Most developmental psychology studies use either longitudinal or cross-sectional research designs. Describe how a developmental psychologist could use a longitudinal design to study changes in fluid and crystallized intelligence as adults age
Then describe a similar cross-sectional study. Based on what you read about longitudinal and cross-sectional studies in Chapter 2 (How Psychologists Do Research), is it possible that the cross-sectional and longitudinal studies you propose could find conflicting results? If so, explain how.
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: A good answer will include the following key points.
• A longitudinal study would follow a group of adults as they aged.
• For example, a sample of 40-year-old adults could be given tests of their fluid and crystallized intelligence, and then retested again when they are 60 and 80 to see how the participants' scores change over time.
• A cross-sectional study would compare adults at different ages.
• For example, samples of 40-, 60-, and 80-year-olds could all be tested, and then the average scores for each age group would be compared.
• Longitudinal and cross-sectional designs sometimes find conflicting data. The most likely reason for this is that cross-sectional studies are affected by generational differences, while longitudinal designs, because they only study one generation of participants, are not.
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