Question

1. What type of research design is used in this study (e.g., cross-sectional, longitudinal,

experimental, correlational, or naturalistic observation)? Is this

design appropriate?

2. What explanation do the researchers offer for their findings? Does this explanation

make sense based on the evidence?

3. Given the results of this study, why can’t the researchers draw a causal connection

between behavior disorders and temperament?

4. Can you think of an alternative explanation for the results of this study?

Critical Thinking Activity: Early Temperament Style and Later Adjustment Problems

Now that you have read and reviewed Chapter 7, take your learning a step further

by testing your critical thinking skills on this scientific reasoning exercise.

A study by Caspi and others (1995)* revealed that temperamental style in early

childhood might be linked to adjustment problems during adolescence. The study

involved a cohort of 1,037 children born between April 1, 1972, and March 31,

1973, in Dunedin, New Zealand.

At ages 3, 5, 7, and 9, the behavior of each child was rated in terms of 22

aspects of temperament, including emotional stability, restlessness, self-reliance,

persistence, negativism, passivity, shyness, self-confidence, emotional flatness,

and 13 other dimensions. To assess behavior problems in the sample, the

researchers relied on outcome data from teachers and parents who rated the children

at ages 9, 11, 13, and 15 on two widely used behavior problem checklists.

These checklists included subscales measuring anxiety/withdrawal, which represents

feelings of inferiority and failure; attention problems, which reflect difficulty

in concentration skills; conduct disorder, which reflects aggressiveness and

alienation; and socialized delinquency, which reflects norm-violating tendencies.

For both boys and girls, lack of control at ages 3 and 5 showed a significant

positive correlation wth teacher and parent reports of antisocial behavior and

conduct disorder at ages 9 and 11. In addition, boys and girls characterized as

lacking in control in early childhood were less likely to be rated in adolescence as

mature and confident.

The authors suggest several possible explanations for these intriguing results.

One is that certain temperamental characteristics in young children are actually

early, “subclinical” manifestations of more extreme behavior disorders. Whatever

the correct explanation, the results of this extensive study suggest that early temperament

may have remarkably specific predictive validity for the development of

behavior problems during adolescence.

Answer 1

1. A longitudinal design is used in this study as a sample of participants are studied over an extended period of time. Also, the study is correlational as the researchers have not manipulated any variable in the study but simply measured them. Other features of the study include it being a naturalistic observation as children are given ratings based on their observed behaviour. Overall, the design is appropriate.

2. The researchers propose that behavioural problems during late childhood and adolescence can infact be traced to certain temperamental styles during childhood, and these behavioural issues maybe extreme manifestions of childhood temperament. This explanation makes sense based on the evidence provided.

3. The researchers cannot establish a causal relationship as the study is correlational and not experimental. The can only make assumptions about the relationships between the variables.

4. Parental upbringing can be another factor that can explain this relationship as certain temperamental styles maybe accompanied by specific forms of parenting. If these are maladaptive in nature, they can result in behavioural issues during late childhood and adolescence.