Lead levels

ESSAY #2: Lead levels

Read this article about childhood lead levels and adult brain functioning.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/941203?nlid=138320_5402&src
=wnl_dne_201119_mscpedit&uac=373336SX&impID=2686313&faf=1
#vp_3 (Links to an external site.)

If you need to review how to handle such a research study, watch this
video again.

https://youtu.be/A5c-9KSIh8M (Links to an external site.)

HINT: Get all of your definitions from the classnotes, terms list, or
assigned videos, not from Wikipedia or some online dictionary.

1. Describe the subjects. (You may mention constants to help clarify the
sample, but do not mention any variables.) [ 5 points ]

2. What kind of variable was the country in which the study was done:
manipulated dependent, criterion, outcome, spurious or constant,
confounding? Explain. [ 5 points ]

3. What kind of variable was the “unique microclimate” experienced
by each child: manipulated dependent, criterion, outcome, unethical,
constant, or confounding? Explain. [ 10 points ]

4. What kind of variable was the level of lead in the blood at age eleven:
manipulated independent, predictor, criterion, outcome, unethical,
spurious, or constant? Explain. [ 10 points ]

5. What kind of variable was the performance on measures of cognitive
assessment (e.g., WAIS) of the adult subjects: manipulated independent,
criterion, constant, unethical, spurious, or confounding? Explain. [ 10
points ]

6. Which cohort did the subjects belong to: Greatest, Silent, Boomer,
Gen Q, Gen X? How do you know? [ 5 points ]

7. What kind of variable was the cohort: manipulated independent,
spurious, unethical, criterion, outcome, or constant? [ 5 points ]

8. Would you describe this design as cross-sectional or longitudinal?
Why? [ 5 points ]

9. What was the role of the MRI? Explain. [ 5 points ]
cause of the cortical & hippocampal atrophy
treatment for the cortical & hippocampal atrophy
measurement of cortical & hippocampal functioning

10. What was the correlation between lead exposure at age eleven and
the level of cognitive functioning at age forty: positive, direct, negative,
indirect, incalculable, not significant, unethical, zero, null? Explain. [ 10
points ]

11. The study had “adjustments” for alcohol use, tobacco use, and
hypertension. Why was that necessary? [ 10 points ]
ethical standards of the American Medical Association
ethical standards of the American Psychological Association
federal HIPAA regulations
controlling for possible confounding variables

12. What would be the most likely role of the childhood social class of
the participants? Explain. [ 5 points ]
manipulated dependent variable
confounding variable, if not measured
manipulated independent variable
constant
measured criterion variable

13. The author talked about a possible relationship with
Alzheimer’s Dementia. That would constitute … (Explain.)
[ 5 points ]
a strong correlation with fair significance
a moderate correlation with good significance
a weak correlation with excellent significance
an inference about a variable not measured in this study
a null hypothesis confirmed by this study

14. What is the best categorization of this study? Explain.
[ 10 points ]
an introspection of a researchers own lifespan
a case study of mental development over the lifespan
an epidemiological survey of sequela of lead levels
an unethical randomized clinical trial experiment

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