Copyright © 2004 - 2006 Dr. Andrew J.

Campbell

Research Methods
in
Developmental
Psychology
 Methods of Studying Life-Span
Development
• Historical
– Baby Biographies: Charles Darwin
– Questionnaires: G. Stanley Hall
• Key Assumptions of Modern Life-Span
Perspectives
– Lifelong, multidirectional process
– Gain and loss and lifelong plasticity
– Historical/cultural contexts, multiple influences
– Multi-disciplinary studies
 Conducting Developmental
Research
• Self-reports: interview, questionnaires, tests
• Behavioral Observations
– Naturalistic
• Advantage: natural setting
• Disadvantage: conditions not controlled
– Structured (Lab)
• Disadvantage: cannot generalize to natural
settings
• Advantage: conditions controlled
Figure 1.2
 The Experimental Method

• Three Critical Features

– 1. Manipulation of independent
variable
– 2. Random assignment of individuals
to treatment conditions
– 3. Experimental control
 The Correlational Method

• Determine if 2 or more variables are related

• Correlation: A measure of the relationship
– Can range from +1.0 to –1.0
– Positive: variables move in same direction
– Negative: variables move in opposite dir.
• No relationship if correlation is 0
• Cannot establish a causal relationship
 Developmental Research
Designs
• Cross-Sectional Designs
– +1 cohorts or age-groups studied
– 1 time of testing
– Studying age differences at any one time
• Longitudinal Designs
– 1 cohort
– +1 time of testing
– Study changes across time in one cohort
 Research Methods in
Developmental Psychology
Longitudinal Research
This type of research considers groups of subjects
over a period of time.

1. To study change in language

2. The development of Personality

3. How intelligence develops

4. Perceptual abilities across the lifespan

 Research Methods in
Developmental Psychology Continued…
Major Weaknesses of
Longitudinal Research

1. The time it takes to complete

2. The cost and commitment of the researchers

3. Drop out rates of subjects

4. Death
“He should have published”
 Research Methods in
Developmental Psychology Continued…
Cross-Sectional Research

This type of research considers groups of

subjects of different ages at the same point
in time.

• Each of the age groups is called a Cohort

• A cohort is roughly a group of people of

the same age or developmental level.
Figure 1.4
 Sequential Designs

• A combination of cross-sectional and

longitudinal designs
• Advantages of both designs
• Gives information about
– Which age-related trends are age effects?
– Which age-related trends are truly cohort
effects?
– Which age-related trends are a result of
historical events?
Figure 1.6