Overview:
Overview Developmental Methods of Study (continued)
True Experiments
Laboratory versus naturalistic
Group versus single-subject
Developmental Methods
Developmental function vs. Individual Differences (IDs)
The FAT variables: Age, Cohort, andamp; Time of Assessment
The simple designs, their advantages and disadvantages, including confounding
introduction to sequential designs
Evaluating Laboratory Vs. Naturalistic Experiments:
Evaluating Laboratory Vs. Naturalistic Experiments Artificiality of Laboratory versus the control it affords over the phenomena studied
Laboratory studies illustrate Bronfenbrenner’s concerns that child psychology is increasing '..the science of the strange behavior of children in strange situations with strange adults.'
Do Times Really Change?:
Do Times Really Change?
Individual Subject Experiments:
Individual Subject Experiments Randomly assign TV content (either an aggressive or a non-aggressive TV program) to, for example, days for the child (IV)
Measure aggression following the TV program (DV)
The data might look like…
Individual Subject Experiments:
Individual Subject Experiments Day Aggressive Responses
Evaluating Experiments:
Evaluating Experiments Clarify the causal connection between variables.
McCall: '…experiments tell us what can cause a developmental change, but do not necessarily identify the factors that actually do cause changes in natural settings.'
Perhaps the Real Answer…:
Perhaps the Real Answer… Convergent REPLICATION—or replications that converge! (Remember 'Cold Fusion:' When replication failed…like BIG!)