ATI RN
Human Growth and Development Exam Questions
1. An experimental design __________.
- A. allows researchers to gather information in natural life circumstances without altering the participants' experiences
- B. looks at relationships between participants' characteristics and their behavior or development
- C. permits inferences about cause and effect because researchers evenhandedly assign people to treatment conditions
- D. has one major limitation: researchers cannot infer cause and effect
Correct answer: C
Rationale: An experimental design permits inferences about cause and effect because researchers evenhandedly assign people to treatment conditions. This means that researchers can manipulate certain variables and observe the effects on participants, allowing them to determine causation between variables. This is a key strength of experimental research designs. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the primary purpose or strength of experimental designs. Experimental designs do not focus on gathering information in natural life circumstances (A), looking at relationships between characteristics and behavior (B), or have the limitation of not being able to infer cause and effect (D).
2. Today, research that combines an experimental strategy with __________ approach is becoming increasingly common.
- A. both a correlational and a sequential
- B. either a correlational or a sequential
- C. either a longitudinal or a cross-sectional
- D. both a correlational and a longitudinal
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The blank in the statement refers to an approach that can be used in combination with an experimental strategy. Longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches are two common research methods in developmental psychology. Longitudinal studies involve following the same group of individuals over an extended period, while cross-sectional studies compare different groups of individuals of different ages at the same time. By combining an experimental strategy with either a longitudinal or a cross-sectional approach, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of developmental processes and changes over time. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because correlational and sequential are not the most relevant approaches when studying developmental changes over time in research.
3. During prenatal development, the ectoderm folds over to form the __________, or primitive spinal cord.
- A. mesoderm; neuron tract
- B. neural tube
- C. endoderm; neural tube
- D. neuron tract
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. During prenatal development, the ectoderm folds over to form the neural tube, which eventually develops into the brain and spinal cord. The neural tube is the precursor to the central nervous system, including the primitive spinal cord. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the mesoderm does not form the neural tube, the endoderm is not involved in the formation of the central nervous system, and neuron tract is not the structure that forms the primitive spinal cord.
4. Vygotsky's emphasis on culture and social experience led him to __________.
- A. understand the interaction between biological factors and social influences in cognitive development
- B. overemphasize the role of heredity in cognitive change
- C. emphasize children's independent efforts to make sense of their world
- D. place too much emphasis on children's capacity to shape their own development
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Vygotsky's emphasis on culture and social experience did not lead him to neglect the biological side of development. Instead, he believed that biological factors and social influences interact to shape cognitive development. Choice A is correct because it reflects Vygotsky's view that biological factors and social experiences work together in cognitive development. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as Vygotsky's emphasis was not on overemphasizing heredity, focusing solely on independent efforts of children, or placing too much emphasis on children's capacity to shape their own development.
5. Dr. McBride wants to know if the teacher's use of encouragement in the classroom affects the children's self-esteem. To assign children to treatment conditions, Dr. McBride should __________.
- A. carefully distribute the children according to their test scores
- B. divide the children so each group has an equal number of boys and girls
- C. draw the children's names out of a hat
- D. assign the quieter children to the same treatment condition
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Drawing the children's names out of a hat is a way to randomly assign them to treatment conditions. Random assignment helps to ensure that any differences in self-esteem that may be observed in the study are not due to pre-existing characteristics of the children. This method helps to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the teacher's use of encouragement and the children's self-esteem. Choice A is incorrect because assigning children based on test scores may introduce bias into the study. Choice B is incorrect as balancing gender is not relevant to the research question. Choice D is incorrect as it introduces a bias by selecting a specific group of children based on a characteristic unrelated to the study objective.
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