chapter 1 - lecture 3

Question 1

what are the methods of collecting data

Answer 1

1) observation
- naturalistic
- laboratory

Question 2

what is naturalistic observation

Answer 2

observing in one’s natural environment

Question 3

what is laboratory observation

Answer 3

observing but research offers control

Question 4

what are interviews and surveys

Answer 4

quick way to get information regarding the beliefs, feelings, and experiences of people

Question 5

what are the limitations of questionnaires

Answer 5

people give socially desirable answers, lie, misunderstand the questions

Question 6

what is a case study

Answer 6

in-depth look at person or small number of people to examine the unique aspects of their life that cannot be replicated

Question 7

what is correlational research

Answer 7

describes the strength of the relationship between 2 or more events or characteristics

NOT their cause!

CORRELATION DOES NOT = TO CAUSATION

ex: there is a correlation between height and weight, higher education and more money one makes

Question 8

what is an experiment

Answer 8

• best for showing cause and effect relationships between 2 variables
• tests a hypothesis (ex: aspirin relieves headaches)

Question 9

how does an experiment work

Answer 9

• manipulate one variable = the independent variable = the treatment (aspirin)
• then, one observes and records the resulting changes in the other variable (relief of the headache) = dependant variable

Question 10

characteristics of conducting research

Answer 10

one must also have an experimental group and a control group and assign subjects RANDOMLY

Question 11

what is an experimental group

Answer 11

the group given the particular treatment (ex: aspirin)

Question 12

what is a control group

Answer 12

• the group used for comparison purposes (ex: sugar pill)
• this group does not get the special treatment but is similar in other ways to the experimental group (age, sex, race)

Question 13

what 2 approaches are used in time span research

Answer 13

1) cross sectional approach
2) longitudinal approach

Question 14

what is the cross sectional approach (1)

Answer 14

people from different ages are compared at one time

• ex: testing 5, 8, 11, 15, 25 and 45 year olds to see if there are memory differences between the groups

Question 15

what are the advantages of the cross sectional approach

Answer 15

• time efficient
• do not have to wait for people to age
• inexpensive

Question 16

what are the disadvantages of the cross sectional approach

Answer 16

• no info about how people change or how stable their characteristics are

Question 17

what is the longitudinal approach (2)

Answer 17

the same people are studied over a period of time, several years +

• ex: studying life satisfaction over 70 years: ages 20, 35, 45, 65, 90

Question 18

what are the advantages of the longitudinal approach

Answer 18

stability and change in development and how important early experience is for later development

Question 19

what are the disadvantages of the longitudinal approach

Answer 19

• expensive
• time consuming
• subjects can drop out, get sick, move, lose interest, die

Question 20

what is cohort-sequential research

Answer 20

• combines cross sectional and longitudinal approaches
• starts with cross sectional study: people of varying ages are compared
• months or years after the first assessment, the SAME people are tested again (longitudinal aspect of the design)
• at this time later, a NEW group of subjects is assessed at each age level

Question 21

cohort effects

Answer 21

due to a person’s time of birth or generation NOT their actual age