correlation
strength of the association between two variables
correlation does not equal causation
- relationship may be due to a third variable
what’s the solution to determine causal relationships?
“true” experiments
reliability
The degree to which a given
measure is consistent with
each measurement.
validity
The degree to which a given
measure is capturing the
construct it is proposed to
be measuring.
a measure can be reliable
but not valid, but a measure can only be valid if it is reliable
contexts for collecting data
- interviews
pros
cons
contexts for collecting data
- naturalistic observation
pros
cons
contexts for collecting data
- LENA device
how can we study the development of a child in a laboratory experiment?
cross-sectional designs
longitudinal designs
longitudinal designs interventions
microgentic designs
high-amplitude sucking
Common devo. DVS (measures)
High amplitude sucking
aka. non-nutritive sucking
✴Pacifier connected to computer
✴Measures changes in air pressure
that occur with sucking
✴Sucking rate reflects level of
interest in given stimuli
✴Increased sucking rate with
increased interest
✴Bored infants show much
decreased sucking rate
✴Successful method for studying
infants as young as 8-hours-old
✴Present a sound every time infant increases sucking
rate beyond a given threshold (e.g. 80% increase)
✴If sucking rate increases in order to listen to a certain
sound, infant prefers the sound (i.e., speech)preferential looking
✴Looking time at an object equated to preference
✴When presented with similar stimuli, longer looking at one than the other indicates ability to discriminate
Uses: Eye-tracking Cameras
Head-Turn Preference
✴Similar to preferential looking, but with sound stimuli
✴Assumed that children turn their heads towards
sound sources they perceive as novel
✴Used as an index of detecting a change in stimuli
Head-Turn Preference
- how to test
Light in the center blinks to get fixation
- light goes out when child looks
light starts blinking either on left/right
or child looks at center and play new sounds to either side
- looking to new sound indicates detection of change
Normative Assessments
Standford-Binet intelligence scales
Normative assessment
subscales:
Normative assessment
Wisconsin card sorting task
Neuroimaging
Structural measures
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
neuroimaging
Functional measures