Learning Objectives

Following the completion of this chapter, students will be able to:

1. Define, compare, and contrast quantitative and qualitative perspectives of adult development.
2. Define metatheory and discuss the key characteristics of three: the mechanistic, organismic, and contextual perspectives.
3. Explain how metatheories are applied to the development of research investigations and the interpretation of research results.
4. Define and discuss the importance of validity and reliability.
5. Define scientific method and explain how it is used to draw accurate conclusions about development.
6. Define random samples and stratified random samples and describe how they are selected to establish external validity.
7. List and describe data collection procedures, explaining strengths and weaknesses of each.
8. Discuss the research design approaches that characterize case studies, including an explanation of benefits and potential difficulties.
9. Define correlational study and explain how data are collected and interpreted.
10. Define experiment and discuss how experiments are designed, including explanations of independent and dependent variables, treatment, experimental and control groups, and assignment of participants.
11. Describe the characteristics of laboratory, field, and natural experiments, explaining advantages and disadvantages of each.
12. Define quasi-experiment and describe four quasi-experimental design strategies that are important to investigations of human development.
13. Explain the strengths and weakness of quasi-experimental designs.
14. List and describe approaches used by Schaie in the sequential design identified as "most efficient."
15. Discuss three areas of ethical concern that guide research in adult development and aging.