Chapter 1- The Science Of Human Development

Question 1

The Scientific Method includes which six steps?

Answer 1

1. Begin with curiosity/ pose a question
2. Develop a hypothesis (a prediction that can be tested)
3. Test the hypothesis (gather empirical evidence)
4. Analyze the data and draw conclusions
5. Report the results
6. Replicate

Question 2

The Nature-Nurture Controversy is…

Answer 2

A debate concerning rather a person’s behavior or characteristic is influenced by their nature (genetically inherited traits, capabilities, and limitations) or nurture (environmental influences such as societal experiences, community, family).

Example: Are serial killers born evil or are their parents, or neighborhood, or drugs amongst other things are to blame for their malicious traits?

Question 3

In regards to the nature-nurture controversy, which side is correct?

Answer 3

Neither. Both genes AND the environment interact to effect every human characteristic.

Question 4

Development is multidirectional, which means…

Answer 4

• Changes occur on every direction throughout the lifespan, not just in a straight line.
• Traits appear and disappear with losses, gains, increases, and decreases.

Question 5

A critical period is defined as…

Answer 5

A time during which a particular development MUST happen otherwise it never will.

Example: A fetus must develop arms between 28 and 54 days after conception. If they do not, they never will.

Question 6

A sensitive period is defined as…

Answer 6

A time during which a particular development is easiest or more likely to happen.

Example: Learning a second or third language before puberty oftentimes is easier to learn and results in accent-free speech. However, adults can still learn a new language later in life, although their grammar is impaired (hence accents which reveals the speaker’s first language is something else).

Question 7

Development is multicontextual, which means…

Answer 7

Multiple contexts (family- size, marital status; community- urban or suburban, diverse or not) impacts a person’s development.

Question 8

The ecological-systems approach to development is that…

Answer 8

Each person is affected by the interactions of overlapping systems.

Question 9

According to the ecological-systems approach, the microsystem is composed of…

Answer 9

The immediate surroundings, such as the family and peer group.

Question 10

According to the ecological-systems approach, the exosystem is composed of…

Answer 10

Local institutions, such as the school and church.

Question 11

According to the ecological-systems approach, the macrosystem is composed of…

Answer 11

The larger societal setting, such as cultural values, economic policies, and political processes).

Question 12

The chronosystem and mesosystem are also important to the ecological-systems approach. They represent…

Answer 12

Chronosystem: “time system” (historical context)
Mesosystem: connections among the other systems

Question 13

Differing views and beliefs between generations, such as attitudes towards same sex marriage, demonstrate the impact of the ________ context.

Answer 13

Historical

Question 14

Development is multicultural, which means…

Answer 14

Many cultures affect how people develop.

Question 15

Since development is multicultural, it is necessary to study…

Answer 15

People of many cultures

Question 16

Culture is defined as…

Answer 16

A system of shared beliefs, norms, behaviors, and expectations that persist over time and prescribe social behavior and assumptions.

Question 17

Why is a multicultural perspective important when studying development?

Answer 17

It allows us to see how different cultures view the same phenomenon.

Example: In some cultures, children who talk too much are considered disrespectful, whereas in others, they are encouraged to be talkative.

Question 18

The difference-equals-deficit error is defined as…

Answer 18

The belief that a deviation from some norm is necessarily inferior to behavior or characteristics that meet the standard.

Question 19

The difference between ethnicity and race is…

Answer 19

Ethnicity involves a sharing a ancestral heritage, and oftentimes language, culture, and religion. Race involves distinguishing a group of people on the basis of physical appearances, typically skin color.

Question 20

Development is multidisciplinary, which means…

Answer 20

Many academic fields (medicine, economics, etc) contributes insights and information to development.

Question 21

What does epigenetics effect?

Answer 21

The expression of genes

Question 22

Give an example of epigentic influences that impede development, and an example of influences that facilitate it.

Answer 22

Impede- injury, drug abuse

Facilitate- nourishing food, loving care

Question 23

How does multidisciplinary research effect the perspectives of scientists?

Answer 23

It broadens and deepened their perspective.

Question 24

Development is plastic, which means…

Answer 24

Human development is ongoing and ever changing throughout the lifespan.

Question 25

Describe the cross-sectional research design.

Answer 25

Cross-Sectional research compares groups of people who differ in age but are similar in other important characteristics.

Example: In the U.S. in 2012, 74% of men aged 25 to 29 were in the labor force, compared to 52% of those aged 60 to 64.

Question 26

What is/are the setback(s) of cross-sectional designed research?

Answer 26

It is difficult to ensure the groups being compared are similar in every way except age.

Example: In the U.S., men aged 25 to 29 make up more of the labor force than those aged 60 to 64. While this may appear to be the result of age, the younger men had more education on average. Age discrimination may also be a factor. What appears to be the result of age may not be the cause at all.

Question 27

Describe the longitudinal research design.

Answer 27

The same individuals are followed over time and data is repeatedly collected on them as they age.

Question 28

What is/are the setbacks of longitudinal designed research?

Answer 28

1. Participants get “lost” over time (they move, withdraw, die).
2. Participants become aware of the goals of the study over time, making them less typical and their results less valid.
3. The historical context limits the relevance of the data collected (results from people born in 1910 may not be relevant to people born in 2010).
4. It requires YEARS of data, some things we need to know now. (Could breastfeeding harm infants?)

Question 29

Describe the cross-sequential research design.

Answer 29

Several groups of people of different ages (cross-sectional approach) are studied over years (longitudinal approach).