Developmental Psychology

Achieve Test Prep: Developmental Psychology

b. Starts with a cross-sectional design and then looks at the same group of people over time c. Limitations: complex and expensive to conduct, requires long-term commitment

Interpreting Study Results: It is impossible to prove variables are related or that Variable A caused Change B. It is always possible to show a correlation exists between variables. A correlation means two or more variables are related and change together in some way. There are three types of correlations: positive, negative, or no correlation.

• Positive Correlation: variables change in the same direction • Negative Correlation: variables change in opposite directions • No Correlation: no relation between variables

Despite having a correlation, there is not a guaranteed causation between variables. Causation only occurs when one variable causes a change in another variable. For example: ice cream sales on a beach and shark attacks could be said to be positively correlated because their numbers increase simultaneously. However, eating ice cream does not cause shark attacks. Both events occur simultaneously without causing the other variable. Ethics in Research: Unlike other sciences, psychology utilizes human beings in research. Such practices often cause ethical issues. As a nurse, ethical issues are not a new matter. Two ethical topics that are constantly present for nurses are: informed consent and privacy . • Informed consent: The researcher or physician must explain all aspects of the research or treatment to the subject, including the risks and benefits. • Privacy: The subjects and patients need to know any information collected for and about them during the course of the study will remain confidential. An uncommon term, deception , refers to a researcher not telling a subject the complete truth about the study because it may alter the behavior displayed by the subject. To help decrease the bias of being told the entire truth, researchers deceive the subjects. Such deception can cause ethical concerns; however, to preserve the integrity of the study, it is a necessary evil. After the

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