1.6 Longitudinal studies

longitudinal study

a research method that follows a group of participants over a long period of time, looking for changes in variable to explore development or changes due to experiences, such as interventions, drugs or therapies

cross-sectional study

compares people at different ages or stages by comparing different groups of participants at one point in time

cohort

a group of participants selected at the same age or stage

longitudinal design

an experimental design where the same participants are tested on two or more occasions over a long time - before and after a six month intervention

Situational variables

a confounding variable caused by an aspect of the environment, for example the amount of light or noise

intelligence quotient (IQ)

a measure of general reasoning and problem solving ability

Sample attrition

the loss of participants from a sample over time.