Themes and Methods in Developmental Psychology

AP Psychology· difficulty 3/5

Dr. Reyes shows 4-year-olds two identical glasses with equal amounts of juice. She then pours one glass into a tall, narrow container while the children watch. When asked which has more juice, 78% of the children point to the tall container. When the same children are tested at age 7, only 12% make the same error.

Because Dr. Reyes tested the same children at both ages, her design is best described as:

  • A

    Longitudinal

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  • B

    Cross-sectional

  • C

    Cross-sequential

  • D

    Case study

Explanation

Longitudinal research follows the same participants over time. Cross-sectional designs compare different age groups simultaneously. Cross-sequential combines both. A case study examines one individual or unit in depth.

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