331 Exam 1

Question 1

Experimental research designs

Answer 1

• When change something in child’s environment and measure results
• 2 components:
• At least two groups (control vs. intervention group)
• Random assignment
• Can determine causation
• Gold standard in child development research

Question 2

Correlational research designs

Answer 2

• Measure of relationship between two variables; study how things naturally occur without manipulation
• Measures strength and direction of relationship

Question 3

Qualitative research designs

Answer 3

• Words rather than numbers
• Includes: focus groups, interviews, observations, etc.
• Gain rich information not obtainable from numbers

Question 4

3 types of research designs

Answer 4

experimental, correlational, qualitative

Question 5

What is the key component that allows experimental research designs to establish causation?

Answer 5

Random assignment of individuals—equal chance of being assigned to either group

Question 6

What are factors that influence children’s growth and motor development?

Answer 6

Genes
Exercise
Nutrition
Quality of parent-child relationships

Question 7

Key risk factors

Answer 7

o Poverty
o Violent neighborhoods
o Child maltreatment
o Moving frequently

o Low literacy of parents
o Teenage mother
o Born prematurely
o Low birth weight

Question 8

What are the two forms of plasticity?

Answer 8

Experience-expectant plasticity vs. experience-dependent plasticity

Question 9

**Who is most likely to be obese?

Answer 9

Those in poverty

Question 10

What are risk factors for obesity?

Answer 10

• Exercise—greater calorie intake than calorie output
• Diet—too many sugary drinks, increased portion sizes, poor nutrition choices
• Sleep deprivation—less than 10 hours of children leads to adult obesity
• Television viewing—reduces activity level and promotes calorie intake
• Parent behavior—parents being obese as well, skipping family mealtime, being negative during mealtime, being highly controlling about eating, no cooking

Question 11

**What is the area of the cerebral cortex that “makes us human”? With what processes is this area associated?

Answer 11

Pruning and synaptogenesis; frontal cortex

Question 12

Parent-child relationships are bidirectional, meaning there is a give and take between child and parent. What concept describes this phenomenon?

Answer 12

Transactional

Question 13

4 different systems of Bioecological model

Answer 13

o Microsystem—most proximal; family, school, childcare
o Mesosystem—intersection of microsystems; family and school, family and neighborhood
o Exosystem—social settings that do not directly contain child; PTA committee, parent’s work
o Macrosystem—most distal; cultural values, morals, customs, workplace laws

Question 14

Which system of the bioecological model is most important for development?

Answer 14

Microsystem–most proximal to child; family, childcare, school

Question 15

What is cultural capital?

Answer 15

Knowledge and relationships that allow you to succeed in that culture

Question 16

What is the difference between fine and gross motor skills?

Answer 16

o Fine motor skills—very little motor control; small muscle movements, like picking up a bean

o Gross motor skills—involve large muscle movements, like walking or throwing

Question 17

What is context?

Answer 17

o Total setting or situations that interact with developing persons
o Children cannot be separated from their context
o i.e. mathematics in streets vs. in the schools

Question 18

Define resilience; examples?

Answer 18

• When protective factors accumulate, children are more likely to become resilient
• High frequent mover still is able to achieve at outstanding academic test results

Question 19

Define risk factors; examples?

Answer 19

• Established predictors of undesirable outcomes

* i.e. poverty, teenage mother, child maltreatment, moving frequently, born prematurely, etc.

Question 20

Define protective factors; examples?

Answer 20

• Vaccine against risk factors

* i.e. effective caregiving and close relationships, high cognitive skills, hope, effective schools

Question 21

What is the 30 million-word gap example describing?

Answer 21

Rich vs. poor situations; not being exposed to those words as an infant

Question 22

What is a theory?

Answer 22

o An organized group of concepts or principles used to describe, explain, and predict a particular aspect of human development
o Theory guides research
o i.e. attachment theory

Question 23

**Why is the HPA axis important? What is the “end product”?

Answer 23

Adrenaline is delivered into your neurobiological system by what is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis

End product = cortisol

Question 24

**Why is the SNS important? What is its end product?

Answer 24

.

Question 25

What happens during puberty? What is changing?

Answer 25

o Growth spurt
o Changes in proportion of muscle and fat
• Boys gain more muscle; girls gain more fat
o Development of primary sex characteristics—testes and ovaries
o Sexual maturation—first menstruation/ejaculation
o Development of secondary sex characteristics
• Girls: Acne, breast development, height increase, pubic hair, weight increase, menstruation
• Boys: testicle growth, height increase, pubic hair, strength spurt, ejaculation, voice change, facial hair

Question 26

**What age periods are associated with the largest gains in growth?

Answer 26

Infancy, puberty/adolescence

Question 27

What are some behavioral symptoms of stress in children?

Answer 27

• Depends on age: sucking and biting hair, biting fingernails, inattention, clinging
• Regression
• Poor self-control
Tends to be with younger children

Question 28

What are the two dimensions that make up Baumrind’s parenting styles? (hint: see the Kail chapter)

Answer 28

Warmth and control

Question 29

What are the “types” of stress discussed in class?

Answer 29

Positive, tolerable, and toxic

Question 30

What are the two developmental research designs?

Answer 30

Logitudinal and cross-sectional

Question 31

What is longitudinal developmental research design?

Answer 31

• Take group of kids and follow for long period of time

Question 32

What is cross-sectional developmental research design?

Answer 32

• Either study kids at one period (i.e. one day) or take groups of kids at specific ages and compare data

Question 33

Define experience-expectant plasticity

Answer 33

Normative experiences

• i.e. language

Question 34

Define experience-dependent plasticity

Answer 34

Superfluous to normal human experience; don’t really need, but have some ‘extra’
• i.e. music ability, sports ability

Question 35

What are some emotional symptoms of stress in children?

Answer 35

Depends on age: irritability, acting out, worry, anger, mood swings, numbing

Question 36

What are some physical symptoms of stress in children?

Answer 36

Depends on age: upset stomach, headaches, unexplained aches and pains, loss of appetite, bedwetting, rashes, recurrent blinking
• Tends to be with younger children

Question 37

Define positive stress

Answer 37

• Brief instances in heart rate
• Mild elevation in cortisol
• Need to respond
• i.e. stress for a test

Question 38

Define tolerable stress

Answer 38

Serious, temporary stress responses
• Buffered by supportive relationships
• i.e. divorce—can bounce back

Question 39

Define toxic stress

Answer 39

Prolonged activation of stress response system
• Absence of protective relationships
• i.e. child maltreatment, extreme poverty, natural disasters