An experimental design __________.
- A. allows researchers to gather information in natural life circumstances without altering the participants' experiences
- B. looks at relationships between participants' characteristics and their behavior or development
- C. permits inferences about cause and effect because researchers evenhandedly assign people to treatment conditions
- D. has one major limitation: researchers cannot infer cause and effect
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An experimental design permits inferences about cause and effect because researchers evenhandedly assign people to treatment conditions. This means that researchers can manipulate certain variables and observe the effects on participants, allowing them to determine causation between variables. This is a key strength of experimental research designs. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the primary purpose or strength of experimental designs. Experimental designs do not focus on gathering information in natural life circumstances (A), looking at relationships between characteristics and behavior (B), or have the limitation of not being able to infer cause and effect (D).
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Pregnant women are wise to avoid eating __________, which are heavily contaminated with __________.
- A. long-lived predatory fish; mercury
- B. freshwater fish; lead
- C. long-lived predatory fish; polychlorinated biphenyls
- D. freshwater fish; radiation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pregnant women are wise to avoid eating long-lived predatory fish, which are heavily contaminated with mercury. Mercury is a known teratogen, meaning it can negatively impact the development of the fetus and lead to birth defects. It is recommended that pregnant women choose fish with lower levels of mercury to reduce potential risks to the baby's health. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radiation are not typically found in fish at levels that pose significant risks to pregnant women and the developing fetus.
Baby Gabriella claps her hands after her mother does. Gabriella is displaying __________.
- A. reinforcement
- B. classical conditioning
- C. observational learning
- D. adaptation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Observational learning is when an individual learns by watching others and mimicking their actions or behaviors. In this scenario, Baby Gabriella claps her hands after her mother does, indicating she is learning through observing her mother's behavior and imitating it. The other choices are incorrect: Reinforcement typically involves a consequence that strengthens a behavior, classical conditioning is a type of learning where an association is made between two stimuli, and adaptation refers to the process of adjusting to new conditions.
Longitudinal research can identify common patterns as well as individual differences in development because the investigator __________.
- A. studies groups of participants differing in age at the same point in time
- B. randomly assigns participants to treatment conditions
- C. tracks the performance of each person over time
- D. conducts quasi-experiments, comparing conditions that already exist
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Longitudinal research involves tracking the performance of each person over time. By doing so, researchers can observe common patterns in development among a group of individuals and also identify individual differences in how each person progresses over time. This methodology allows researchers to gather data on the same individuals repeatedly, offering insights into how development unfolds over the lifespan. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because longitudinal research focuses on observing individuals over time rather than studying groups at a single point, randomly assigning participants to treatments, or conducting quasi-experiments.
In ecological systems theory, how does Toby's move just before entering fourth grade represent a significant change in his life?
- A. Microsystem
- B. Mesosystem
- C. Exosystem
- D. Chronosystem
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In ecological systems theory, the chronosystem refers to the dimension of time and how events and transitions over time can influence an individual's development. Toby's move just before entering fourth grade represents a significant change in his life that falls under the chronosystem. The microsystem involves the immediate environments and relationships that directly influence an individual, the mesosystem relates to connections between these environments, and the exosystem includes external settings that indirectly influence the individual, such as parents' workplaces. Therefore, Toby's move best exemplifies a change in the chronosystem due to the temporal influence on his development.
Dr. Torrez believes that how conflicts between biological drives and social expectations are resolved determines the person's ability to learn, to get along with others, and to cope with anxiety. Dr. Torrez accepts the __________.
- A. psychoanalytic perspective
- B. psychosocial theory
- C. cognitive-developmental theory
- D. social learning theory
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dr. Torrez's belief about conflicts between biological drives and social expectations influencing a person's ability to learn, get along with others, and cope with anxiety aligns with the psychoanalytic perspective. This perspective, developed by Sigmund Freud, focuses on the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and the resolution of inner conflicts as important factors in shaping personality and behavior. The other choices are incorrect because psychosocial theory, cognitive-developmental theory, and social learning theory do not specifically focus on conflicts between biological drives and social expectations as central to understanding human behavior and development.