Module 1: Developmental Research Designs

Question 1

attrition

Answer 1

occurs when participants fail to complete all portions of a study

Question 2

cross-sectional research

Answer 2

used to examine behavior in participants of different ages who are tested at the same point in time; may confound age and cohort differences

Question 3

longitudinal research

Answer 3

studying a group of people who may be of the same age and background (cohort), and measuring them repeatedly over a long period of time; may confound age and time of measurement effects

Question 4

research design

Answer 4

the strategy or blueprint for deciding how to collect and analyze information; dictates which methods are used and how

Question 5

selective attrition

Answer 5

certain groups of individuals may tend to drop out more frequently resulting in the remaining participants no longer being representative of the whole population

Question 6

sequential research design

Answer 6

combines aspects of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, but also adding new cohorts at different times of measurement; allows for analyses to consider effects of age, cohort, time of measurement, and socio-historical change