b.
differences exist between treatment groups prior to the treatment.
c.
age effects.
d.
similarity of participant groups prior to the treatment.
54. Faith wants to know whether there is a cause-effect relationship between the amount of time parents spend reading to
their children and their children’s attitudes toward reading. What type of research design should Faith use?
a.
Cross-sectional
b.
Experimental
c.
Longitudinal
d.
Naturalistic observation
55. A key limitation of the experimental method is that it
a.
cannot be used to identify cause-and-effect.
b.
is very expensive.
c.
cannot be used to assess many interesting questions due to ethical reasons.
d.
does an excellent job of explaining real-world experience, but does not do a good job of explaining what
happens in the laboratory.
56. What point was Urie Bronfenbrenner attempting to make when he said that developmental psychology had become,
“the science of the strange behavior of children in strange situations with strange adults”?
a.
Modern developmental psychology is too focused on laboratory research.
b.
Modern developmental psychology pays too much attention to exceptional children and not enough to normal
children.
c.
Modern developmental psychology is too worried about the impact of early childhood abuse by parents.
d.
Modern developmental psychology conducts far too few experiments.
57. The fundamental question addressed by the correlational method is
a.
“Does variable A cause variable B?”
b.
“How is a control group influenced by the absence of an independent variable?”
c.
“What impact does random assignment have on psychological behavior?”
d.
“Are two or more variables related in some systematic way?”
58. In the field of developmental psychology, the main reason that the correlational method is used more often than
experimental methods is because
a.
correlations are more effective at addressing the issue of cause.
b.
of ethical concerns.
c.
correlational research is significantly more scientifically rigorous.
d.
of the availability of computers.
59. Dr. Fill wants to study the relationship between drug addiction and being the victim of child abuse. As Dr. Fill is an
ethical researcher, he would have to conduct a(n) _____ study.
a.
experimental
b.
correlational
c.
laboratory
d.
cross-sectional
60. Tom finds a correlation of +.81 between number of years in school and salary of first job. This would mean that
a.
the more education one has, the lower his or her starting salary is likely to be.
b.
the more education one has, the higher his or her starting salary is likely to be.
c.
education determines whether or not someone will get a job after graduation.
d.
increases in education cause employers to offer higher salaries.
61. Mara finds that the correlation between variables A and B is +.43, while the correlation between variables A and C is –
.78. These results indicate that
a.
the correlation between A and C is stronger than the correlation between A and B.
b.
the correlation between A and B is stronger than the correlation between A and C.
c.
variable A causes variable B but not variable C.
d.
variable A causes both variables B and C.
62. Smoking cigarettes and having lung cancer are highly correlated events, and people often logically conclude that
smoking must cause the cancer. It is hypothetically possible, however, that having lung cancer causes one to crave
nicotine and thus it leads to smoking. This example illustrates the issue of
a.
the third variable.
b.
a reversed cause-effect relationship.
c.
time of measurement effects.
d.
plasticity.
63. Research has shown a positive correlation between the amount of time children spend watching television and their
levels of aggression. It is possible that the actual cause of this relationship involves harsh parents who act aggressively
toward children (teaching them to be aggressive) and whose violence leads children to avoid them at all costs (including
by watching television). This example illustrates the issue of
a.
the third variable.
b.
a reversed cause-effect relationship.
c.
time of measurement effects.
d.
plasticity.
64. In order to study the effects of television on children’s behavior, Dr. Squarepants synthesizes the results from 150
studies looking at the influence of cartoons on children’s moral development. Given this description, Dr. Squarepants
appears to be using the _____ research technique.
a.
naturalistic observation
b.
meta-analysis
c.
structured observation
d.
sequential design
65. Which statement best describes the basic premise of the cross-sectional research design?
a.
Assess different age groups (e.g., 5-, 10-, 15-year-olds) at the same time (e.g., during the same week)
b.
Assess the same age group (e.g., only 5-year-olds) at the same time (e.g., during the same week)
c.
Assess different age groups (e.g., 5-, 10-, 15-year-olds) at different times (e.g., 5-year-olds in 2003, 10-year-
olds in 2004, and 15-year-olds in 2005)
d.
Assess the same group (e.g., 5-year-olds) at different times (e.g., first test when kids are 5, then when they are
10, and finally when they turn 15)
66. Who is using a cross-sectional research design?
a.
Fred, who is assessing study habits in fifth graders in three different countries
b.
Barney, who is assessing the study habits in a group of fifth graders and who will follow and assess this same
group when they get to eighth and then eleventh grade
c.
Wilma, who is simultaneously testing the study habits of fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders
d.
Betty, who is assessing the study habits of fifth graders in the year 2003, and plans to assess eighth-graders’
study habits in 2004 and eleventh graders’ habits in 2005
67. For her senior project, Shantae wants to study children’s moral reasoning. During the fall semester, she interviews 20
individuals in each of the following grades: first, fourth, seventh, tenth, and college sophomores. She asks each participant
to solve a practical moral dilemma. What sort of research design is Shantae using?
a.
Cross-sectional
b.
Experimental
c.
Longitudinal
d.
Sequential
68. Who is using a longitudinal research design?
a.
George, who is assessing eating habits of 40-year-olds in three different countries
b.
Jane, who is assessing the eating habits in a group of 40-year-olds, and who will follow and assess this same
group when they get to ages 60 and 80
c.
Elroy, who is simultaneously testing the eating habits of 40-, 60-, and 80-year-olds
d.
Judy, who is assessing the eating habits of 40-year-olds in the year 2014, and plans to assess 60-year-olds’
eating habits in 2019 and 80-year-olds’ habits in 2024
69. Olga is interested in how people develop strategies for conflict resolution. She selects a group of preschoolers, and
uses both interviews and naturalistic observation to explore their approaches to dealing with conflict. Every two years
thereafter, Olga again interviews and observes this same group of youngsters, concluding her study when the children
reach adolescence. Olga has been using a _____ research design.
a.
behavioral observation
b.
cross-sectional
c.
longitudinal
d.
sequential
70. The impact on research findings produced by historical events occurring at the moment the data were collected are
referred to as _____ effects.
a.
meta-analysis
b.
placebo
c.
age
d.
time of measurement
71. Sol is investigating the effects of divorce on children’s self-esteem. His initial sample consists of a group of 10 five-
year-olds, which he plans to follow over a period of at least 15 years. When this group of children reaches age 15, Sol
adds a second group of five-year-olds to his study, and plans to follow them for another 15 years. Sol’s overall plan is best
classified as a _____ research design.
a.
correlational
b.
cross-sectional
c.
longitudinal
d.
sequential
72. Only the _____ design allows a researcher to potentially separate out effects of age, cohort, and time of measurement.
a.
cross-sectional
b.
experimental
c.
longitudinal
d.
sequential
73. While considering a new study, Creed is concerned that the stimulus he is using might frighten the infants he is
testing. This indicates that Creed is focusing on
a.
meta-analysis.
b.
a correlational design.
c.
a sequential design.
d.
research ethics.
74. The fact that a study participant needs to be aware of what they may experience while in a research study illustrates
the concept of
a.
informed consent.
b.
debriefing.
c.
protection from harm.
d.
confidentiality.
75. After Mr. Flay has finished filling out a survey that he thought was on cooking skills, he is told that the actual purpose
of the survey was to assess his intelligence. This best represents the concept of
a.
informed consent.
b.
debriefing.
c.
protection from harm.
d.
confidentiality.
76. Due to the ethical standard concerning _____, a researcher could not tell a parent that the parent’s child scored in the
“genius” range on an IQ test that the researcher had given.
a.
informed consent
b.
debriefing
c.
protection from harm
d.
confidentiality
77. Which of the following is considered an aspect of psychosocial human development?
a.
language
b.
learning
c.
emotion
d.
perception
78. Which of the following terms best reflects the relationship of the three aspects of human development?
a.
sequential
b.
cumulative
c.
integrated
d.
distinct
79. As a research scientist in the field of human development, Yelena looks at the culmination of biological aging. What is
the focus of Yelena’s work?
a.
disability
b.
maturity
c.
illness
d.
death
80. Carter is hosting a welcome-to-campus party for the incoming class of freshmen at the university. Who are the guests
at Carter’s event?
a.
late adolescents
b.
emerging adults
c.
mature teens
d.
young adults
81. There are 100 men and 100 women at a New Year’s Eve party to celebrate the start of the twenty-first century. All of
them had turned 30 in the previous year. About how many of them had completed all of Furstenberg’s objectives markers
of adulthood?
a.
62 of the men and 38 of the women
b.
72 of the men and 68 of the women
c.
29 of the men and 48 of the women
d.
46 of the men and 73 of the women
82. Some cultural observers have noted that American teenagers exhibit less self-assuredness and independence than their
peers in other countries. What might help address this concern for American teens?
a.
distinct age grades
b.
standardized age norms
c.
clear social clocks
d.
formal rites of passage
83. Who is likely to attain the milestones of adulthood sooner?
a.
Randy, who lives in a wealthy suburb and attends private academy
b.
Javier, who lives in a housing project and dropped out of high school
c.
Lacy, who lives in a Manhattan penthouse and is home-schooled
d.
Tanesha, who lives in a middle-class home and goes to a girls’ academy
84. A scientist who is interested in the “nurture” perspective of human development would likely do which of the
following with a child subject?
a.
conduct a functional brain scan on the child
b.
develop a family health history for the child
c.
track how many hours the child watches TV
d.
obtain a saliva sample to map the child’s DNA
85. Shonda is a high school sophomore who is a perfect example of Hall’s concept of adolescent storm and stress. What is
likely occurring in Shonda’s life to make her fit Hall’s description?
a.
aging
b.
depression
c.
rebellion
d.
change
86. Jennifer manages a research program that is looking at whether regular use of word game apps can help limit memory