Psych 140 Midterm 1 UC Berkeley - Chapter 1 UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
Stage Theories Approaches that propose that development involves a series of discontinuous,
age-related phases
Continuous Development The idea that changes with age occur gradually, in small increments, like that of a
pine tree growing taller and taller
Discontinuous Development The idea that changes with age include occasional large shifts, like the transition
from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly
Sociocultural Context The physical, social, cultural, economic, and historical circumstances that make up
any child's environment
Scientific Method An approach to testing beliefs that involves choosing a question, formulating a
hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and drawing a conclusion
Clinical Interview A procedure in which questions are adjusted in accord with the answers the
interviewee provides
Naturalistic Observation Examination of ongoing behavior in an environment not controlled by the
researcher
Direction-of-Causation Problem The concept that a correlation between two variables does not indicate which, if
either, variable is the cause of the other
Correlational Design Studies intended to indicate how two variables are related to each other
Experimental Design A group of approaches that allow inferences about causes and effects to be
drawn
Cross-Sectional Design A research method in which children of different ages are compared on a given
behavior or characteristic over a short period
Longitudinal Design A method of study in which the same children are studied twice or more over a
substantial length of time
Microgenetic Design A method of study in which the same children are studied repeatedly over a short
period
Reliability The degree to which independent measurements of a given behavior are
consistent
Validity The degree to which a test measure what it is intended to measure
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
Stage Theories Approaches that propose that development involves a series of discontinuous,
age-related phases
Continuous Development The idea that changes with age occur gradually, in small increments, like that of a
pine tree growing taller and taller
Discontinuous Development The idea that changes with age include occasional large shifts, like the transition
from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly
Sociocultural Context The physical, social, cultural, economic, and historical circumstances that make up
any child's environment
Scientific Method An approach to testing beliefs that involves choosing a question, formulating a
hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and drawing a conclusion
Clinical Interview A procedure in which questions are adjusted in accord with the answers the
interviewee provides
Naturalistic Observation Examination of ongoing behavior in an environment not controlled by the
researcher
Direction-of-Causation Problem The concept that a correlation between two variables does not indicate which, if
either, variable is the cause of the other
Correlational Design Studies intended to indicate how two variables are related to each other
Experimental Design A group of approaches that allow inferences about causes and effects to be
drawn
Cross-Sectional Design A research method in which children of different ages are compared on a given
behavior or characteristic over a short period
Longitudinal Design A method of study in which the same children are studied twice or more over a
substantial length of time
Microgenetic Design A method of study in which the same children are studied repeatedly over a short
period
Reliability The degree to which independent measurements of a given behavior are
consistent
Validity The degree to which a test measure what it is intended to measure
