Leture 1 Introduction to Lifespan Human Development Ethics Vocabulary

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering neuroimaging, research methodology, developmental study designs, and research ethics based on lecture notes.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

A neuroimaging technique used to measure the increase in blood flow to active areas of the brain, allowing researchers to determine which brain regions are involved in specific cognitive or emotional activities.

Case Study

An in-depth examination of an individual or a small number of individuals, useful for studying rare conditions or generating hypotheses when large sample sizes are unavailable.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

A condition with 14 subtypes characterized by deficits in collagen production, leading to hypermobility, extreme flexibility, joint subluxations, dislocations, and potential arthritis later in life.

Cotard Syndrome

A rare neuropsychiatric syndrome, also known as walking corpse syndrome, in which an individual holds the profound belief that they are dead, non-existent, or that their body parts or internal organs are missing or rotting.

Experimental Method

A research design in which an investigator manipulates an aspect of the environment to observe its effect on the behavior or outcome of the participants.

Independent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is directly manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on an outcome.

Dependent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is measured and expected to be affected by changes in the independent variable.

Random Assignment

The process of assigning participants to experimental or control groups by chance, ensuring each participant has an equal likelihood of being placed in any group.

Experimental Control

The practice of holding all external factors constant except for the independent variable to ensure valid results.

Quasi-Experiment

A study design that compares groups or conditions without random assignment of participants, often due to practical or ethical constraints.

Correlational Method

A research approach used to determine whether two or more variables are related in a systematic way without manipulating variables or randomly assigning participants.

Correlation Coefficient

An index ranging from $-1$ to $+1$ that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.

Directionality Problem

The limitation in correlational studies where it cannot be determined whether variable A causes variable B, variable B causes variable A, or a third variable influences both.

Meta-Analysis

A research technique that synthesizes the results of multiple independent studies addressing the same question to increase confidence in overall findings.

Cross-Sectional Design

A developmental research design in which individuals of different age groups (cohorts) are compared at the same point in time to identify age differences.

Cohort Effect

The influence of being born in a specific historical or sociocultural context, which can confound age-related findings in cross-sectional research.

Longitudinal Design

A research design in which a single cohort of individuals is repeatedly assessed over time to observe developmental changes.

Terman Life Cycle Study

The longest longitudinal study ever conducted, initiated in 1921 by Lewis Terman at Stanford, tracking 1,528 gifted children in California across their lifespans.

Sequential Design

A research design that combines cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches in a single study to differentiate age trends from cohort effects.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A administrative body required by federal regulations at institutions conducting human research to evaluate study proposals for ethical standards and participant safety.

Informed Consent

The voluntary agreement of a participant to take part in research after being fully informed of all aspects of the study that might influence their willingness to participate.

Assent

An agreement to participate in research obtained from individuals in vulnerable populations, such as children or those with mental impairments, alongside formal consent from a proxy.

Henrietta Lacks

A woman whose cervical cancer cells were harvested without her knowledge or consent in 1951 at Johns Hopkins, creating the HeLa cell line used extensively in medical research.

Debriefing

The post-experimental process of informing participants about the true purpose of a study, especially if deception was used, and ensuring they do not leave experiencing distress.

Stanley Milgram's Experiment

A landmark obedience study where participants were deceived into thinking they were administering severe electric shocks to a learner, causing significant psychological distress.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

An unethical medical study where African American men were deceptively told they were receiving treatment for 'bad blood' while researchers intentionally withheld penicillin to observe untreated syphilis progression until exposed in 1972.

Confidentiality

The ethical responsibility of researchers to keep participant data private and shared only with explicit permission or when required by law.