Chapter 2 research methods

Question 1

What is naturalistic observation?

Answer 1

-an observation method that involves watching the behavior of children in a natural environment.
-to get an unbiased observation researchers undergo observational protocol.
-2+ researchers compare observations to find accuracy and thus confidence in findings.
hidden cameras help - or cameras that participants were exposed to earlier and are habituated to - because of hawthorne effect.

Question 2

What is structured observation?

Answer 2

• takes place in lab instead of natural environment.
• environment/setting can be changed by researcher.
• less generalizable to population since its not a natural environment.

Question 3

What types of descriptive research are there?

Answer 3

There is observational research which can be structured or naturalistic. Then there is interview based research which can be structured or open ended.
Then there are case studies.

Question 4

What are interview methods in research?

Answer 4

• Open ended interviews have no specific questions as their goal is to get a feel for the character of the participant. (knowledge, morals, belief, values)
• looks for qualitative themes.
• Questionnaire interviews have specific questions that are asked to a sample or population.
• good to compare what a child will answer with compared to what a teacher or parent says about child.
  -generates quantitative results.

Question 5

What is a case study?

Answer 5

• case studies are one off situations that psychologists find theoretically interesting.
• not generalizable to population.

Question 6

What is longitudinal research?

Answer 6

Researchers measure behaviors of interest at some earlier point of development, then continue to observe the behavior through different developmental periods.
- correlational or experimental.
- good for stability or perseverance of behavior over time. continuity or discontinuity. and affect of early experience on later behavior.

-problems with attrition, outdatedness of equipment over years, repeated tests,

Question 7

What is cross sectional research?

Answer 7

Different ages, same point in time.

-problems with stability of trait or behavior over time. (cant compare to younger self, just other younger kid) and COHORT EFFECT. this is kinda generational differences to a smaller degree and the effect on behavior.`