Question 1

Which of the following best describes a normative age-graded influence in lifespan development?

Accepted Answer

A child learning to walk at around 12 months

Question 2

A researcher wants to study the effects of a new teaching method on student performance. She randomly assigns students to either the new method or the traditional method. Which research design is she using?

Accepted Answer

Experimental design

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a nonnormative life event?

Accepted Answer

Winning the lottery at age 30

Question 4

A psychologist is interested in the relationship between stress and memory performance. She collects data from participants at three different time points over five years. What type of research design is this?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal design

Question 5

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of epigenetics?

Accepted Answer

Environmental factors causing changes in gene expression without altering DNA sequence

Question 6

In the context of research methods, what is the primary purpose of operationalizing variables?

Accepted Answer

To define variables in measurable terms for empirical study

Question 7

A study finds that the concordance rate for schizophrenia is higher in monozygotic twins than in dizygotic twins. What does this suggest?

Accepted Answer

There is a genetic component to schizophrenia

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the liability threshold model?

Accepted Answer

A disorder manifests only when a certain threshold of genetic and environmental risk is surpassed

Question 9

A researcher is interested in the effects of birth order on intelligence. She compares the IQ scores of first-born, middle-born, and last-born children at a single point in time. What type of research design is this?

Accepted Answer

Cross-sectional design

Question 10

Which of the following is a key ethical consideration when conducting research with human participants?

Accepted Answer

Obtaining informed consent from all participants

Question 11

According to the principle of hierarchical integration in development, which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

Simple skills develop separately and are later integrated into more complex skills

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the difference between descriptive and correlational research?

Accepted Answer

Descriptive research observes and records behavior, while correlational research examines relationships between variables

Question 13

A psychologist uses a t-test to analyze her data. What is the main purpose of a t-test?

Accepted Answer

To determine if there is a significant difference between the means of two groups

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of a critical period in development?

Accepted Answer

The time during which language acquisition is most easily achieved in early childhood

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the dimensional approach to diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Symptoms are viewed on a continuum rather than as present or absent

Question 16

A researcher is interested in the effects of a new drug on memory. She assigns participants to either the drug or a placebo group and measures their memory performance. Which is the independent variable?

Accepted Answer

Whether participants receive the drug or placebo

Question 17

Which of the following is a finding from the New England Centenarian Study?

Accepted Answer

Many centenarians have delayed onset of age-related diseases

Question 18

According to the mitochondrial theory of aging, what is the primary cause of aging?

Accepted Answer

Damage to mitochondria reduces cellular energy production

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why women tend to outlive men, according to current theories?

Accepted Answer

Women may have protective genetic and hormonal factors

Question 20

A researcher wants to determine if there is a relationship between hours of sleep and test performance among college students. Which statistical method should she use?

Accepted Answer

Correlation coefficient $r$

Lifespan Development: Key Concepts and Research Methods

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