INTRODUCTION
Scientific Method – What are the steps?
• 1. Pose a question (the problem)
• 2. Develop a hypothesis
• A testable prediction
• 3. Test the hypothesis
• Gather data
• 4. Draw conclusions
• State the results of the research
• 5. Report the results
• Publish the findings
Replicate the study – Why should we do it?
• Repeat the study with different participants
• Confirm earlier results
Nature-Nurture debate
• Nature = Genes
• Nurture = Environment
• Family
• Culture
• Etc.
• Size can be a result of biology (genetics)
and the environment.
• Fish in a pond
• Plants in soil
Do you remember?
• What are the steps in the scientific method?
• Why would someone replicate a study?
• What part of your nature influenced your development?
• What part of your nurture influenced your development?
Life-Span Perspectives
• Multidirectional
• Multicontextual
• Multicultural
• Multidisciplinary
• Plastic
What is a multidirectional approach?
What is a multicontextual approach?
• Historical Cohort
• Cohort
• People experiencing same historical perspective
• E.g. “Baby boomers”
• Values
• Events
• Technologies
• Culture
• Socioeconomic Cohort
• Social class
• Occupation
• Education
What is a multicultural approach?
• People experience a culture differently based on their
previous cultural experiences
• Patterns of behavior
• Norms
• Customs
• Values
• Ethnicity
• Race
What is a multidisciplinary approach?
• Biosocial
• Biological
• Cognitive
• Thought
• Psychosocial
• Psychological
What is plasticity?
• Traits can be molded during development
• Culture
• Genes
• Provides hope and ability to change
Do you remember?
• What are the different lifespan perspectives?
• What directions are involved in the multidirectional
approach?
• Which of these perspectives holds the most hope that
human traits can be molded during development?
How can we use the Scientific Method?
(Types of studies)
• Observational
• Surveys
• Experiments
• Studies over time
• Cross-sectional
• Longitudinal
What are observational studies?
• Natural setting
• Laboratory
• Archival data
• Files
What are surveys?
• Questionnaires
• Interviews
How can we study change over time?
• Cross-sectional
• Different groups of different ages
• Longitudinal
• Same group over time as they age
Do you remember?
• If you are watching children at play on the playground to
see how they respond, you are using what type of study?
• If you talk to parents about their child’s behavior, you are
using what type of study?
• In one year, if you study children in the 1st. 2nd.,3rd., and
4th. grades to see how children change over time, you are
using what type of study?
• If you follow the same group of children from the first
grade through the fifth grade, you are using what type of
study?
What are experiments?
• Can experiments determine cause and effect?
• Yes (The only type of study that can)
• Two groups
• Experimental group
• Comparison (control) group
• Variables
• Independent variable
• Dependent variable
• E.g. Classroom vs. distance learning
Correlation
• If two things are correlated, did one cause the other?
• No – Correlation is not causation
• Correlation may be caused by a 3rd. Variable
• Correlation
• Positive, Negative, or Zero
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
• Quantitative – Numbers
• Qualitative – Written descriptions, ideas
Do you remember?
• What scientific method can determine if one thing caused
another?
• What are the two groups in an experiment, and what are
the differences in these groups?
• What would be an example of the different types of
correlation?
• If two things are related (correlated) why can you not
assume one caused the other?