Science of Human Development

What is differential susceptibility?

The concept that people vary in their sensitivity to specific experiences.

What is a critical period in development?

A time when a specific developmental growth must occur for normal development.

What is a sensitive period in development?

A window of time when a particular development occurs most easily.

Who created the Ecological Model of development?

Urie Bronfenbrenner.

What defines an ethnic group?

Shared culture, language, and religion, largely shaped by nurture.

What is a major challenge when conducting surveys?

Acquiring valid information due to wording and sequence influences.

What is the goal of the correlational method?

To determine if two or more variables are systematically related.

What is the dependent variable in an experiment?

The variable measured to see if it changes due to manipulation.

How does a cross-sectional research design work?

It compares groups of people of different ages at one time.

What is a major advantage of cross-sectional designs?

They are quicker and cheaper to conduct than longitudinal designs.

What is a cross-sequential research design?

A hybrid design that studies multiple cohorts over time.

What is 'nature' in human development?

The genetic traits, capacities, and limitations inherited from biological parents.

What is 'nurture' in human development?

The environmental influences that affect an individual after conception.

What does it mean that development is 'multidirectional'?

Human characteristics change in multiple directions, showing both gains and losses.

What is a cohort?

A group of people defined by sharing a common age.

What is socioeconomic status (SES)?

An individual's social standing based on income, education, and occupation.

What is culture in human development?

A system of shared beliefs, norms, behaviors, and expectations over time.

How is race viewed in modern developmental science?

As a flawed, destructive concept based primarily on physical appearance.

What does the biosocial domain of development study?

Physical growth, brain development, and motor skills.

What does the cognitive domain of development study?

Mental processes like perception, memory, judgment, and language.

What does the psychosocial domain of development study?

Emotions, temperament, and social skills with family and community.

Why is replication important in the scientific method?

To verify findings by repeating the study with different participants.

What is the primary requirement of scientific observation?

Recording behavior systematically and objectively.

What is a limitation of scientific observation?

It provides questions to explore but cannot prove cause and effect.

What does a correlation coefficient measure?

The strength and direction of a relationship, from -1 to +1.

Why can't correlation establish causation?

It does not involve random assignment or manipulation of variables.

What is the primary purpose of an experiment?

To establish a cause-and-effect relationship between variables.

What is the independent variable in an experiment?

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher.

What are cohort effects?

Differences caused by being born in a particular generation and history.

How does a longitudinal research design work?

It repeatedly assesses the same individuals over a long period.

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