Longitudinal studies

Question 1

Give an example of a longitudinal study

Answer 1

Lacey: Studied children in a grammar school

for four years and recorded their process

Question 2

What are the practical, ethical and theoretical strengths of a longitudinal study?

Answer 2

Practical: Trace developments over time

Ethical: Participants can withdraw at any time

Theoretical: Detailed data high in validity and can establish cause and effect

Question 3

What are the practical, ethical and theoretical limitations of longitudinal studies?

Answer 3

Practical: Time consuming, problems keeping track of participants, large drop-out rate

Ethical: N/A

Theoretical: Difficult to analyse, Hawthorne effect and unrepresentative