Longitudinal Studies (20)

Question 1

Longitudinal Studies Definition

Answer 1

Research of a sample of people, done at regular intervals over a period of multiple years, usually the same group of people to measure changes over time.

Question 2

What are the Two main types of Longitudinal Studies?

Answer 2

Cohort Studies and Household Panel Surveys

Question 3

Cohort Studies

Answer 3

Follows a cohort of people, individuals born approximately on the same date or time frame. Sample start as babies and follow a group of people until adulthood but can start at any age.

Question 4

Household Panel Surveys

Answer 4

Take a cross section of the whole population by randomly sampling households and then treating them all, the people in the household, as members of the sample. So individuals of all ages are included, making it useful to see how families change over time.

Question 5

Reliability of Longitudinal Studies

Answer 5

Not Reliable. Difficult to replicate. Because groups change over time, attitudes change or because of research method issues like knowing they are being studied.
Data is collected in a standardised manner at different points in time. (Up Study, is taken every 7 years). But can’t control or replicate all the EVs that take place between these periods.
Reliability is also affected by participants who change their qualitative answers to suit the objective of the researcher.

Question 6

Positive Reliability

Answer 6

Some methods used within longitudinal studies allow for large amounts of information to be collected, as well as analysis and enables comparison.

Question 7

Reliability Example (BHS)

Answer 7

British Household Survey: Questions cover a wide range of topics of both general and specific interest such as education, employment, political beliefs and behaviours, social and voluntary activities, internet use, aspirations, income and saving, mental and physical health. Over 25 year period consistently.

Question 8

Representativeness of Longitudinal Studies

Answer 8

Longitudinal studies, not the perfect option to conduct research is that they typically require large sample sizes. So, you must have a large number of cooperating subjects for your research or else it will not realize or be valid.
One of the biggest disadvantages of conducting longitudinal studies is panel attrition. This means that, if researchers are only relying upon the same group of subjects for research that takes place at certain points in time in years, then there is the possibility that some of the subjects would no longer be able to participate because of various reasons, such as changes in contact details, refusal, incapacity and even death, which cuts down the usable data to be drawn to formulate the conclusion.

Question 9

Representativeness Example (MCS)

Answer 9

Millennium Cohort Study: Had an original cohort of 19,000 children born in the UK between 2000 and 2001. The number of families interviewed at age 5 had dropped to 15,246 (80% of the original cohort). At age 14 which was conducted in 2015 only interviewed 11,700 families (61% of the original cohort). It is expected that it will continue to decrease when they are interviewed at 17, which was last year.

Question 10

Validity of Longitudinal Studies

Answer 10

Studies involve the use of a collection of data over long periods of time so can determine patterns efficiently. Researchers can learn more about cause and effect relationships and make connections in a clearer manner.
More data over longer periods of time allow for more concise results. Highly valid in determining long term changes are unique in themselves in providing data about individual changes.
Not just a snapshot.
Collects large amounts of rich qualitative data, providing an in-depth insight into society. But analysis of such data can easily be subjective.

Question 11

Validity Example (Winston/Child of our Time)

Answer 11

R.Winston’s ‘A Child of our Time’: Orginal aim of series was to build up a coherent and scientifically accurate picture of how genes and the environment of growing children interact to make a fully formed adult. But its latest instalment deviated and revealed positive information about youths today, showing they actually drink, smoke and have sex less.

Question 12

Practical Issues of Longitudinal Studies

Answer 12

Time is definitely a huge disadvantage to any longitudinal study, as it typically takes a substantial amount of time to collect all the data that is required. Also, it takes equally long periods to gather results before the patterns can even start to be made.
Cost. Funding. Can’t afford the cross-section could be chosen instead. Cross-sectional studies are known to be more affordable compared with longitudinal studies and are much quicker in reaching an observational conclusion as they use fewer touch points. Considering that they utilize a sample size that is carefully chosen, rather than subsets, the former can also be more of a help in representing entire populations. The former is observed to be very beneficial when it comes to considering a change in policy, unlike the latter. Better at changing policy as at that date and would run out of relevance.
The researcher may retire and the new one may not have the same rapport.

Question 13

Theoretical Issues with Longitudinal Studies

Answer 13

Interpretivists would like this method as it provides greater insight into patients lives and everything that influences them, gaining insight and developing a rapport with the participants.
Argue that if we want to explain social actions we have to understand them in a way that the participants do. We learn to see the world from their viewpoint. We need to develop an empathetic understanding which Weber called: ‘verstehen’. The job of sociologists is to uncover the shared interactions and interpretations that makeup society.
Longitudinal studies often use interviews to gather data. So they get to know and build a rapport with their participants which improves the data collection.

Question 14

Theoretical Issues with Longitudinal Studies Criticisms

Answer 14

Positivists argue that the rapport that Interpretivism empathise is unhelpful. Getting to know and the process of building rapport may become an obstruction and interfere with the behaviour being researched.
Also no control over causes, unsystematic and unstructured.

Question 15

Ethical Issues with Longitudinal Studies

Answer 15

Nature of longitudinal studies makes it hard to conform to professional ethical guidelines published by the British Sociological Assocation.

1. ) Avoiding Harm: In the Up Series, One participant sued to be removed, one had an issue with a portrayal
2. ) Deception: Can’t decieve
3. ) Consent: Issues if started as children as may feel obliged to continue
4. ) Right to Withdraw: Feel pressured to continue. In Up Series, one participant reported feeling this way.
5. ) Not Confidential needs to be shared. Though privacy is ensured

Question 16

Additional Points

Answer 16

1. ) Hawthrone Effect: As aware of Study

2. ) The researcher may go Native: Long exposure. Apted admitted to playing God with his participants

Question 17

Conclusion

Answer 17

Researchers encourage and welcome the use of longitudinal data sets but the time and costs is a disadvantage. Cross-sectional is an alternative. A snapshot over comparison over time.

Question 18

Archer

Answer 18

This study is concerned with how working-class ideas and identity may shape young people’s life choices. Many of the strategies that they have used successfully to gain status in schools, such as the adoption of consumer lifestyles, exclude them from middle-class norms and values and bring them into conflict with schools and colleges. 
This study took place over two years and intended to explore the values and culture of those students who were thought to be at risk of dropping out of full-time education before the age of 16. 53 respondents were chosen from six London schools.  
Interviews were not restricted to the young people: teachers, headteachers, careers advisors, parents and support staff were also interviewed. Interviews and discussions were taped and then transcribed. Parental consent was obtained before young people were allowed to participate and the students chose false names for the study.
Clothes have a meaning that is far more significant than simply acting as ways of covering and protection from cold, rain or heat. They are important in terms of marking identity. The display of particular items of dress and jewellery can be a clear indicator of social class in a code that others can read.