,loss of interest,or changes in attitude.

Accepted Answer

In this design there is a risk of losing participants due to many factors.

Question 13

A method of studying developmental changes by comparing people of different ages at about the same time is a ________ study.
A)longitudinal
B)cohort
C)cross-sectional
D)lifespan

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional study involves comparing people of different ages at about the same time. Longitudinal studies involve following the same group of individuals over a period of time, while cohort studies involve comparing groups of people who were born at different times but experience the same historical events. Lifespan studies involve examining developmental changes across the entire lifespan.

Question 14

A researcher who studies a fixed group of people over a long period of time is,by definition,using the ________ method.
A)lifespan
B)correlational
C)cross-sectional
D)longitudinal

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies gather data from the same participants over an extended period of time.

Question 15

Brody reminds her graduate students that development continues until death and that it reflects an ongoing,complex interaction between physical,cognitive,and social factors.Dr.Brody takes a(n)______ approach to human development.
A)multidirectional
B)lifespan
C)longitudinal
D)"old-school"

Accepted Answer

The emphasis on all stages of life and complex interactions reflects a lifespan approach.

Question 16

Which of the following statements best summarizes the history of development psychology?
A)In the late 1800s and early 1900s,psychologists began studying children.At the same time,they also began focusing on adult development and aging.
B)In the late 1800s and early 1900s,psychologists began studying children.A decade or two later,they began focusing on adult development and aging.
C)In the late 1800s and early 1900s,psychologists began studying children.In the 1960s and 1970s,they began focusing on adult development and aging.
D)In the late 1930s and 1940s,psychologists began studying children.In the 1960s and 1970s,they began focusing on adult development and aging.

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychology initially focused on children in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with a significant shift towards adult development and aging occurring in the 1960s and 1970s.

Question 17

A researcher began collecting data on a group of twenty-five children in the late 1970s.She is still compiling data on these individuals,who are now in their early thirties.This researcher is conducting a __________ study.
A)longitudinal
B)cross-sectional
C)case
D)survey

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study involves following the same group of participants over time and measuring a particular

Question 18

Charmaine is interested in going to graduate school to gain expertise in understanding the way in which people experience physical,cognitive,social,and emotional changes over the course of their lives.The type of program that Charmaine should be applying to is __________ psychology.
A)developmental
B)child
C)social
D)ecological

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychology focuses on the many changes that occur throughout people's lives from conception to death.

Question 19

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 firm will examine data on participants at ages 10,then 20,then 30,and so on,to see if there are increasing rates of cancer in the town.This type of research study uses a _______ design.
A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)lifespan

Accepted Answer

The same participants are studied at successive ages in a longitudinal design.

Question 20

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:
A)abnormal psychology.
B)gerontology.
C)developmental psychology.
D)maturational studies.

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychology focuses on the changes that occur throughout people's lives from conception to death.

Quiz 9: Lifespan Development

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

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

Which of the following types of changes are of interest to a developmental psychologist?

The study of growth and changes that occur over the course of the entire lifespan is called ________ psychology.

A researcher decides to study cognitive changes in children by tracking a group of 3-year-olds until they reach the age of 18.This researcher is conducting a ________ study.

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

One-year-olds and follows and assesses them for a period of five years.What type of research design is Professor Sanchez using?

A research study in which different groups of people of different ages are compared to assess a particular variable is a __________ study.

A method of studying developmental changes by evaluating the same people at different points in their lives is a ________ study.

Dawn is a graduate student investigating the development of fine motor skills.She selects one group of children and assesses their fine motor skills every six months over a six-year period.In this example,Dawn is using a __________ research design.

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

A method of studying developmental changes by comparing people of different ages at about the same time is a ________ study.

A researcher who studies a fixed group of people over a long period of time is,by definition,using the ________ method.

Brody reminds her graduate students that development continues until death and that it reflects an ongoing,complex interaction between physical,cognitive,and social factors.Dr.Brody takes a(n) ______ approach to human development.

Which of the following statements best summarizes the history of development psychology?

A researcher began collecting data on a group of twenty-five children in the late 1970s.She is still compiling data on these individuals,who are now in their early thirties.This researcher is conducting a __________ study.

Charmaine is interested in going to graduate school to gain expertise in understanding the way in which people experience physical,cognitive,social,and emotional changes over the course of their lives.The type of program that Charmaine should be applying to is __________ psychology.

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: