Lecture 1

Flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary from the Child Development course lecture.

normative development

The expected developmental milestones and behaviors typical for a specific age group.

ideographic development

Individual paths of development that differ from the normative path.

experimental study

A research method involving the manipulation of variables to determine causality.

correlational study

A research method that examines the relationship between two variables without identifying causation.

naturalistic observation

A research method where behavior is observed in a natural setting without manipulation.

longitudinal design

A research approach that follows the same individuals over an extended period to observe changes.

reliability

The consistency of a measure or experiment over time.

validity

The extent to which a test or measure accurately captures what it aims to measure.

measuring what you want to measure

face validity

The degree to which a test appears effective in terms of its stated aims to those taking it.

meaning that If a study measures what it desires to measure, it has

scientific fact

An observation that is agreed upon by most, but not all, observers.

independent variable

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to test its effect on a dependent variable.

dependent variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment to see how it is affected by the independent variable.

Objective Datum (Data)

refers to information gathered by direct observation (of either a human or some measuring instrument)

qualitative data

Non-numerical information that can provide insights into behaviors and experiences.

quantitative data

Numerical information that can be analyzed statistically.

childhood development

The physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth that occurs from birth through adolescence.

evolutionary theories

Theoretical framework explaining aspects of development based on evolutionary processes.

Bilingualism vs Unilingualism

A topic debated in the course regarding the advantages and challenges of knowing two languages.

Inferential Statistics

used to determine how likely a hypothesis is to be true

uses mathematical formulae to determine the statistical significance of a given scientific result

Statistical Inferences

Convention dictates that any theory that is 95% likely to be true is taken as having "passed" the test of falsifiability

Scientific theories are therefore constantly being tested with new data that is then analyzed using inferential statistics to determine the likelihood that the theory is still true

criterion validity

a type of measurement validity that assesses how well a test predicts or correlates with an external outcome or "criterion"

So if it agrees with different measures used in other studies, it has

Correlation Coefficient

The _______ is descriptive statistic that is used to illustrate the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables

Collecting Data 1.

Observational methods typically take the form of either naturalistic observation (measuring with the senses or an instrument) or testing (stimulating the animal/human to respond)

Collecting Data 2.

Self-report measures are either verbal (interview) or written (questionnaire)

Experimental designs

the process of planning an experiment to ensure reliable and valid results by manipulating variables to investigate cause-and-effect relationships

Descriptive Study

gather observed data, without attempting to examine the relationships between variables

even more limited than correlational studies in that one can’t draw predictions or causal inferences from descriptive studies