Experimental Research Designs

Question 1

Cross-sectional designs

Answer 1

Takes into account age-related development changes by including a wide range of ages for their participants

Question 2

Limitations of cross-sectional research

Answer 2

Unable to judge whether the attitudes/behaviours of the older participants will appear in the younger age groups; can’t be certain the results are from developmental changes

Question 3

Benefits of cross-sectional research

Answer 3

quick, easy; most commonly used design

Question 4

Longitudinal designs

Answer 4

The same group of people studied for months/years

Question 5

Limitations of longitudinal designs

Answer 5

Expensive, can lose participants, practise effect can distort findings, cross-generational problems

Question 6

Longitudinal studies - practise effect

Answer 6

Participants may get better results as they have carried out the same task numerous times

Question 7

Benefits of longitudinal designs

Answer 7

No need to worry about cohort effects

Question 8

Longitudinal-sequential design

Answer 8

Combines features of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs to overcome limitations of both - addition of younger age groups at different stages of the experiment

Question 9

Benefits of longitudinal-sequential research

Answer 9

Provides richer data in comparision to longitudinal and cross-sectional research

Question 10

Limitations of longitudinal-sequential research

Answer 10

expensive, requires well-organised teams to track data, relatively complex