Life-span Developmental Psychology: Introduction To Research Methods

by Baltes; Paul B.

• ISBN13: 9780805802351
• ISBN10: 0805802355
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1977-01-01
• Publisher: Psychology Pres

Summary

What are the changes we see over the life-span? How can we explain them? And how do we account for individual differences? This volume continues to examine these questions and to report advances in empirical research within life-span development increasing its interdisciplinary nature. The relationships between individual development, social context, and historical change are salient issues discussed in this volume, as are nonnormative and atypical events contributing to life-span change.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. v
The Field of Developmental Psychology	p. 1
Why Developmental Psychology?	p. 2
Summary	p. 5
An Illustration of the Developmental Approach: the Case of Auditory Sensitivity	p. 6
General Issues in Research Methodology	p. 14
The Nature of Theories and Models	p. 15
The Nature of Scientific Methods	p. 28
The Internal Validity of Research Designs	p. 37
The External Validity of Research Designs	p. 48
Measurement	p. 58
Data Analysis and Interpretation	p. 75
Objectives and Issues of Developmental Research in Psychology	p. 82
The Scope of Developmental Psychology	p. 84
Targets of Developmental Analysis	p. 92
Developmental Research Paradigms	p. 100
Time and Change: the Basic Data Matrix	p. 108
Descriptive Developmental Designs	p. 118
Simple Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Methods	p. 120
Sequential Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Strategies	p. 132
Developmental Design and Change in Subject Populations with Age	p. 139
Change in Populations and Sampling: Assessment and Control	p. 146
Selected Issues in Developmental Assessment	p. 156
Modeling Change over Time: from Description to Explanation	p. 167
Explanatory-Analytic Developmental Research	p. 175
Toward Explanation	p. 177
Cross-Cultural and Comparative Developmental Psychology	p. 190
Heredity-Environment Research and Development	p. 197
Developmental Research on Learning: Group Designs	p. 208
Structural Models: the Continuing Search for Causes	p. 237
References	p. 249
Name Index	p. 266
Subject Index	p. 270
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.