Developmental Determinants and Scientific Method (Notes Page 1)

Flashcards cover determinants of development (early vs. later experiences), malleability, and core concepts of research methods: reliability (interrater, test-retest, parallel forms), validity (hypothesis, operational definitions, internal/external validity), and general notes on conducting studies.

What are the key determinants of a child's development mentioned in the notes?

Early experiences (especially infancy) and later experiences; early experiences can have effects that may not be overridden by later experiences, while later experiences can influence development.

What is said about early experiences in infancy in relation to later experiences?

They can produce effects that cannot be overridden by later experiences.

What is said about later experiences?

They can have a major influence on development.

What does the notes say about children's malleability?

Children are malleable (not fixed) and development can be shaped by experiences.

What two properties must measurements have in the scientific method according to the notes?

Reliability and validity (and they must be appropriate).

What does reliability refer to?

The consistency of measurements; measurements of a behavior are consistent across raters or occasions.

What is interrater reliability?

Agreement in observations of the same behavior across different raters.

What is test-retest reliability?

Attained when measures of performance are similar on two or more occasions.

What is parallel/alternate/equivalent-forms reliability?

Attained when two different versions of a test yield similar results across two or more occasions.

What is validity?

The extent to which a test or experiment measures what it is intended to measure.

What is a hypothesis?

An educated guess; a statement of the expected relationship between the variables of interest.

What is an operational definition?

A precise definition of how variables will be measured or manipulated in a study.

What two types of validity do researchers strive for according to the notes?

Internal validity and external validity.

What does the notes say about conducting the research study and methods?

Various methods can be used to conduct the study.