Human Development & Quantitative Methodology
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2248
The departments within the College of Education were reorganized and renamed as of July 1, 2011. This department incorporates the former departments of Measurement, Statistics & Evaluation; Human Development; and the Institute for Child Study.
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Item FEAR CONDITIONING ACROSS DEVELOPMENT: AN EXAMINATION OF FEAR ACQUISITION, EXTINCTION, AND GENERALIZATION IN 5-TO-10 YEAR OLD CHILDREN(2013) Hong, Melanie; Fox, Nathan A; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The acquisition and extinction of fear is widely studied using fear conditioning (FC) paradigms. Few studies, however, have examined how fear learning emerges across development. Understanding the developmental mechanisms underlying FC can provide a framework to examine disruptions in fear learning, particularly when fears become pervasive as in the case of anxiety disorders. Traditional FC paradigms in adult and animal studies involve aversive stimuli, like shock, which present ethical limitations in youth. The present study aimed to examine the validity of a novel FC paradigm in a sample of sixty-four typically developing 9-to-15 year old children. Results revealed differential learning to the CS+ compared to the CS- during conditioning as evidenced by subjective fear ratings and greater skin conductance response. No differences emerged across pre-conditioning and extinction phases. Results from this study indicate the utility of this novel bell conditioning paradigm at eliciting fear learning and extinction behaviors in children.Item RESISTING STEREOTYPES: EVALUATIONS OF PEER GROUP EXCLUSION(2013) Mulvey, Kelly Lynn Sara; Killen, Melanie; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Gender stereotypes permeate peer groups, often functioning as the norms, or conventions, which contribute to group identity. Little is known about the conditions under which children will resist the norms of their peer groups, including norms that reflect stereotypic expectations. This study investigated this issue by measuring how children responded to members of their gender groups who disagreed with the group about gender stereotyped aggressive behaviors (female stereotype: relational aggression, male stereotype: physical aggression) as well as about social activities (football and ballet). Social domain theory as well as social identity theory provided the basis for formulating the design and the hypotheses. It was expected that children and adolescents would expect their peers to challenge the group, but that they would be concerned about the consequences of challenging the group in terms of social exclusion. Participants (N = 292, 9-10 and 13-14 years of age) assessed members of same-gender peer groups who disagreed with their group. The findings revealed that children and adolescents generally expected that their peers will resist the group's gender stereotypic norms surrounding aggression, but that this may be more difficult for boys when voicing their counter- stereotypic opinions. Further, participants themselves believed that they would be less influenced by gender stereotypes than would their peers. They asserted that they would, individually, be more likely to resist the group than they expect a peer would be. This research also revealed important barriers to resisting the group. Specifically, children and adolescents expected that group members who dissent from or resist the group are likely to be excluded from the group for voicing their dissent. This stands in sharp contrast to much research which indicates that children are not accepting of exclusion. Rejecting the behavior of one's peer group, especially when that behavior has negative intrinsic consequences for others, is a key step towards changing the culture of peer groups more broadly. However, the findings indicate that, while children and adolescents are optimistic about their peers challenging the peer group, they also see exclusion as a very real possibility and consequence for such resistance.Item Reward modulation of inhibitory control during adolescence: An age related comparison of behavior and neural function(2010) Hardin, Michael George; Fox, Nathan A; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The developmental period of adolescence is distinguished by a transition from the dependent, family-oriented state of childhood to the autonomous, peer-oriented state of adulthood. Related to this transition is a distinct behavioral profile that includes high rates of exploration, novelty-seeking, and sensation-seeking. While this adolescent behavioral profile generally aids in the transition to autonomy, it comes at a cost and is often related to excessive risk-taking behavior. Current models attribute the adolescent behavioral profile to a developmental discordance between highly sensitive reward-related processes and immature inhibitory control processes. Specifically, reward-related processes appear to develop in a curvilinear manner characterized by a heightened sensitivity to reward that peaks during adolescence. On the other hand, inhibitory processes show a protracted linear developmental trajectory that begins in childhood and continues gradually throughout adolescence. Thus, the unique developmental trajectories of these two sets of processes leave the adolescent with highly sensitive, reward-driven processes that can only be moderately regulated by gradually developing inhibitory processes. Despite the usefulness of these models of adolescent behavior, they remain incompletely supported by data, as few studies specifically examine the interaction between reward-related and inhibitory processing. The current study addresses this particular gap in the adolescent neural development literature by administering a reward-modified inhibitory control task to children, adolescents, and young adults during functional neuroimaging. Three key findings emerged from the current study. First, adolescents showed greater inhibition-related neural responses than both adults and children when potential monetary reward was available. Second, adolescents reliably showed greater striatal recruitment with reward than both adults and children. These differences in striatal response occurred as all three age groups showed significant reward-related behavioral improvements. Third, when reward was not present, adolescents and children showed deficient inhibitory behavior relative to adults. Findings from this study support models proposing interactive relationships between heightened adolescent sensitivity to reward and protracted development of inhibitory control. Additionally, the current findings expand these models by suggesting heightened adolescent sensitivity to reward may facilitate developmentally inefficient inhibitory control processes in a bottom-up manner.Item Age related changes in social reasoning regarding parental domestic roles(2007-05-03) Sinno, Stefanie Marie; Killen, Melanie; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The present study investigated age related changes in individuals' understanding of the parental role of caretaker from a social reasoning perspective. The methodology involved administering surveys to children, adolescents, and young adults (N = 300). Four hypothetical scenarios were described, in which the amount of caretaking tasks completed and time spent at work varied by gender of the parent, and individuals' evaluations and reasoning about the situations were assessed. Three additional factors that influence social reasoning about the caretaker were investigated, including, participants' gender attitudes, their perceptions of their parents' working status and division of caretaking, and their expectations for their own future family life. Results showed that individuals' judgments and reasoning about the caretaker role vary based on both the family arrangement and the gender of the parent in the caretaker role. Overall, participants' judged that the better arrangement is for one parent to spend less time at work in order to be the primary caretaker. However, it was also found that regardless of work arrangement, it would be better if the mother was the primary caretaker. There were age related changes in social reasoning about the caretaker role, with an overall increase in recognizing the complexity of family situations and reasoning from a moral perspective. In addition, gender attitudes, perception of parental work status and division of caretaking and expectations for future balance of work and family influenced social reasoning. Those individuals with more egalitarian attitudes, perceptions, and expectations were aware of societal expectations of parents' roles, but were accepting of arrangements that did not match with expectations. Thus, the present study addressed issues about the developmental origins of individuals' understanding of gender equity, gender development, and developmental social cognition. Understanding developmental changes in social reasoning about gender roles is important because it affects choice of future career and educational goals and opportunities.Item Theater and Self: Putting Self-Concept Into Play(2004-07-21) Yeager, Cynthia Celaine; Alexander, Patricia; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: THEATER AND SELF: PUTTING SELF-CONCEPT INTO PLAY Degree Candidate: Cynthia Celaine Yeager Degree and Year: Doctor of Philosophy, 2004 Directed By: Professor Patricia Alexander Department of Human Development The current study investigated the nature of the experience of participation in theater as it related to the self-concept of college students. The context for the study was the theater department of a comprehensive university emphasizing undergraduate education. The university offers a major and a minor in theater. The study used a qualitative, interpretive, case-study methodology, with analysis influenced by traditions of ethnography and phenomenology. Four participants were interviewed in order to ascertain their perspectives regarding the aspects of theater engagement that were perceived as meaningful. The resulting data were supplemented by multiple observations of the participants embedded in theater activities in order to garner relevant information regarding contextual features of significance. Data analysis commenced via analytic induction and the use of a constant-comparative approach. Accordingly, key ideas emerged that were then compared in a search for patterns of similarities and differences. Primary themes that emerged as significant across cases included the nature of motivation influencing theater engagement, the meaning ascribed to the social context, and the perspectives of participants regarding the influence of theater on self-concept. In addition, significant idiosyncratic sub-themes were identified respective to individual cases. Thus, it emerged that one participant experienced exclusion based on racial inequity within the department. Another participant expounded on the meaning attributed to costume and makeup in the context of performance in theater. Findings support the notion that aspects of theater engagement support identity formation and self-development. Specifically, it was noted that the social context of the theater department was viewed as cohesive and supportive, thereby facilitating feelings of belongingness and connectedness. Additionally, it was revealed that elements of play production and the academic coursework required in the major necessitate a level of self-reflection that can lead to insight and enhanced self-concept. Finally, existing research regarding the positive influence of theater on self-concept was supported.