Question 1

According to several published research studies, how could individuals like Adolf Hitler or Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev commit such acts according to the "nature versus nurture" debate?

Accepted Answer

According to the nature versus nurture debate, it is the result of the interaction of nature and nurture. While genetic predispositions may play a role, environmental factors such as upbringing, social influences, and life experiences also contribute to the development of behavior. Therefore, it is not solely due to nature or nurture, but a combination of both. Studies suggest that a combination of genetics and environmental factors contribute to the development of behavior, including criminal behavior. Therefore, it is not accurate to solely attribute the behavior of individuals like Adolf Hitler or Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to either nature or nurture alone.

Question 2

Unlike other types of research, a cross-sequential design allows researchers to __________.

Accepted Answer

A cross-sequential design allows researchers to combine longitudinal and cross-sectional research strategies. This enables the researchers to compare different age groups at the same time, as well as track changes within individuals over time. This design also helps to address some of the limitations of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs alone, such as cohort effects and practice effects. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 3

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 4

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 his study.

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional design involves selecting a sample of participants from different age groups and studying them at one point in time. This is in contrast to a longitudinal design, which would involve studying the same group of people over a period of time.

Question 5

Which field of study tries to determine how much of behavior is the result of genetic inheritance and how much is due to a person's experiences?

Accepted Answer

Behavioral genetics is the field of study that tries to determine how much of behavior is the result of genetic inheritance and how much is due to a person's experiences. Psychobiology and neuropsychology both focus primarily on the biological basis of behavior, while psychoanalysis is a specific theory and method of psychotherapy.

Question 6

Each of the 10 children born to Bodhi and Birdie Orangeburg has been born with red hair. Each child is also very intelligent and athletic. The Orangeburgs are expecting an 11th child, who is also likely to be born with the same traits according to __________, as evidenced in the __________.

Accepted Answer

The given information suggests that the traits of red hair, intelligence, and athleticism are likely determined by genetics, making nature the most appropriate explanation. The fact that all 10 children have the same traits also supports the idea that genetics play a strong role. There is no mention of environmental factors or teratogens being involved in determining these traits, ruling out choices C and D. The nature versus nurture controversy is not directly applicable to this scenario, as there is no mention of any specific environmental factors that could have influenced the children's traits, making choice A incorrect.

Question 7

__________ refers to heredity and __________ refers to environmental influences.

Accepted Answer

The term "nature" typically refers to an individual's biological, genetic, and innate characteristics, which are inherited from their parents. "Nurture" refers to the various environmental factors that can shape an individual's development, including their upbringing, social experiences, and cultural background. Option B is incorrect because cognition and emotion are two different psychological processes, and neither concept is directly related to nature vs. nurture. Option C is partially correct, as behavioral genetics is a subfield of psychology that examines the complex interplay between nature and nurture in shaping behavior. However, the term nurture more broadly encompasses a wider range of environmental factors beyond genetics. Option D is incorrect because cross-sectional and longitudinal designs refer to different research methods for studying development and are not directly related to nature vs. nurture.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal design involves following and assessing a group of participants over time, which fits the description provided. The other answer choices (cohort, behavior genetics, cross-sectional) do not accurately describe this type of design.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

A disadvantage of longitudinal design is that participants may drop out of the study over time, which can lead to biased results or difficulty in analyzing the data. This can be due to various reasons such as moving, loss of interest, or death, and can make it difficult to maintain a sample size throughout the entire study.

Question 10

The type of research design that compares various participants at several points in time to examine age-related differences and changes is called a __________ design.

Accepted Answer

A cross-sequential design involves both cross-sectional and longitudinal components. It compares different age groups at multiple time points, allowing for the examination of both age-related differences and changes. This design is ideal for studying developmental changes over time, as well as cohort effects (differences between groups born at different times) and time of measurement effects (differences due to changes in societal or cultural factors).

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

The main disadvantage of a cross-sectional design is that individuals of different ages are being compared to one another, which can lead to confounding variables and difficulties in determining causation.

Question 12

What is the science of heredity called?

Accepted Answer

The science of heredity is called genetics.

Question 13

Dr. Bashir believes that people who are very aggressive have become so because of their life experiences. Dr. Heller believes that people are more or less aggressive from birth because of genetic factors. Which of the following terms BEST describes an issue in human development that is highlighted by their disagreement?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Bashir and Dr. Heller's disagreement revolves around whether aggression is due to environmental factors or genetic factors. This represents the classic nature versus nurture debate in human development.

Question 14

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 study of how and why changes occur in people throughout their lives is the main focus of human development, making this the most likely field in which the psychologist works. Abnormal psychology focuses on diagnosing and treating mental disorders, while gerontology focuses on the aging process and its effects on individuals. Maturational studies may also involve the study of human development, but this term is less commonly used in psychology compared to the term human development.

Question 15

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 researchers will compare data on participants every 10 years (e.g., at ages 10, 20, 30, etc.) to see if there are increasing rates of cancer in the town. This type of research study is called a __________ design.

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal design follows the same group of participants over a period of time, in this case, every 10 years to study the development of cancer in the town's residents.

Question 16

Professor Peña is interested in studying the development of a sense of humor. She collects data from groups of 6-year-olds, 16-year-olds, 26-year-olds, and 46-year-olds. What type of research design is Professor Peña using?

Accepted Answer

Professor Peña is using a cross-sectional design by collecting data from participants of different ages at one point in time.

Question 17

Mateo and Tomás are identical twins. Mateo was raised by his father and mother, and Tomás was accidentally placed with another family after a mix-up at the hospital. At the age of 15, the boys ran into each other at a football game and noticed that they appeared to be mirror images of each other. After genetic testing proved that they are twins, the families discussed some of the differences between the boys. Mateo is very athletic and intelligent and excels in basketball, but he does not take school seriously and has F's in all subjects. Tomás is also athletic and intelligent and excels in baseball, and he makes straight A's as a result of his strict home life and study routine. Although they are identical twins, what do you think accounts for the differences in the two boys' academic performance based on the research?

Accepted Answer

The differences in the twins' academic performance can be attributed to their upbringing or environment, which falls under the category of nurture. Mateo's lack of academic success may be the result of a less strict home life and study routine compared to Tomás, who makes straight A's due to his stricter upbringing. While genetics may play a role in things such as intelligence, it is not the only factor that determines academic success.

Question 18

Professor Ahmad is interested in studying the development of motor skills. He collects data from 200 1-year-olds and follows and assesses them for a period of 5 years. What type of research design is Professor Ahmad using?

Accepted Answer

Professor Ahmad is using a longitudinal design, in which he collects data from the same group of individuals over a period of time. This allows him to observe individual changes and developmental patterns over time.

Question 19

Professor Feinberg is interested in studying cognitive development. He collects and compares data from a group of 6-year-olds and a group of 10-year-olds. Five years later, he compares these two groups to each other again as well as to their own performance in the study five years ago. Professor Feinberg is employing a __________ design in his research.

Accepted Answer

A cross-sequential design involves studying and comparing multiple age groups over time. In this case, Professor Feinberg is studying two age groups (6-year-olds and 10-year-olds) and collecting data at two points in time (once when they are 6/10 and again when they are 11/15). This design allows for both longitudinal and cross-sectional comparisons to be made, making it an appropriate choice for this study.

Question 20

Genetics is defined as the __________.

Accepted Answer

Genetics is the science of inherited traits, including the study of how traits are passed down from one generation to the next and how they are expressed in individuals.

Quiz 8: Development Across the Life Span