Question 1

____ is needed to determine whether a developmental principle is universal among all peoples.

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural comparison is needed to determine whether a developmental principle is universal among all peoples. By comparing different cultures, researchers can identify commonalities and differences in development, which can help them identify whether certain developmental principles apply across cultures or whether they are specific to certain groups. Random assignment, selective attrition, and longitudinal follow-up are research methods that may be used to investigate developmental principles but are not specifically related to cross-cultural research.

Question 2

Random assignment in an experiment means that

Accepted Answer

Random assignment ensures that each child has an equal chance of being placed in any treatment group, which helps to control for extraneous variables and increase the internal validity of the experiment. A) is incorrect because participants do not get to choose their treatment group. B) is incorrect because assigning children to groups based on intelligence is not random and could potentially bias the results. D) is incorrect because relying on parental preferences could introduce bias and is not random.

Question 3

Natural (or quasi-) experiments differ from real experiments in the sense that

Accepted Answer

In natural (or quasi-) experiments, the researcher does not manipulate or control the independent variable, but rather selects it based on naturally occurring circumstances or variations. This is different from traditional experiments where the independent variable is intentionally manipulated and controlled by the researcher. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer. Choices B, C, and D do not accurately describe the difference between natural (or quasi-) experiments and real experiments.

Question 4

The purpose of randomization or random assignment is to

Accepted Answer

Randomization or random assignment is used in experiments to distribute participants across different experimental conditions randomly. This helps to control confounding variables that might affect the outcome of the experiment, and it ensures that the groups are roughly equivalent at the beginning of the study. This is important for making valid inferences about cause and effect relationships between variables. Therefore, choice D is the correct answer.

Question 5

A study is done on parental disciplinary styles in various worldwide societies. This approach is called

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural comparison involves studying and comparing different cultural practices, beliefs, and values across different societies. In this case, the study focuses on parental disciplinary styles across various worldwide societies. Option A, tabula rasa approach, is a philosophical concept that suggests individuals are born as blank slates and their experiences shape their personalities and behaviors. Option B, internationalized developmentalism, refers to the idea that global economic development and progress should follow a Western model. Option C, international selective attrition, is not relevant in this context.

Question 6

Which statement about confounding variables in experiments is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Not every experiment has a confounding variable, although many do. Confounding variables are extraneous factors that might influence the outcome being measured, but are not the independent variable being tested. It is important to avoid or minimize confounding variables, as they can lead to incorrect conclusions. Random assignment can help control for confounding variables, but it is not a guarantee, and other techniques may also be necessary.

Question 7

In an experiment on the effects of gamma rays on the growth of morning glory flowers, the dependent variable would be

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the factor that is being measured or observed in an experiment. In this case, the growth of the morning glory flowers is the factor that is being measured and is dependent on the intensity of gamma rays. Therefore, the correct answer is D.

Question 8

The major WEAKNESS of a natural (quasi-) experiment is its

Accepted Answer

Nonrandom assignment is a major weakness of natural (quasi-) experiments because it limits the researcher's ability to ensure that the groups being compared are truly equivalent at the outset. This can lead to confounding variables that can weaken the internal validity of the study.

Question 9

Researchers studying the effects of alcohol consumption tested the physical coordination skills of 21-year-old men who were assigned to drink four, two, or zero ounces of an alcoholic drink in the laboratory. In this study, the dependent variable was the

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable in this study is the physical coordination skills of the participants, as this is what is being measured and compared between the groups who consumed different amounts of alcohol. The other options (age, amount of alcohol consumed, and length of time) are either independent variables or extraneous variables that may be controlled or measured, but do not directly impact the outcome being studied.

Question 10

The first chapter presented an experiment on the effects of violent TV programs on children's aggression. The dependent variable was

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable being measured or observed, which changes in response to the independent variable. In this experiment, the dependent variable is whether the child hurt or helped others, which is being measured as a response to the independent variable, which is exposure to violent TV programs. Therefore, the correct choice is B.

Question 11

A study is done on the effect of tornado survival on children's self-esteem. Survivors of a tornado are compared to others on a self-esteem test. The independent variable is

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the factor that is being manipulated or tested in the study. In this case, the factor being tested is whether the child experienced a tornado or not. Therefore, the correct answer is A. The scores on the self-esteem test would be the dependent variable. The number of children who participated and the severity of the trauma would be other variables that could be measured in the study, but they would not be the independent variable.

Question 12

The Souza et al. (2004) study on children with ADHD living in Brazil was an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Souza et al. (2004) study on...

Question 13

Studies in which participants from different cultural or subcultural backgrounds are observed, tested, and compared on one or more aspects of development are

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural designs involve the comparison of individuals from different cultural or subcultural backgrounds. This type of research allows for the identification of similarities and differences in development across cultures and can help researchers to understand the role of culture in shaping development.

Question 14

In their field experiment, Leyens et al. (1975) evaluated the impact of media exposure on the aggression of Belgian delinquents. In this study, the authors found that viewing violent films

Accepted Answer

Leyens et al. (1975) found a significant increase in physical and verbal aggression after viewing violent films, indicating that media exposure had a negative impact on the aggression of Belgian delinquents.

Question 15

In an experiment on the effects of gamma rays on the growth of morning glory flowers, the independent variable would be

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is being manipulated or changed in the experiment. In this case, the intensity of the gamma rays is being changed in order to see how it affects the growth of the morning glory flowers. The other options are not being specifically manipulated in the experiment.

Question 16

An experiment that takes place in a naturalistic setting is referred to as a

Accepted Answer

A field experiment takes place in a naturalistic setting, while a naturalistic observation simply involves observing behavior without manipulating any variables. Correlations and longitudinal studies do not necessarily involve naturalistic settings.

Question 17

A study is done on the effect of tornado survival on children's self-esteem. Survivors are compared to others using a self-esteem test. The dependent variable is

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in the study. In this case, the self-esteem test scores are being used to measure the effect of tornado survival on children's self-esteem, therefore, option D is the dependent variable. Option A, the number of children who participated, is not the dependent variable but rather a demographic variable. Option B, the severity of the tornadoes, is an independent variable that may affect the dependent variable. Option C, whether the child experienced a tornado, is also an independent variable that may affect the dependent variable.

Question 18

Results from a laboratory experiment do NOT generalize to children's behavior in the real world. This shows a problem with the experiment's

Accepted Answer

Ecological validity refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to real-world settings. If a laboratory experiment lacks ecological validity, it means that the findings may not apply in natural or everyday settings, and therefore may not be generalizable to children's behavior in the real world.

Question 19

The goal of experimental control is to

Accepted Answer

The goal of experimental control is to prevent confounding variables from affecting the dependent variable. This means that the independent variable can be tested and its effect on the dependent variable can be determined without interference from outside factors.

Question 20

A study is done on the effect of surviving a tornado on children's self-esteem. Survivors are compared to others with a self-esteem test. This study applied the method of

Accepted Answer

This study applied the method of a natural (or quasi-) experiment because the researcher did not manipulate a variable (the experience of surviving a tornado) but instead observed and compared naturally occurring groups (survivors and non-survivors). Additionally, it is unlikely that participants were randomly assigned to either group.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Developmental Psychology and Its Research Strategies