Data

Copy and paste the text below. It is read-only. Select All

science of human development the science that seeks to understand how and why people of all ages and circumstances change or remain the same over time empirical based on observation, experience, or experiment; not theoretical scientific method a way to answer questions that requires empirical research and data-based conclusions hypothesis a specific prediction that is stated in such a way that it can be tested and either confirmed or refuted continuity signifies developments over time that appear to persist, unchanging, from one age to the next discontinuity signifies developments that appear quite different from those that came before critical period a time when a particular type of developmental growth (in a body or behavior) must happen sensitive period a time when a certain type of development is most likely to happen and happens most easily (ex: language learning) cohort a group of people who were born at about the same time and thus move through life together, experiencing the same historical events and cultural shifts at about the same time socioeconomic status (SES) a person's position in society as determined by income, wealth, occupation, education, place of residence, and other factors ethnic group people whose ancestors were born in the same region and who often share a language, culture, and religion race a group of people who are regarded by themselves or by others as distinct from other groups on the basis of physical appearance social construction an idea that is built on shared perceptions, not on objective reality plasticity the idea that abilities, personality, and other human traits can change over time scientific observation a method of testing a hypothesis by unobtrusively watching and recording participants' behavior in a systematic and objective manner, in a natural setting, in a laboratory, or in searches of archival data experiment a research method in which the researcher tries to determine the cause-and-effect relationships between two variables by manipulating one and observing and recording the results independent variable the variable that is introduced to see what effect it has on the dependent variable dependent variable the variable that may change as a result of whatever new condition or situation the experimenter adds experimental group a group of participants in a research study who experience some special treatment or condition comparison group/ control group the group who doesn't experience the special condition or treatment in an experiment survey a research method in which information is collected from a large number of people by interview case study a research method in which one individual is studied intensively cross-sectional research a research design that compares groups of people who differ in age but are similar in other important characteristics longitudinal research a research in which the same individuals are followed over time and their development is repeatedly assessed cross-sequential research a hybrid research method in which researchers first study several groups of people of different ages quantitative research research that provides data that can be expressed with numbers, such as ranks or scales qualitative research research that considers qualities instead of quantities code of ethics a set of moral principles that members of a profession or group are expected to follow