Midterm Flashcards
what is human development?
the ways people grow and change across the lifespan. includes biological, cognitive, psychological, and social functions.
individualistic values
cultural values such as independence and self-expression
collectivistic values
cultural values such as obedience and group harmony
what are the 5 steps of the scientific method
1- identify a research question
2- form a hypothesis
3-choose research measurement and research design
4-collect data to test hypothesis
5- draw conclusion that lead to new questions and hypothesis
Variables
something that can change ( score on a test ) used to determine if a change in one variable relates to change in another
Independent variable (IV)
variable the experimenter manipulates to change the dependent variable
Dependent Variable (DV)
The outcome that is measured to determine the impacts of changes in the independent variable
Validity
The extent to which a measure actually assesses what it claims to measure
Reliability
consistency of measures across different occasions
Experimental condition
group of participants exposed to the treatment/ effect being studied
Control condition
Group of participants NOT exposed to the treatment/ effect being studied, serve as a baseline of comparison for experimental condition
Random Assignment
Participants assigned to experimental or control conditions randomly to ensure groups comparable
non-random Assignment
assign participants to groups based on certain characteristics (to compare impact of treatment on different groups)
closed question
participants choose between a set of provided answers
open-ended question
participants can provide their own answers
socially desirable responding
tendency of people to reply in a manner that will be viewed favourably by others
Naturalistic Observation
observing people in real-life situations and recording data about their behaviour based on pre-determined criteria and variables of interest
structured observations
observing people in an artificially created setting that is likely to elicit the behaviour of interest
ecological validity
extent to which conclusions from research can provide information about behaviour in real-world settings
EEG- electroencephalogram
measures electrical activity in the cerebral cortex
FMRI- functional magnetic resonance imaging
uses a magnetic field to measure changes in blood oxygen in the brain to gauge activity during different kinds of stimulation
Case studies
Detailed examination of one person or a small number of people
Cross-sectional design
design where data is collected from people of different ages at a single point in time
longitudinal design
the same group of people are followed over time, and data is collected from them on two or more occasions
cohort Effect
differences between groups of people stemming from the fact they grew up in different cohorts
Correlation
Relationship between two or more variables associated with change in another
causation
change in one variable cause changes in another variable
directionality problem
which of two correlated variables causes the other?
Third- variable problem
a situation where an observed correlation between two variables can actually be explained by a third variable that hasn’t been accounted for
confounds
distortion of the relationships between the independent and dependent variables because a third variable is associated with both
DNA
long strands of cell material that store and transfers genetic material in all life forms
Gene
Segment of DNA containing coded instructions forgrowth/functioning of an organism
Genome
Entire store of an organism’s hereditary information;allofyourDNA
Chromosome
Structure in the nucleus of cells containing pairs ofgenes. Genes are unpaired in the chromosomes of reproductive cells
Alleles
Different forms of the same gene found on a pair ofchromosomes
