Answer to Question 1
The answers should incorporate an ecological approach to describe the effects of
poverty on cognitive development. Answers will vary, but should include the relation
between poverty and family interactions (e.g., parents' stress will decrease quality of
parenting), school/peers (e.g., the condition of schools), neighborhood/community
(e.g., may be unsafe neighborhood, causing children stress on the way to and from
school), and cultural values/economic policies (e.g., Head Start program).
Answer to Question 2
Answers should acknowledge that cross-sectional research is faster and less
expensive than longitudinal research. Answers should also indicate that longitudinal
research has its shortcomings. For instance, it is difficult to follow the same
individuals for a long period of time, and it is hard to assess the impact of
Pool Canvas file://///MOH-PC/Users/moh/Desktop/freeman/Developing Person Throu...
4 of 7 5/2/2012 11:57 PM
participation in the research on their development. Alert students may also point out
that historical factors are always a potential source of error with both longitudinal and
cross-sectional research; results that were true for a particular cohort in one
historical period may not hold for other cohorts growing up earlier or later. For
instance, some of the long-term results of child abuse may well depend on the
attitude and actions of the community with regard to abuse and the ability of medical
personnel to detect abuseboth of which have changed markedly during the past
twenty years.