Two ways to study change
Compare different age groups or follow the same participants through time.
The picture in words
- Cross-sectional
- Compare different age groups at one time.
- Longitudinal
- Follow the same participants over time.
- A research question
- Choose a design that fits the kind of change you want to investigate.
Reading the illustration
Cross-sectional comparisons can reflect cohort differences as well as age. Longitudinal studies track individual change while managing participation over time.
Try a question
Which design would follow changes within the same participants?
Show the explanation
A longitudinal design. Repeated observations connect each participant’s later measurements with their earlier ones.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/2-2-approaches-to-researchSelected introductory passages inspected