Two teams study vocabulary growth. Team X gives a vocabulary test to 200 children aged 4, 6, 8, and 10 in 2025 and compares scores. Team Y gives the same test to 200 four-year-olds in 2025 and retests the same children every two years until 2031. Both teams report age-related vocabulary gains.
A primary advantage of Team Y's design over Team X's is that it:
- A
Removes the need for a control group
- B
Eliminates participant attrition
- C
Is faster and cheaper to conduct
- Dcheck_circle
Avoids cohort effects by tracking the same individuals over time
Explanation
Longitudinal designs follow the same participants, separating developmental change from cohort differences. They are typically slower and more expensive, suffer attrition, and still benefit from comparison groups.