Research Methods

Naturalistic method

The most natural setting to see natural behaviors.

Pros: Cheap, easy, fast data.

Cons:If they know they're being watched, their behaviors change.

Case study

In-depth study of one person, one group, or one event.

Pros: Cheap, easy, fast data. Can help predict future behavior.

Cons:Needs more time to get data.

Survey and questionnaire

A set of written predetermined questions.

Pros: Cheap, easy, fast data. Collects a lot of data in a short amount of time.

Cons: People not finishing it, influence/bias, people lying on it.

Interview

A set of verbal predetermined questions.

Pros: Cheap, easy, fast data. The ability to clarify any questions.

Cons: Takes longer to collect data, can lie, body language and facial expressions of interviewer.

Longitudinal research

Research done over a long period of time (Decade +).

Pros: Extremely accurate + reliable data.

Cons: Takes a long time, risk of participants dropping out, risk of researcher dropping out, funding dries out.

Cross-sectional research

Compromise on time (~ 5 years), cross of ages.

Pros: Takes less time than longitudinal.

Cons: Data not as accurate, too many individual variables.

Correlations

Looking for a relationship between two things.

Pros: Helps with predicting, looks for similarities between outcomes.

Cons: Does not show cause and effect.