Developmental Area studies

Question 1

Bandura - Aim, Sample and Method

Answer 1

Aim:

• To investigate the extent to which children imitate aggression modelled by an adult

Sample:

• 72 children from Stanford University Nursery School (36 boys, 36 girls)
• Aged 37-69 months and from California, USA

Method:

• Lab experiment using an independent measures design, matched pairs design.
• Structured observation
• 3 IVs:

     - Aggressive or non-aggressive model
     - Male/female model
     - Male/female child

DV - Amount of imitative behaviour and aggression shown by child in phase three

Question 2

Bandura - Procedure (4)

Answer 2

1. Participants pre-rated for aggression on 4 five-point rating scales by the experimenter and the Nursery school teacher
2. Children were taken to a room to play with potato prints and potato stickers for 10 minutes where they were exposed to an aggressive or non-aggressive model
3. To subject the children to mild aggression arousal all children taken to anteroom where they were allowed to play with very attractive toys but after 2 minutes they were taken away as they “were reserved for other children” -
4. Children taken to third room which contained aggressive and non-aggressive toys and observed for 20 minutes through a one way mirror

Question 3

Bandura - Results (2) and Conclusion

Answer 3

• Children in the aggressive condition showed significantly more imitative physical and verbal aggressive behaviour than children in the non-aggressive model condition or control
• Boys imitated male models more for physical aggression and girls imitated female models more for verbal aggression

Children will imitate aggressive/non-aggressive behaviours displayed by adult models even if the model is no longer present

Question 4

Bandura - Control

Answer 4

All children taken to anteroom where they were allowed to play with very attractive toys but after 2 minutes they were taken away as they “were reserved for other children” - This was to subject the children to mild aggression arousal

Question 5

Chaney - Aim, Sample, Method

Answer 5

Aim:

• To show that the use of the Funhaler can provide positive reinforcement which leads to improved adherence in young asthmatics

Sample:

• 32 children from Perth, Australia with mean age of 3.2 years

Method:

• Field experiment with repeated measures design
• IV - use of standard inhaler or Funhaler
• DV - Amount of adherence to the prescribed medical regime

Question 6

Chaney - Procedure (3)

Answer 6

1. Comparison of aerosol output of standard inhaler and Funhaler was done to make sure there was no significant differences and not affecting the child’s health
2. Matched questionnaires, and phone interviews were done asking if the child was medicated with the Funhaler the day before
3. Funhaler had incentive toys (a spinner and a whistle)

Question 7

Chaney - Results (2) and Conclusion

Answer 7

• More parents always successful in medicating their child with the Funhaler compared to with the standard inhaler
• More parents had medicated their child the day before with Funhaler compared with standard inhaler

The use of incentive toys on medical things is helpful in children’s health

Question 8

Chaney - Controls (2)

Answer 8

• Funhaler had incentive toys (a spinner and a whistle)
• Participants approached in their homes and did a questionnaire on their normal inhaler

Question 9

Kohlberg - Aim, Sample, Method

Answer 9

Aim:

• To find evidence for moral development

Sample:

• 75 American boys studied from 10-16 to 22-28 years old
• Children from Canada, UK, Turkey, Taiwan and Mexico also studied

Method:

• Longitudinal study following the same group of boys for 12 years studied at 4 three year intervals
• Tested other cultures as well so it also counts as cross-cultural quasi experiment

Question 10

Kohlberg - Procedure (3) which are also the controls

Answer 10

1. At age 10 asked “is it better to save the life of one important person or a lot of unimportant people”
2. Aged 13,16,20 and 24 asked “should the doctor mercy kill a fatally ill woman requesting death because of her pain”
3. Taiwanese and other cultures asked if a man should steal food to feed his wife that is starving to death

Question 11

Kohlberg - Results (2) and Conclusion

Answer 11

• Not all participants progressed through all stage and reached stage 6
• Taiwanese boys aged 10-13 tended to give ‘classic’ Stage-2 responses.

Each stage of moral development comes one at a time and always in the same order

Question 12

Lee - Aim, Sample and Method

Answer 12

Aim:

• To investigate cross cultural differences in children’s understandings and moral evaluation of lying

Sample:

• 120 Chinese children and 108 Canadian children

Method:

• Cross cultural study
• laboratory experiment which used an independent measures design
• IVs:

   - whether the participant heard the social story or the physical story
   - whether the participant heard (prosocial) stories or (antisocial) stories

• DVs:

   - rating given to the story character’s deed (ranging between very, very good and very, very naughty)
   - rating given to what the character said (verbal statement) (ranging between very, very good and very, very naughty).

Question 13

Lee - Procedure (2)

Answer 13

1. Participants were read four scenarios accompanied by illustrations, two prosocial, two antisocial
2. Participants were told about the meaning of the words and the symbols for rating the deeds and verbal statements on a 7-point rating chart.

Question 14

Lee - Controls (2)

Answer 14

• The meaning of each symbol was repeated every time a question was asked.
• The words ‘good’ and ‘naughty’, in the two questions were altered within subjects.

Question 15

Lee - Results (2) and Conclusion

Answer 15

• Same as conclusion
• P’s explained that lie telling was rated positively in the pro-social situation because you shouldn’t own up to doing a good deed

Chinese children rate truth telling in prosocial situations less positively and lie telling in the same situations less negatively than Canadian children.