TASK

1. Select one claim from a company regarding a specific product, diet, or service aimed at infants/toddlers (ages 0-2 years 11 mo.) that you suspect to be exaggerated, unfounded, unrealistic or false. 

2. Access the University Library so that you can find 4 research articles from peer-reviewed research journals in the psychology discipline related to infant/toddler development that either support or refute the company’s claim.

3. Write a 1,400- to 1,650-word paper with accurate APA formatting that addresses and includes all of the following:

• TITLE PAGE
• INTRODUCTION 
• PRESENT THE CLAIM & ITS CONNECTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT
• What is the claim you selected from a company regarding a specific product, diet, or service that you suspect to be exaggerated, unfounded, unrealistic or false?
• What area or areas of development does the product, diet, or service claim to enhance?
• The claim you select must be directed toward infants’ or todddlers’ development.
• RESEARCH FINDINGS
• What do published articles and scholarly sources say about the claim you are investigating?
• Is there any evidence to support the claim? Why or why not? Explain
• What does the research you found reveal about how to promote healthy development for infant/toddlers in relation to the claim you investigated?
• What does the research you found reveal about the necessity and actual benefits of the company’s claim regarding the product, diet, or service?

• PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENT
• Imagine that a licensed psychologist in your state publically endorsed a product with no empirical evidence supporting its claims. It was later discovered that the psychologist was receiving a percentage of money from the sale of the product to parents.

1. Is this a violation of the APA code of ethics?  Explain. 
2. Be sure to cite the appropriate section or sections of the Code in your response.

• Your must have a minimum of 4 peer-reviewed journal articles from psychology research journals. (See step 2.)

4. Use accurate APA formatting. Use subheadings!

Note: You may not find a peer-reviewed journal article on a company’s claim regarding a specific product, diet, or service. However, you will most likely be able to find peer-reviewed journal articles on the general issue that you are investigating. For example, if you are investigating a specific educational video that claim that cognitive skills in infancy are enhanced by using a particular approach or method, you can then review and evaluate studies that focus on enhancing cognitive skills in infancy. Review the evidence for and against the use of specific techniques and summarize your findings.

HINTS

Here are some general ideas to help you select a specific claim from a company regarding a specific product, diet, or service that you suspect to be exaggerated or unrealistic.

1. A specific brand of educational videos targeting infant language development
2. A specific company’s product related to classical music and cognitive development
3. Benefits of a specific health product, a specific diet, or specific brand of organic food diet and the effects the company claims it has on physical and cognitive development
4. Products promising to teach your 18-month-old how to read
5. Any other claim made by a manufacturer or service provider, aimed at enhancing infant or toddler development